Michigan State’s offensive line is where this season has to begin, and Ben Murawski is right at the center of that conversation.
The UConn transfer is slotted at No. 5 in the Spartans’ top 30 countdown, and the fit is obvious: Michigan State needs a sturdier front after allowing the second-most sacks in the Big Ten last year, and Murawski is expected to anchor the left side. That matters because he’ll be the blindside protector for starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, where any leak can turn into a sack or a fumble in a hurry.
The Spartans are trying to clean up a position that never settled down last season. Stanton Ramil, now at Auburn, missed most of the year with an injury, and Michigan State kept shuffling bodies at left tackle, moving Conner Moore over from right tackle before turning to then-redshirt freshman Rustin Young for some starts. That kind of turnover makes it hard to build chemistry, and chemistry is a big part of what a good offensive line needs.
Murawski gives MSU something it didn’t have enough of up front: stability. He started all 12 of UConn’s regular-season games last year, and his absence from the Huskies’ bowl game against Army was because he opted out, not because of an injury. He did miss time during the 2024 season while he was UConn’s starting left guard, but the bigger picture is that he brings experience and a much more defined profile to East Lansing.
And that profile is massive. Murawski is listed at 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, making him the most physically imposing player on the roster.
He’s also a force in the run game. His 86.4 run-blocking grade on Pro Football Focus ranked fifth among all FBS offensive tackles with at least 300 run-blocking snaps last season.
That kind of work should matter a lot for a Michigan State offense that looks built to lean on the ground game.
That’s especially true with the receivers still a major question heading into fall camp. The Spartans have depth in the backfield, and the group is led by Cam Edwards, another UConn transfer.
Behind him are Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson, Western Kentucky transfer Marvis Parrish, and rising junior Brandon Tullis. Edwards and Patterson project as versatile every-down options, Tullis gives MSU a short-yardage piece, and Parrish adds receiving value out of the backfield.
The numbers from last season show why the ground game has to improve. Michigan State averaged 3.78 yards per carry in 2025, which ranked 15th in the Big Ten, and its 122.8 rushing yards per game finished 110th nationally. If the Spartans are going to be better, the run game has to lead the way before the passing game can catch up.
That approach also fits the reality of the schedule. ESPN’s FPI favors Michigan State in only one of its 10 games against Power Four competition, and that’s the Oct. 17 home game against Northwestern, by a slim 52.6% to 47.4% margin.
In that kind of setup, controlling the clock and shortening games becomes part of the formula. Murawski’s run blocking can help MSU do that, even if defenses know what’s coming.
There are still questions, though. His pass protection numbers were less impressive, with a 54.4 pass-blocking grade from PFF.
He was charged with three sacks allowed, six quarterback hits, 15 hurries and 24 total pressures in 459 pass-blocking snaps. That’s the area that has to improve, especially with the Big Ten bringing faster, stronger edge talent than Murawski faced for most of his career in the Group of Five/Six ranks.
Still, there’s reason to trust Michigan State offensive line coach Nick Tabacca’s judgment here. If Murawski wasn’t ready to handle Big Ten pass rushers, he wouldn’t be starting at left tackle. The portal rankings also suggest there’s real value here: On3 had him 235th overall and 18th among offensive tackles, while 247Sports ranked him 310th overall and 21st at his position.
Murawski was also Michigan State’s first transfer portal addition this offseason, the first of 32. He’s only expected to be in East Lansing for one year, but the Spartans are counting on him to be one of their best players this fall, and his size and run-blocking ability give him a clear NFL future.
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Michigan State Is Already Eyeing A Massive Backcourt Decision
Michigan State is already working ahead on its backcourt future, and Antonio Pemberton has emerged as a name to watch. The top 2027 point guard recruit has trimmed his list to eight schools, with the Spartans still in the mix, as the program continues to evaluate guards in that class with an eye on what the roster could look like down the line.
The timing matters because Michigan State is planning for a possible shift at point guard after the 2026-27 season, when Jeremy Fears Jr. could be moving on. Add in the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model, which gives current scholarship players the option to extend their college careers, and the Spartans are navigating a future that is a little less predictable than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Two New MSU Transfers Carry Huge Fall Camp Pressure
Michigan States offseason transfer haul was massive, with 32 newcomers arriving and 14 of them projected to start, but the real pressure now shifts to the handful of players who have to turn that paper depth chart into something usable in August. Cam Edwards comes in from UConn as a running back with real production on his rsum, while Ben Murawski is being asked to stabilize the offensive line and help protect the blind side in a conference where every missed assignment gets exposed fast.
Kenny Soares Jr. is another name worth watching because his role is changing as much as his surroundings, and that kind of adjustment can define whether a transfer becomes a difference-maker or just another body in camp. There are still other position battles and moving parts around the roster, but these are the kinds of newcomers who can set the tone for the whole class if they handle the jump the way Michigan State needs them to. [Read more 🡒]