MSU Freshmen Most Likely To Earn Major Playing Time in 2026
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New rules mean Michigan State has its entire roster at its disposal this season.
It's one of the reasons Pat Fitzgerald is happy about the NCAA's new "5-in-5" eligibility rules. He said in Chicago during last week's Big Ten Football Media Days that it allows coaches to just play who should be playing without worrying about the four-game redshirt limit. These members of the Spartans' 2026 recruiting class seem to have the best shot at serious playing time this fall:
WR Samson Gash
4-star wideout Samson Gash may be MSU's most important true freshman. Somebody has to emerge from the competition in Michigan State's upcoming wide receiver battle, and the Spartans' prized in-state recruit is one of the candidates to do so. Gash finished ranked 257th overall in the class of 2026, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was ranked 40th among fellow wide receivers and fifth among all recruits from Michigan.
Gash's speed makes the idea of him even being a starter feasible. He's going to be the fastest player on MSU's roster, having won a state championship and set a state record in the 100-meter dash during his junior year at Detroit Catholic Central. Michigan State should also give him a look at punt returner, which would give him some chances to be a playmaker in the open field.
LB Adam Shaw
One freshman who impressed during the spring was linebacker Adam Shaw. He was getting a lot of snaps during April's spring game, mostly with the team's second-teamers. Shaw was a 3-star recruit out of Pascack Valley in River Vale, NJ. He's also the son of former MSU All-American and team captain Scott Shaw.
Saying Shaw would get real playing time as a freshman would've been considered a real surprise prior to the spring. Linebacker is one of the deeper positions on Michigan State's roster. Jordan Hall, Caleb Wheatland, and Dion Crawford will probably get the bulk of the snaps. Even then, Shaw would have to pass older players like Cam Stodghill and Brady Pretzlaff to position himself for some real snaps.
TE Eddie Whiting
Incoming tight end Eddie Whiting also got some great reviews from position coach Brian Wozniak during the spring. He was not ranked quite as highly as fellow tight end Joe Caudill, but Caudill is switching from playing quarterback in high school to tight end in college. Whiting's college offer list is really impressive, though, including Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and plenty of other Power Four schools.
Whiting is the wild card in MSU's open tight end competition. The Spartans are losing their top two tight ends from last year and seem to be betting they have enough behind them to not experience a drop-off. Ferris State transfer Carson Gulker was the only portal tight end Michigan State brought in. MSU also has Kai Rios, Jayden Savoury, and Brennan Parachek seeking out playing time.
OL Eli Bickel
Eli Bickel is another freshman who may make a strong impression. He's listed at 6'6" and 312 pounds on the Spartans' preseason roster right now, already making him one of the biggest players on the team. He's also anticipated to be one of Michigan State's interior offensive linemen. MSU has some decent depth at offensive tackle, but there might be an easier path to playing time for Bickel at guard or center.
Rivals also has a pretty optimistic projection for Bickel. The site had him as a 4-star recruit, the 171st overall in the class, and even made him the top prospect from Michigan. 247Sports' projection isn't quite as optimistic; Bickel is 23rd among all recruits from Michigan on its rankings. That type of difference feels a little unusual, so it'll be intriguing to see which site gets its respective projection for Bickel right.
K Stephen Gonzales
New kicker Stephen Gonzales could also be a difference-maker on special teams. He seems like the type of player who would've been held off while Charlotte transfer Liam Boyd played out his last year of eligibility in the past, but that's no longer the case under the new system. Gonzales' leg is massive. He's already made in-game field goals during his high school career from as far away as 57 yards.
Gonzales being the kicker on kickoffs or long-range field goal attempts may be a real possibility. Kickers who can consistently deliver touchbacks are valuable because kickoffs are plays where injuries are much more likely to happen. If Gonzales can also give MSU a real shot at points from 50+ or 55+ yards away, that only increases his value even more.
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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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