MSU Football's Top 5 NFL Draft Prospects This Year

It's now NFL Draft week.

Michigan State has generated 324 draft picks all-time, having at least one player selected in every NFL Draft in 86 of the last 87 years. Chances are, the Spartans will have at least one selection in this upcoming draft season. Here are the five best prospects MSU has to offer:

5. TE Jack Velling

Starting the list is tight end Jack Velling. He wasn't as productive as Michigan State fans had hoped in his two seasons with the team after transferring from Oregon State.

Velling has a pro-level frame, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds. That makes the jump to the NFL seem plausible, even though Velling will likely have to do it as a UDFA. Improvement as a blocker will be needed for Velling to see the field in the pros, as he only received a 44.2 PFF grade in the run game.

4. CB Malcolm Bell

Next up is cornerback Malcolm Bell, who received the best PFF grade on the Michigan State defense last season (79.1), as well as the best coverage grade (83.7). His 6-foot-2, 188-pound frame also makes him about the right size for the professional level.

Even if Bell doesn't get a real path forward in the NFL, there are other options for him. He's from Montreal, Quebec, which will make him an in-demand prospect for the Canadian Football League, which has rules requiring a certain number of players to be Canadian.

3. S Malik Spencer

Coming into draft week with an outside chance of being selected is safety Malik Spencer. He reportedly took a top-30 visit with the New England Patriots last week.

Spencer wasn't invited to the NFL Combine, but his visit to New England is a sign that he is on some NFL teams' radars, with the versatility to likely play both safety and nickel. Across his four seasons with MSU, Spencer accumulated 173 total tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

2. P Ryan Eckley

The first of two probable draftees is punter Ryan Eckley. He led the nation with 48.5 yards per punt in 2025 and actually declared for the NFL Draft with a year of college eligibility left in the bag.

There was probably no one better at his individual job on the Spartans in 2025, but his status as a specialist limits Eckley's ceiling. Most projections have him going in the sixth or seventh round.

1. OL Matt Gulbin

Topping the list is center Matt Gulbin. He only spent one season at Michigan State after transferring from Wake Forest, but he was the best offensive lineman the Spartans had. His 82.6 PFF grade was the highest mark on the entire team among those who saw substantial playing time.

MSU has had an interior offensive lineman get picked in the last two drafts (center Nick Samac in 2024, Luke Newman in 2025). The fact that Gulbin can move to guard is part of what makes him an intriguing pro prospect. He's expected to go on Day 3 as well.

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