With fall camp drawing closer by the day, Michigan State’s roster is starting to take shape - and some position groups look a lot more settled than others. The Spartans have 43 days left before the season opener against Toledo on Friday, September 4, and while there’s optimism around the program, the depth chart still has plenty of spots that need sorting out.
At the top of the list is linebacker, and it’s not hard to see why. Jordan Hall is back after a huge junior season, and Max Bullough’s presence as position coach gives the room a real edge.
Bullough also carries the highest-paid position coach tag on the staff, even if his co-DC title is mostly ceremonial. Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford looks like one of the better portal pickups on the roster and should see work at both MIKE and WILL.
Caleb Wheatland brings Big Ten production from his Maryland days, and the depth behind them - Brady Pretzlaff, Adam Shaw, Cam Stodghill and DeJae White - gives the group a solid base.
Running back also looks like a strength, especially with the way Michigan State may lean on the ground game this season. UConn transfer Cam Edwards headlines the room after rushing for 1,240 yards and 15 touchdowns last year, production that puts him among the best backs in the FBS.
Brandon Tullis is back after spending much of last season as the RB2, and the Spartans added more help with Western Kentucky transfer Marvis Parrish and Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson. Parrish posted 779 scrimmage yards as a true freshman, while Patterson served as Iowa’s RB2 last season.
Quarterback is naturally centered on Alessio Milivojevic, and he’s still something of an unknown outside East Lansing. The redshirt sophomore has only four starts on his résumé, and those late-season games didn’t draw much national attention.
Still, he played well in that stretch, and there’s reason to think his stock will rise once the season gets going. UCF transfer Cam Fancher gives Michigan State a capable, experienced backup option behind him.
The offensive line also feels like a unit that could take a step forward. Michigan State is expected to roll out four new starters, which should be a welcome reset after the group gave up 37 sacks last season, the second-most in the Big Ten.
Ben Murawski is one of the key names here as the new left tackle, and he was one of the highest-graded run-blockers on PFF last season. North Dakota State transfer Trent Fraley is another major addition.
He won the FCS Rimington Award last year as the subdivision’s top center, started every game during the Bison’s national championship season the year before, and has allowed only one sack in his career.
Cornerback should be another area of strength. New corners coach Hank Poteat brought Tre Bell with him from Iowa State, and two days later Michigan State brought back Charles Brantley, who may have been the team’s best defensive player in 2024 and is forever tied to East Lansing for his game-sealing interception against Michigan in 2021.
Houston Christian transfer Tyran Chappell adds another intriguing piece after earning First Team All-Southland Conference honors with four interceptions last season. He arrives with three years of eligibility left.
Safety is a little more unsettled, but there’s still plenty to monitor. Nikai Martinez returns after leading the Spartans in defensive snaps in 2024, though he only appeared in four games last season.
When he’s healthy, he’s an above-average free safety. Devin Vaught, a transfer from Maine, looks like the favorite to start at strong safety, but depth remains a concern.
The wide receiver room has talent questions, even if Courtney Hawkins’ track record keeps expectations from sinking too far. Michigan State fans are used to seeing at least one future NFL player in the group every year, but this time it’s hard to point to the obvious candidate.
Chrishon McCray is the top returner after catching 24 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the program, and he should open the year as the starting slot receiver. Beyond that, the picture gets murky fast.
Defensive line is another group that leaves plenty to prove. The interior depth isn’t where Michigan State probably wants it, and the Spartans didn’t land the clear pass-rush answer they seemed to need from the transfer portal.
The pressure problem has lingered for two years, and right now the best bets appear to be Anelu Lafaele and Keahnist Thompson. Lafaele had 2.0 sacks in roughly 4.5 games last season before getting hurt, while Thompson posted 4.0 sacks at Weber State.
For the pass rush to really move, somebody unexpected may have to break through.
Tight end sits at the bottom for now, and the reasons are pretty straightforward. Michigan State lost Jack Velling to eligibility and Michael Masunas to Texas in the offseason, then added only Ferris State transfer Carson Gulker.
Gulker’s versatility as a passer, runner and pass-catcher makes him the likeliest starter, but the jump from Division II to the Big Ten is no small thing. Behind him, the options are thin: Kai Rios had one catch last year, Jayden Savoury had one catch last year, and Brennan Parachek has 118 receiving yards on his résumé.
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Spartans Fans Just Got A Telling New Read On Their QB Choice
Michigan States quarterback situation got a fresh layer of outside scrutiny this week when The Athletic slotted new starter Alessio Milivojevic in the sixth of seven preseason tiers at the position. The ranking put him 69th nationally, a reminder that the Spartans are heading into the season with plenty still to prove under center and even more attention on how quickly Milivojevic can settle into the job.
The evaluation wasnt all negative, either. An unnamed Big Ten assistant coach credited Milivojevics passing ability, but also raised questions about his athleticism and whether he can handle pressure well enough to keep plays alive. For Michigan State, that mix of praise and concern is exactly why his performance looms so large this fall. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Fans May Not Love Where This Rebuild Really Stands
Michigan States rebuild under new coach Pat Fitzgerald is already taking shape in a way that makes the programs immediate future feel very different from its long-term ambitions. After four straight seasons without a winning record, the Spartans are leaning heavily on roster turnover, with a wave of transfers expected to play major roles as Fitzgerald tries to stabilize a team that has spent too long searching for traction.
The challenge now is less about dreaming big than proving the foundation is real, and that starts with simply getting back to respectability this fall. Even with the Big Ten title still viewed as a longer-range goal, the more pressing question is whether Michigan State can take a meaningful step forward soon enough to make the rebuild feel like progress instead of another reset. [Read more 🡒]