Michigan State is heading into Friday night’s opener against Toledo with one of its clearest questions still sitting at wide receiver.
The Spartans will officially kick off the Pat Fitzgerald era at 8 pm ET on FS1, and the first real game action should go a long way toward showing how the receiver room is shaping up. With spots in the two-deep still unsettled, this looks like one of the biggest position battles left on the roster.
Chrishon McCray is the one name that feels firmly planted. After arriving from Kent State, he started in the slot last season and looks like the safest bet to keep a starting role.
He also has a built-in connection with Alessio Milivojevic, and McCray’s best performance last year came against Iowa when Milivojevic was throwing him the ball. In that game, McCray finished with a season-high 75 yards and two touchdowns.
Beyond McCray, the picture gets a lot less settled. Charles Taplin and Rodney Bullard Jr. are the two receivers I’d pencil in next, though only lightly.
Both are entering their second seasons with Michigan State. Taplin, a Year 2/redshirt freshman, had just one catch in 2025 but has apparently climbed the depth chart during the offseason.
Bullard caught only five passes last year, yet he was the first receiver off the bench and even turned in a 100-yard outing against Minnesota when he stepped in for an injured McCray.
Still, the “starter” label may not mean as much at this position as it usually does. Fitzgerald said during camp that the Spartans plan to use a rotation at receiver this season.
That makes sense when the talent gap between the first group and the rest of the room appears so narrow. Courtney Hawkins has generally leaned heavily on his starters in the past, but this group may call for a different approach.
There are several other names in the mix. Notre Dame transfer KK Smith and Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore both look positioned for real playing time, and Michigan State has already shared camp highlights featuring the pair.
One clip showed Smith making a strong catch while matched up with projected starting cornerback Tre Bell. Both players were backups at their previous stops, but a move to East Lansing should open the door to larger roles.
Jackson State transfer Jameel Gardner Jr. is another option who shouldn’t be overlooked. He missed spring ball and came in as an April addition, so he’s likely been playing catch-up, but his experience should still make him a useful depth piece.
And then there are the internal options. Bryson Williams should be in line for some rotation snaps, and the Spartans may also try to work Braylon Collier into the mix. Among the true freshmen, Samson Gash and Zach Washington are both fast, with Gash standing out even more thanks to his MHSAA 100-meter dash record of 10.41 seconds.
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