Michigan State’s 2026 roster comes with a price tag, and a few Spartans look like they may be carrying expectations that go well beyond the numbers attached to them.
According to The NIL Standard, MSU’s roster is valued at $21.8 million total, which puts the Spartans 10th in the Big Ten. Oregon leads the conference at $41.4 million, a figure that ranks second nationally, while Ohio State sits right behind at $37.6 million.
Those figures, like all the numbers here, are only estimates. The source of the money is murky, the exact breakdown is hidden, and case-by-case accuracy is shaky.
Even so, the overall picture gives a useful look at where Michigan State stands. And when you start lining up the Spartans’ estimated NIL values, a few names jump out as players who may have to justify what they’re getting.
Alessio Milivojevic sits at the top, which makes sense. The starting quarterback is the most important individual on the field, and that still holds true even if he is relatively inexperienced. Whatever Milivojevic is making, it has already been enough for him to have a house big enough to host teammates and visiting recruits.
One of the more surprising names near the top is Isaac Smith. He started all 12 games for Michigan State last season after transferring from Texas Tech, but the production was modest: 26 tackles and 1.0 sack. That doesn’t exactly match the profile of a near-million-dollar EDGE rusher, and he also doesn’t have the kind of online presence that would point to major brand appeal.
Jordan Hall is the one who really stands out for what’s missing. He checks in 13th in the estimates at about $590,000, which feels low if he’s supposed to be one of the team’s biggest financial priorities. If he’s not a top-10 earner, or even a top-five one, then either Hall took less than expected or Michigan State isn’t allocating its money especially well.
Charles Brantley is another player who could be making more than the estimate suggests. His valuation comes in around $468,000, which places him 17th on the roster.
He barely played at Miami (FL) last season, but he was one of MSU’s best players in 2024. Brantley missed three games because of injury and still earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten after intercepting three passes in nine games.
The offensive line appears to have been Michigan State’s biggest investment area this offseason. The Spartans added a long list of transfers to upgrade the unit, and there’s a real chance their starting five will all be redshirt seniors or older.
Among the clear starters, Ben Murawski, Nick Sharpe, Trent Fraley and Conner Moore each bring at least 1,000 snaps of college experience. Murawski and Moore, the two tackles, are estimated to be the team’s second- and third-highest earners behind Milivojevic for a reason. Sharpe, who has worked with OL coach Nick Tabacca before at Wake Forest, and Fraley, last year’s FCS Rimington Award winner, could also end up making more than their estimates.
Another name worth watching is corner Tyran Chappell. He’s down at $170,000 in the estimates, but he could wind up as Michigan State’s third corner this season. Because he’s coming from an FCS program, his price tag is lower, but his three remaining years of eligibility make him a more valuable piece than the number might suggest.
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