Michigan State Football Positional Preview: Wide Receivers
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The wide receiver room is one of the toughest things to figure out about Michigan State football this year.
MSU's group of playmakers will look a lot different this year. The top two wideouts, Nick Marsh and Omari Kelly, both left the program this offseason, and there aren't really any clear-cut replacements. Here's what we do know so far:
Position Coach: Courtney Hawkins
The most popular retention on the coaching staff was wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins, who is now working under his third head coach since joining his alma mater's coaching staff for the 2020 season. Hawkins has traditionally relied on his starters a ton and rarely rotated in backups, but that could be different this year.
"I think we're gonna play a lot of guys [at receiver]," Pat Fitzgerald said on Monday. "I think that's gonna be a rotation. It's not gonna be two guys or three guys; I think you're gonna see six, seven, eight, maybe as many as nine, depending on how we wrap up training camp and where our health is at."
Projected Starters
Top Option & Slot Receiver: Chrishon McCray
The Spartans' top option in the pass game will probably be Chrishon McCray. He was Michigan State's starting slot receiver last year, catching 24 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. McCray's best game, a two-score night at Iowa, came with Alessio Milivojevic at quarterback, though, and I think offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan's offense will be more friendly toward McCray's skill set. His numbers should improve this year.
X-Receiver: Charles Taplin
Seemingly holding onto a starting spot at the moment is Charles Taplin. He's been one of the surprise risers of the offseason. Taplin, one of MSU's lowest-ranked recruits in its 2025 class, caught one pass during his true freshman season with the Spartans, but he rose up during the spring and caught on to a starting role that he's been holding onto since. His speed will make him an interesting deep threat this year.
Z-Receiver: Rodney Bullard Jr.
Rodney Bullard Jr. seems positioned to be the other starter right now -- that is, if he's given the chance. Bullard filed an injunction against the NCAA on Monday and will have a hearing on August 27. He applied for a waiver this past winter, and he still hasn't heard anything back. Last year, his first with the Spartans, he caught five passes for 119 yards and one touchdown.
Other Potential Contributors
KK Smith
Still in the mix is Notre Dame transfer KK Smith. He caught eight passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns last season with the Fighting Irish before hitting the transfer portal, likely in search of more playing time. I'm a fan of Smith's route-running ability, and he should be an option for Michigan State in the intermediate and deep passing game.
Fredrick Moore
Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore is another interesting piece in the receiver room. He has 15 career receptions for 160 yards and one score, but entered the portal mid-season last year after appearing in four games without a catch. There's also always some additional intrigue whenever a player switches sides in a rivalry.
Bryson Williams
Bryson Williams is another young, emerging name in the receiver room. He came to MSU as a running back/wide receiver hybrid, but he and the program made a logical decision to have him focus on receiver, with the running back room looking pretty deep this year. Williams has a knack for making some impressive catches, so I'd keep an eye out for that this year.
Braylon Collier
Second-year player Braylon Collier is also fighting for playing time. He was one of the team's top recruits in its 2025 recruiting class, but he only played one snap as a punt returner last year. I currently have him as the backup slot receiver to McCray.
Jameel Gardner Jr.
One of the latest additions to the roster was Jackson State transfer Jameel Gardner Jr., who committed to the program shortly after spring ball concluded. Gardner was the third-leading receiver at Jackson State last year, catching 32 passes for 483 yards and two touchdowns against FCS competition. He was also once teammates with McCray at Kent State.
Samson Gash
4-star true freshman Samson Gash can also not be ignored. I don't know how much Michigan State fans will see of the speedster and former MHSAA 100-meter state champion right away, but I do think Gash will get more snaps as the year goes on. A role as a punt returner also seems like a way for MSU to get him on the field, too.
Zach Washington
Rounding things out is true freshman Zach Washington. He was actually teammates with Milivojevic at St. Francis in Naperville, Ill. Washington picked Michigan State over Wisconsin and West Virginia, and he also held offers from Indiana, Illinois, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Miami (FL), and several other Power Four schools.
Non-Scholarship WRs: Jack Yanachik, Nick Hardy, Colin Charles
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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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