3 MSU Freshmen Poised To Surprise People This Fall
In this story:
Football is generally a sport for upperclassmen.
Just the physical nature of the game makes it easier for older, stronger players to get playing time. Michigan State has a few incoming freshmen as part of its 2026 recruiting class that could be primed to surprise people this season:
WR Samson Gash
The freshman who will start with the most eyes on them is wideout Samson Gash. MSU eked out Penn State in Gash's recruitment, which extended a few months into the Pat Fitzgerald era and National Signing Day. Gash is a 4-star recruit ranked No. 256 overall in his class on the 247Sports Composite, as well as fifth among those from Michigan.
Michigan State is looking for somebody to emerge at wide receiver. Both of their starting spots at X and Z feel like they are up for grabs entering training camp. Gash's elite speed makes him a candidate to make an immediate impact. He set a state record at Detroit Catholic Central with a 10.41-second sprint in the 100-meter dash as a junior.
Gash is probably going to be the fastest player on the team immediately. It's a skill that just isn't that teachable, but it's the type of thing that will make him a threat going deep and in the open field during MSU's short-to-intermediate passing game.
The big thing Gash will have to overcome is not being an early enrollee. Those spring practices are opportunities to learn the Spartans' offense and make a good first impression with the staff. Now, Gash has to fast-track the process a little bit during fall camp. I still think Gash will see the field a fair bit this season. If it's not right away, his snaps should go up as the year progresses.
LB Adam Shaw
One of the surprises of spring ball was linebacker Adam Shaw. He's in a position where Michigan State has some solid depth between Jordan Hall, Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford, Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland, and Brady Pretzlaff, but Shaw seemed to be on the field a ton during the Spartans' spring game in April.
Shaw is a former 3-star recruit ranked 1,029th overall in his class coming out of Pascack Valley in Hillsdale, N.J. He also played quarterback in high school and chose MSU over Rutgers. Adam is the son of Scott Shaw, a former Michigan State offensive lineman who played under Nick Saban and eventually became a team captain and First Team All-American in 1997.
It's an uphill climb for Shaw to get some serious snaps with the names in front of him, but that's usually the case for any freshman. Coaches no longer have to worry about playing freshmen in too many games, too, with the NCAA's shift to a "5-in-5" eligibility system that essentially does away with redshirts.
This means if Shaw should be on the field, he'll be on the field. There isn't a weird four-game limit that coaches and players have to tiptoe around to preserve somebody's eligibility. Shaw won't be a starter this year, but he'll be on the list of players defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and linebackers coach Max Bullough turn to when MSU has to dip into its depth there.
K Stephen Gonzales
One new face on special teams also could potentially make a difference. Michigan State brought in Charlotte transfer Liam Boyd from the portal to be the team's new kicker after Martin Connington transferred to Kansas. Even with that, don't discount incoming freshman Stephen Gonzales.
Gonzales finished ranked fourth among kickers in the class of 2026 by Kohl's Kicking, also receiving a 5-star rating by the site. He's one of many new players brought in by special teams coordinator LeVar Woods, who was perhaps the biggest "splash" hire made by Fitzgerald this past winter.
Range is the big thing Gonzales is bringing in right away. He has arguably the biggest leg in his class and has already hit an in-game field goal as long as 57 yards during his high school career. There have only been five field goals of 57 yards or longer in MSU history, and only one of them has happened since the 1984 season.
Boyd probably won't have the range Gonzales does. The longest field goal of his college career up to this point is just 42 yards, although he did make a 50-yarder at one point during his high school career. Accuracy is another factor here, but it wouldn't feel surprising at all if Gonzales became Michigan State's kickoff man and/or long-range field goal specialist.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
Follow jacobcotsonika