5 Non-Starters Who Will Have Important Roles for MSU
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The guys at the top of the depth chart won't determine everything.
Michigan State has a lot of new faces to know entering Pat Fitzgerald's first season at the helm. The same few players aren't going to get every single snap. These five players aren't considered the best at their respective positions, but they'll still have key roles in 2026:
Rush End Anelu Lafaele
One of the early bright spots last season was former Wisconsin transfer Anelu Lafaele. He made a couple of sacks during the first few weeks of 2025 before suffering a season-ending foot injury. Lafaele is likely behind the incoming N.C. State transfer Kenny Soares Jr. on the depth chart at rush end, but he's going to deserve some playing time.
Lafaele is also just a redshirt sophomore. If current eligibility rules remain the same, Lafaele might still have all four years of eligibility because he only got four full games last season. He's probably the best pure pass rusher in the group of rush ends. Expect to see him in the game during more obvious passing situations, like second- or third-and-long.
CB Tyran Chappell
One of the surprises of April's "Spring Showcase" was the implied role of Houston Christian transfer Tyran Chappell. He was getting first-team reps during the spring finale, though that may be boosted due to an injury to Charles Brantley.
Chappell is also just a redshirt sophomore, so there is a long runway in college ahead of him. He picked off four passes last season to eventually get First Team All-Southland Conference honors. The early signs definitely place him as one of MSU's most underrated additions this offseason. He was ranked 1,700th in this year's portal rankings by On3 and was down at 1,962nd on 247Sports.
OT Robert Wright Jr.
The offensive tackle spots also seem to be filled. UConn transfer Ben Murawski should be on the left side, and returnee Conner Moore should be on the right (it could also be Rakeem Johnson). That didn't stop Michigan State from being able to land Georgia Southern transfer Robert Wright Jr. this offseason.
Wright was a starter at right tackle this past season at GSU. He actually went the entire 2025 season without receiving a penalty. Injuries have been a problem during Wright's career; it's why he still has three years of eligibility left. Giving a full 2025 season with 752 offensive snaps helps, though.
QB Cam Fancher
Cam Fancher is another player who may have given up the chance to be a starter somewhere else to become a backup at MSU. He actually won the starting job out of training camp last fall at UCF, though injuries derailed his season there. Fancher has previous starting experience during his time at Marshall and Florida Atlantic as well.
This brings a nice veteran presence into the quarterback room. Fancher isn't contending to unseat Alessio Milivojevic as QB1, but there is enough on his resume that it can give him the proper push.
In the event Milivojevic cannot go, it's also probably preferred to put in a sixth-year senior rather than an unproven young guy who probably won't really be ready. Guys like Kayd Coffman and Leo Hannan have some promise, but it's probably best to keep them more than one injury away from becoming the starter.
DL Derrick Simmons
Rising redshirt freshman Derrick Simmons should also be getting plenty of snaps. Ben Roberts and Illinois transfer Eli Coenen make up the top two, but Simmons is a pretty clear third right now. He was the top recruit Michigan State got in the class of 2025.
Even though he was playing Division 5 football in Frankenmuth, Mich., Simmons was a 4-star prospect ranked 278th overall in the class on the Rivals Industry Rankings. He needed a bit of an adjustment year last season to go from small-town Michigan high school football to the Big Ten, but Simmons should be ready now.
He's up eight pounds from his listing in the fall to what he was at in the spring, going from 297 pounds to 305. Most teams will rotate in three or four defensive linemen during games. Simmons is still young and only has 44 defensive snaps to go on, but he's going to be asked for a lot this coming year.
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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.
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