5 Michigan State Transfers Who May Fall Short of Expectations
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Michigan State brought in 32 new players from the transfer portal alone this offseason. Not all of them will work out.
The Spartans are going to ask a lot out of roughly half of those transfers, who should step into starting roles right away. It just may be a little difficult for a few of these players to live up to expectations:
RB Cam Edwards
Now, I need to add that this is largely because no transfer is going to deal with higher expectations than Cam Edwards. He was the highest-rated transfer I had on my "top 30 players" list this summer, as well as No. 2 overall. That's the main reason why I have Edwards here. His "falling short of expectations" could still easily mean he's MSU's clear-cut RB1. The 1,240 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns he had last season are the elite-level production Michigan State needs.
It's going to be tough for Edwards to match those numbers. MSU has three other backs probably worth giving carries to, and Edwards won't have a near-monopoly on running back carries with the Spartans as he did with the Huskies. In addition, while Edwards is very dynamic when he's able to plant his foot in the ground, I wonder if he has Big Ten-level breakaway speed.
One of Marvis Parrish or Jaziun Patterson
The crowded running back room will also impact the carries of Western Kentucky transfer Marvis Parrish and/or Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson. Returning junior Brandon Tullis is also back, and he was Michigan State's RB2 for a lot of 2025. WKU regularly used three running backs last year, though Parrish led the Hilltoppers in carries and yards. Patterson was Iowa's RB2 last season and the Hawkeyes' RB3 the year before that.
Edwards is going to be the lead back, so Parrish is certainly accepting a step back in his role in exchange for moving up to the Big Ten. The good part for him is that he has three more seasons of eligibility after this one. Patterson's role may very well be about the same as what he had at Iowa: the reliable second option who can get you 4-5 yards per carry.
WR Fredrick Moore
I was skeptical when Michigan State brought in Fredrick Moore from the portal, not because he's switching over from MSU's arch-rival, but because of Moore's lack of production there. The same could be said of Notre Dame transfer KK Smith, but the Fighting Irish have probably had better receivers in recent memory than Michigan has had. Moore's midseason entry into the portal last year didn't help either.
There hasn't been a ton of noise around Moore or Smith, to be honest. The starting two outside wideouts during the spring scrimmage were Charles Taplin and Rodney Bullard Jr. (Smith was unavailable that day). Moore was available, but didn't make a catch that day. During one drill that used groups of three on Thursday, the first three to go were Chrishon McCray, Bullard, and, actually, Bryson Williams.
LB Dion Crawford
Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford is also in an interesting spot. He was one of the Spartans' more well-regarded portal pickups, but the number of snaps for him at linebacker might be tightening real quick. It might take a lot for him to pass Caleb Wheatland, somebody with Big Ten starting experience, at WILL linebacker, and there's no chance of passing Jordan Hall at MIKE.
Hype around true freshman Adam Shaw also continues to grow. Pat Fitzgerald said he gained "15-ish" pounds during the offseason, and Shaw seems like one of a handful of freshmen who will command meaningful snaps right away. Those are plays where he might be on the field instead of Crawford.
TE Carson Gulker
It's tough to figure out how Michigan State will use Carson Gulker. The Ferris State transfer seemed to be the fifth tight end going during drills on Thursday, but he's also not just a tight end at the same time. Gulker played quarterback at the Division II powerhouse, and he's joining MSU with 50 rushing touchdowns in his career. There is no one position he's confined to, but there also isn't a position he fits entirely into either.
How often offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan uses him will be interesting. Perhaps the offense is a little more plain or vanilla in the first two weeks against MAC opponents, but gadget plays and gimmicks will also only get you so far against Notre Dame and the Big Ten. Gulker probably only throws a handful of passes this season; he probably won't run with it that often with all the running backs Michigan State has, and he's overall relatively inexperienced as a tight end/receiver.
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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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