Full Michigan State Football Roster Preview Ahead of Fall Camp
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Michigan State football training camp officially starts on Thursday.
The Spartans are less than a month away from playing their first game under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Here is a quick recount of every notable assistant coaching hire Fitzgerald made, as well as a quick look at every single position on the team.
Assistant Coaching Hires
Offense
Offensive Coordinator: Nick Sheridan | Previous job: Co-OC and QBs coach at Alabama
QBs Coach: John McNulty | Previous job: Offensive assistant at Rutgers
RBs Coach: Devon Spalding | Previous job: RBs coach at Wisconsin
WRs Coach: Courtney Hawkins (retained)
TEs Coach: Brian Wozniak (retained)
OL Coach: Nick Tabacca | No college job in 2025, previously was OL coach at Wake Forest
Defense
Defensive Coordinator: Joe Rossi (retained)
LBs Coach (and co-DC): Max Bullough | Previous job: LBs coach at Notre Dame
DL Coach: Winston DeLattiboudere III | Previous job: DL coach for the Arizona Cardinals
Rush Ends Coach: Andrew Bindelglass | Promoted from assistant LBs coach
CBs Coach: Hank Poteat | Previous job: CBs coach at Iowa State
Safeties Coach: James Adams (retained)
Special Teams
Special Teams Coordinator (and assistant HC): LeVar Woods | Previous job: STC at Iowa
Woods will make an average of $1.2 million over his three-year deal with MSU, making him one of the highest-paid special teams coaches in the entire country.
Previewing MSU's Roster
Offense
Quarterbacks
Starter: Alessio Milivojevic (Jr.)
Backups: Cam Fancher (6th), Kayd Coffman (Fr.), Leo Hannan (So.)
Newcomers: Cam Fancher (UCF), Kayd Coffman (4-star recruit) | Departures: Aidan Chiles (Northwestern), Ryland Jessee (still in portal)
Milivojevic is being handed the keys as the Spartans' full-time QB1, with Chiles landing at Northwestern. Those four starts from Milivojevic last fall were promising, but things have now changed with a new offense and a lot of unproven pass-catchers, but also a (hopefully) improved offensive line.
Running Backs
Key Contributors: Cam Edwards (5th), Marvis Parrish (So.), Jaziun Patterson (5th), Brandon Tullis (Jr.)
Notable Reserves: Kenneth Williams (Sr.), Jace Clarizio (So.), Zion Gist (So.)
Key Newcomers: Cam Edwards (UConn), Jaziun Patterson (Iowa), Marvis Parrish (Western Kentucky) | Key Departures: Makhi Frazier (Ole Miss), Elijah Tau-Tolliver (eligibility)
Running backs should be a strength for MSU this year. At least four backs will command carries, but Edwards should lead the way after a 1,240-yard, 15-touchdown year at UConn in 2025.
Wide Receivers
Potential Key Contributors: Chrishon McCray (5th), KK Smith (Sr.), Fredrick Moore (Sr.), Rodney Bullard Jr. (6th), Charles Taplin (So.), Samson Gash (Fr.)
Notable Reserves: Jameel Gardner Jr. (5th), Bryson Williams (So.), Braylon Collier (So.), Zach Washington (Fr.)
Key Newcomers: KK Smith (Notre Dame), Fredrick Moore (Michigan), Samson Gash (4-star recruit) | Key Departures: Nick Marsh (Indiana), Omari Kelly (eligibility), Evan Boyd (Iowa State)
Wide receiver is the position to watch entering camp. The two starting spots alongside McCray are up for grabs, and it's tough to gauge who will win those jobs with the lack of in-game production to go off of.
Tight Ends
Potential Key Contributors: Brennan Parachek (Sr.), Carson Gulker (6th), Kai Rios (5th), Jayden Savoury (So.)
Notable Reserves: Eddie Whiting (Fr.), Joe Caudill (Fr.)
Notable Newcomers: Carson Gulker (Ferris State), Eddie Whiting (3-star recruit) | Notable Departures: Jack Velling (eligibility), Michael Masunas (Texas)
Tight end might be even more difficult to figure out than the receivers. The Spartans are only returning two catches from the position group from last season, and Gulker, a D-II transfer, was the only portal addition.
Offensive Line
Potential Starting Five: LT Ben Murawski (5th), LG Nick Sharpe (6th), C Trent Fraley (5th), RG Luka Vincic (5th), RT Conner Moore (5th)
Key Reserves: Rakeem Johnson (Jr.), Robert Wright Jr. (Sr.), Rustin Young (Jr.), Andrew Dennis (Jr.), Collin Campbell (Fr.), Eli Bickel (Fr.)
Notable Newcomers: Ben Murawski (UConn), Nick Sharpe (S. Carolina), Trent Fraley (N. Dakota St.), Collin Campbell (4-star recruit), Eli Bickel (high-3-star recruit) | Notable Departures: Stanton Ramil (Auburn), Matt Gulbin (eligibility/NFL), Gavin Broscious (Iowa State)
The offensive line, on paper, should be better this year. Murawski, Sharpe, and Fraley were among MSU's better portal gets, and the Spartans have some decent depth at offensive tackle. Tabacca is also one of Michigan State's more experienced assistants.
Defense
Defensive Tackles
Key Contributors: Ben Roberts (5th), Eli Coenen (Sr.), Derrick Simmons (So.)
Key Reserves: Carlos Hazelwood (Jr.), Mikeshun Beeler (Jr.), Hudson Aultman (Fr.)
Notable Newcomers: Eli Coenen (Illinois), Carlos Hazelwood (Toledo) | Notable Departures: Alex VanSumeren (USC), Grady Kelly (eligibility), Jalen Satchell (eligibility)
Defensive tackle is a major concern of mine entering camp. VanSumeren is a tough loss, and there is a serious lack of proveness and depth beyond the top two of Roberts and Coenen.
Rush Ends/EDGEs
Potential Key Contributors: Kenny Soares Jr. (5th), Anelu Lafaele (Jr.), Keahnist Thompson (5th), Isaac Smith (6th)
Key Reserves: Leonard Ah You (So.), Kekai Burnett (Jr.), Trey Lisle (Jr.), Chris Piwowarczyk (Jr.)
Notable Newcomers: Kenny Soares Jr. (NC State), Keahnist Thompson (Weber State) | Notable Departures: Jalen Thompson (Arizona State), Quindarius Dunnigan (eligibility), David Santiago (Kansas)
The pass-rushing unit is also largely unproven. Soares will be a starter for this team, but he's switching from linebacker. Lafaele also impressed me last season, but he's also coming off a foot injury that ended his 2025 season.
Linebackers
Key Contributors: Jordan Hall (Sr.), Caleb Wheatland (5th), Dion Crawford (Sr.)
Notable Reserves: Brady Pretzlaff (Jr.), Cam Stodghill (Sr.), Adam Shaw (Fr.)
Notable Newcomers: Caleb Wheatland (Auburn), Dion Crawford (Buffalo), Cam Stodghill (Albany), Adam Shaw (3-star recruit) | Notable Departures: Wayne Matthews III (eligibility), Aisea Moa (Michigan), Darius Snow (Texas)
Linebacker could be MSU's strongest position group. There is star power with Hall's return and some real depth. Having Bullough, a program legend, back and coaching the unit was another big move during the offseason.
Cornerbacks
Starters: Charles Brantley (6th), Tre Bell (5th)
Key Reserves: Tyran Chappell (Jr.), NiJhay Burt (5th), Andrew Brinson IV (Jr.)
Notable Additions: Charles Brantley (Miami-FL), Tre Bell (Iowa State), Tyran Chappell (Houston Christian) | Notable Departures: Malcolm Bell (eligibility), Joshua Eaton (eligibility), Aydan West (Minnesota)
With good health, corner should be a strength for MSU. Brantley was phenomenal for Michigan State in 2024, and Bell was a solid starter at Iowa State last year. Depth is a bit of a question, though, and injuries have been a problem throughout Brantley's college career.
Safeties
Projected Starters: Nikai Martinez (5th), Devin Vaught (Sr.), Michael Richard (Sr.)
Key Reserves: Aveon Grose (5th), Khalil Majeed (6th)
Notable Newcomers: Devin Vaught (Maine), Michael Richard (Louisiana Tech) | Notable Departures: Armorion Smith (Toledo), Ade Willie (North Carolina)
Safety is another interesting spot. Martinez was one of the Spartans' best retentions, but he played in only four games last year due to injuries. He's joined by a pair of transfers leaping to the Power Four level from FCS or G5 programs.
Special Teams
Probable Starters: K Liam Boyd (5th), P Rhys Dakin (Jr.), LS Nick Duzansky (Sr.), KR Kenneth Williams (Sr.)
Potential Punt Returners: Samson Gash (Fr.), Charles Taplin (So.), Kenneth Williams (Sr.), Braylon Collier (So.)
Notable Incoming Freshmen: K Stephen Gonzales, LS Trey Serauskis
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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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