A lot changed around Michigan State after the 2025 season, and the offseason reshaped the roster in a hurry. Jonathan Smith was out the day after the Spartans finished 4-8, Pat Fitzgerald was in, and the turnover followed. MSU lost 45 players to the transfer portal, then added 32 portal players and 30 freshmen.
Out of all that movement, a few names have clearly climbed and fallen the most.
Charles Taplin looks like the biggest riser of the bunch. Wide receiver remains one of the main unknowns heading into 2026, not because the Spartans lack talent across the board, but because there’s no obvious answer yet on who will separate from the pack.
Taplin is near the front of that race. He started Michigan State’s spring scrimmage in April, and while that might have been tied to Notre Dame transfer KK Smith being unavailable, Taplin has seemingly kept that spot through fall camp based on the practice reps I’ve seen.
That’s a notable jump for a player who had just one catch for eight yards as a true freshman and entered college as one of the lowest-ranked recruits in MSU’s 2025 class.
Jayden Savoury is another young player who has made a real move. He played in four early-season games last year, caught one pass for 16 yards against Boston College, and then disappeared from the lineup over the final seven games so he could keep his redshirt intact.
This summer and fall, though, he stood out to me quite a bit. He’s already a big target, and he’s added 13 pounds since last year.
The catch radius is a strength, and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said he’s been happy with Savoury’s development as a blocker. He and Brennan Parachek look like the top two traditional tight ends, with Carson Gulker still filling the versatile, do-it-all role.
One transfer who could end up turning more heads than expected is Tyran Chappell. He was among the first portal commitments for Michigan State this offseason after posting four interceptions at Houston Christian.
The recruiting services didn’t rank him especially high in this portal cycle, but the production suggests MSU may have landed one of the better young cornerbacks from the FCS level last season. For now, Chappell appears headed for a CB3 role, with the chance to rotate often and maybe even take some nickel snaps.
Safeties coach James Adams said several corners are cross-training there, and Chappell seems like a logical candidate.
Brandon Tullis is in a different kind of spot. It was a little surprising to see him stay put given how aggressively Michigan State attacked the running back market.
The Spartans brought in Cam Edwards from UConn, and he’s my top offseason addition after rushing for 1,240 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Marvis Parrish came over from Western Kentucky after putting up 779 yards as a true freshman and serving as the Hilltoppers’ RB1 in 2025.
Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson added 296 yards as the Hawkeyes’ RB2 last year. With that kind of influx, Tullis could slide all the way to RB4 after spending much of 2025 as MSU’s second back.
He should still get work, especially in short-yardage situations, but probably not nearly as much as he did a year ago.
The wide receiver room is also crowded in a way that changes the outlook for the newcomers. None of the portal receivers appear to be starters at the moment.
Taplin is one of the starters, and the other two top spots right now seem to belong to Chrishon McCray and Rodney Bullard Jr. Michigan State is expected to rotate at receiver, so there will still be opportunities, but it’s notable that Fredrick Moore from Michigan and KK Smith from Notre Dame are not in the top three at the moment.
Jackson State transfer Jameel Gardner Jr. was added later in April, and he’s part of the mix too. Moore and Smith should both play plenty, but the current pecking order is at least a little concerning.
Isaac Smith is another veteran whose standing looks shakier than it did a year ago. He started every game last season, but right now he doesn’t appear to be better than second on the depth chart at both rush end and defensive end.
Kenny Soares Jr. and Anelu Lafaele are ahead of him at rush end, while Keahnist Thompson looks like the starter at defensive end. At that spot, Smith seems to be in the same range as Cal Thrush and Kekai Burnett.
In Other News...
Joe Bachie Suddenly Faces A Tough New NFL Question
Joe Bachies latest NFL stop ended in surprising fashion when the Detroit Lions moved on from the former Michigan State linebacker during roster cuts, even after he put together a strong preseason and drew praise from head coach Dan Campbell. It was a tough turn for a player who has spent six years carving out a pro career and has become used to fighting for every chance he gets.
Bachies release also came as part of a rough cutdown day for other Spartans in the league, with the Atlanta Falcons parting ways with Nate Carter and Jack Velling. Bachie still figures to have a path back somewhere, whether on an active roster or a practice squad, but the immediate question is whether another team sees enough in his work to give him the next opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Got A Tough Reality Check On Cutdown Day
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For a program that had several former players trying to carve out a place at the next level, it was a rough sweep of the board all at once. The good news for Michigan State is that not every rookie storyline ended there, with draft picks Matt Gulbin and Ryan Eckley expected to make their first NFL appearances this fall, giving the Spartans at least a couple of fresh pro footholds to follow once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States New-Look Offense Faces Its First Real Test
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Alessio Milivojevic is among the players drawing the most interest as the season begins, with the quarterback position carrying plenty of intrigue in a fresh system. Cam Edwards also figures to be part of the conversation right away, especially if Michigan State wants to lean on the ground game and keep things simple in week one while the new pieces sort themselves out. [Read more 🡒]