MSU Football's 5 Biggest Swing Players for 2026 Season
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Kickoff is now just two days away for Michigan State.
The Spartans officially start the Pat Fitzgerald era and the 2026 season on Friday against Toledo (8 pm ET, FS1). MSU's roster looks a lot different from last year's, featuring 62 new players out of 111 total. These five will determine how the fall goes the most:
QB Alessio Milivojevic
So much centers around whether new starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic clicks or not. He started the final four contests of last season and showed plenty of potential, throwing for 986 yards, seven touchdowns, and just two interceptions as the QB1. Milivojevic was also consistently leading scoring drives during relief appearances early in the season. It was enough for Fitzgerald to decide to keep Milivojevic around as the team's full-time starter this year.
The question is whether Milivojevic can maintain the pace he set last season for 12 whole games, relying on toughness, deliveries into tight windows, and the ability to hold on until the last moment in the pocket. I think he can, but I do question whether the Spartans' wide receivers and tight ends will be as effective playmakers as Michigan State's were last year with Nick Marsh, Omari Kelly, Jack Velling, and Michael Masunas.
LT Ben Murawski
Milivojevic's success is also largely dependent on the offensive line. The unit underwent a near-total reset this offseason, which was necessary after it allowed the second-most sacks in the Big Ten last year and posted the fourth-fewest yards per carry on the ground. Conner Moore is the only returning starter from last year, and even he is switching from right tackle to left guard.
UConn transfer Ben Murawski is the biggest newcomer on the offensive line. The expectation is for him to be an absolute mauler in the run game for MSU -- continuing to block for running back Cam Edwards -- but perhaps more important is Murawski's pass-blocking. He plays left tackle, meaning he'll be Milivojevic's blindside blocker. Any mistakes from Murawski get magnified because Milivojevic can't see the guy who beat Murawski on the edge.
WR Chrishon McCray
Wide receiver is the biggest question mark surrounding the team ahead of Friday. The only player we truly know about is Chrishon McCray, who was MSU's starting slot receiver last year. He caught 24 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. I think McCray will flourish this coming season in Nick Sheridan's offense, and his importance only grows with a large group of unproven players behind him.
Michigan State will probably play six, seven, maybe eight receivers against Toledo. McCray will probably play the most often. I don't see his starting spot being seriously challenged this year, but those X and Z spots out wide have been a debate for a long time. Since he's on the field the most, Milivojevic will probably look to McCray very quickly, and I think he'll become his favorite target.
DT Ben Roberts
My biggest concern with this 2026 roster is the lack of depth on the defensive line, particularly at defensive tackle. Five people regularly played the position for the Spartans last year, and it was really one of the team's few strengths, but now Michigan State only has six scholarship defensive tackles, period, and only two of them have truly played a substantial amount of college football before.
Ben Roberts is the most important part of MSU's defensive line this year. He started in six of the seven appearances he made in 2025, but he still missed a big portion of the season due to injury. Those health concerns for Roberts are what make the lack of depth a serious concern. If the Spartans dig into their bench often, substantial snaps begin going to Carlos Hazelwood, who didn't play much at Toledo last year, and Mikeshun Beeler, who has barely played at all at MSU.
Rush End Kenny Soares Jr.
NC State transfer Kenny Soares Jr.'s production also holds great importance. Michigan State is moving Soares from linebacker to rush end, meaning he'll be the stand-up defensive end on the weak side. The Wolfpack were actually going to move Soares to EDGE last season after he transferred from Northwestern, according to defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, but they moved him back to linebacker after some injuries.
Even if NCSU had a similar idea, this is still a new venture for Soares. MSU's pass rush hasn't been good enough recently, and the Spartans are hoping a redshirt senior with just 3.0 career sacks is the one to turn things around. Soares' captaincy and No. 1 jersey number, both honors given to him by his teammates, certainly add a lot of intrigue.
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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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