Best-Case Scenarios for Key MSU Football Freshmen in 2026
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It's tough for freshmen to see the field right away in college football.
The physicality and larger roster sizes often mean players need a season or two to develop physically and skill-wise before they're truly ready to play. Michigan State has some promising freshmen coming in this season in its 2026 recruiting class. This is the best-case scenario for the five best, based on the 247Sports Composite rankings.
OT Collin Campbell
The top prospect this year is offensive tackle Collin Campbell. He's ranked 196th overall in the class and 20th among offensive tackles. Campbell still signed early with MSU, despite the coaching change from Jonathan Smith to Pat Fitzgerald.
What makes these best-case scenarios interesting is the fact that redshirting players likely won't be an option for coaches anymore. The NCAA is probably going to approve a "5-in-5," age-based eligibility rule that gives everybody five years to play, but essentially does away with the concept of redshirts.
Gauging younger offensive tackles is tough, largely because most of them don't have enough muscle or weight yet to stop Big Ten pass rushers or interior defensive linemen. Campbell is closer than most. He's listed at 6'7" and 280 pounds, though starting-level offensive tackles normally need to be 300+ pounds.
Campbell's best-case scenario during his first college season is to be a key backup. The Spartans are relatively set with Ben Murawski at left tackle and Conner Moore at right tackle. Rustin Young and Robert Wright Jr. also help crowd up the two-deep.
WR Samson Gash
Wideout Samson Gash has the highest ceiling for his freshman season. He's immediately going to be the fastest player on the roster as a former MHSAA Division 1 100-meter dash state champion. Fitzgerald and wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins were able to turn Gash's verbal pledge into a signing after fending off Penn State for a couple of months during the winter. He's ranked 256th overall in the class.
One of the main reasons why Gash has the highest ceiling here is the lack of established bodies in front of him. Snaps at wide receiver, besides having Chrishon McCray in the slot, are pretty much up for grabs.
Michigan State's top two receivers from last season are both gone -- Nick Marsh went to Indiana, and Omari Kelly ran out of eligibility. Transfer portal additions Fredrick Moore (Michigan) and KK Smith (Notre Dame) were both backups at their previous stops.
Marsh had an immediate impact as a blue-chip freshman back in 2024. Gash could do the same with his blazing speed, which can also be used in a special teams role as a punt returner, perhaps.
QB Kayd Coffman
Landing in-state prospect Kayd Coffman also has me optimistic about the future at quarterback. Coffman was ranked 272nd overall in the class and never really seemed to waver at all from his February 2025 verbal commitment.
Coffman isn't a wunderkind, true-freshman starter, though. He seemed to be the third quarterback on the depth chart during April's "Spring Showcase." That still came with a promising exhibition of both arm strength and mobility that should only get better with time.
Quarterbacks coach John McNulty has also been high on Coffman's intelligence. McNulty said during the spring that it was rare to see Coffman make the same mistake twice and that he loves the types of notes Coffman takes during meetings.
The best-case scenario for Coffman would be to find a way into that primary backup position. It's an uphill climb, though, with sixth-year senior Cam Fancher there because MSU might want to turn to somebody with experience in the event Alessio Milivojevic is no longer able to play.
TE Joe Caudill
Another interesting prospect joining Michigan State is tight end Joe Caudill. He might need a bit of time to adjust to college football, as the Spartans are making him change positions. Caudill played quarterback at Lexington in Mansfield, Ohio.
Caudill has a good frame already at 6'4" and 232 pounds, but just learning the new position makes the task of getting playing time immediately a challenge.
Tight end is another spot where it is a bit of an open competition. Just like wide receiver, nobody has truly established themselves as a top option at the Power Four level. If Caudill were to pick up the position quickly enough, there could be snaps waiting for him.
Being in a position to see the field relatively often is the best-case scenario for Caudill. He's probably more of a long-term project as a player for tight ends coach Brian Wozniak and the staff, but being able to fast-track that process as a true freshman would be huge.
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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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