Get To Know Each of MSU Football's Newest Players
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Michigan State has a much different roster than last year.
The switch to Pat Fitzgerald as the Spartans' head coach sparked significant transfer portal activity. MSU accepted 31 new players from the portal alone this cycle, with even more players exiting through the portal. Then there are all of the incoming freshmen, too.
Top Incoming Transfers
Pretty much every position group this coming season is going to include at least one incoming transfer for Michigan State in 2026. Of all the new transfers, UConn transfer Ben Murawski has been ranked the highest. He finished ranked 203rd in On3's transfer portal rankings and was coincidentally the very first transfer portal prospect the Spartans landed.
Behind Murawski is defensive back Charles Brantley at 300th. He's the only player in the class to have played for MSU, transferred to another school—Miami (FL) in this case—and then transferred back to East Lansing. Brantley was a lockdown corner for Michigan State during the 2024 season, but he redshirted for the Hurricanes last season. That gave him an additional year of eligibility, so Brantley opted to go back to his original school for his sixth season of college football.
Next is N.C. State transfer Kenny Soares Jr. at 386th. He actually began his career at Northwestern, playing on Fitzgerald's final team in Evanston in 2022. Soares has played linebacker his entire college career, but MSU lists him as an EDGE on its roster and appears to be planning to have him at rush end this coming fall.
Five spots behind Soares is UConn transfer Cam Edwards. He's one of Michigan State's most proven commodities right now. Edwards finished 15th in the FBS with 1,240 rushing yards last season for the Huskies, getting into the endzone 15 times on the ground.
Incoming Transfers' Social Media Info
Name | Twitter/X | |
|---|---|---|
CB Tre Bell (Iowa State) | @tbell.3 | @TreBell13 |
K Liam Boyd (Charlotte) | @liamgboyd | @liamboyd37 |
CB Charles Brantley (Miami) | N/A | @cbrantley22 |
CB Tyran Chappell (Houston Christian) | @tyranchappell.7 | @tyran_chappell |
DL Eli Coenen (Illinois) | @elicoenen | @eli_coenen45 |
LB Dion Crawford (Buffalo) | @d1onc | @dion_crawford21 |
P Rhys Dakin (Iowa) | @rhysedakin | @Rhys_dak1n |
LS Nick Duzansky (Oregon) | @_nickduzansky | @Duzansky_nick |
RB Cam Edwards (UConn) | @cbg.cam1 | @Camedwards0 |
QB Cam Fancher (UCF) | @camfancher1 | @camfancher1 |
OL Trent Fraley (North Dakota State) | @trent_fraley66 | @fraley_trent |
TE Carson Gulker (Ferris State) | @carsongulker_27 | @CarsonGulker27 |
DL Carlos Hazelwood (Toledo) | N/A | @CarlosHazlwoo52 |
EDGE Trey Lisle (SEMO) | @treylisle | @trey_lisle |
S Trevaughn Martinez (Western Carolina) | N/A | @TrevaughnMarti3 |
WR Fredrick Moore (Michigan) | @360.fredro | @FredrickMoore6_ |
OL Ben Murawski (UConn) | @ben.murawski | @murawski_ben |
RB Marvis Parrish (Western Kentucky) | @marvis_5 | @ParrishMarvis |
RB Jaziun Patterson (Iowa) | @1lil4_ | @J4thegreat2 |
S Michael Richard (Louisiana Tech) | @mikemike1of1 | @mikemike7x |
OL Nick Sharpe (South Carolina) | @nicksharpe52_ | @NickSharpe52 |
WR KK Smith (Notre Dame) | @kka1eb | @__KalebSmith |
EDGE Kenny Soares Jr. (NC State) | @kennysoaresjr | @kennysoaresjr |
LB Cam Stodghill (Albany) | @cam.stodghill | @cameronstodghi1 |
EDGE Keahnist Thompson (Weber State) | @k.thompson_ | @keahnist |
S Devin Vaught (Maine) | @_devthek1d_ | @_DevinVaught |
P Alex Weeks (Northern Arizona) | @a1exweeks | @alexjweeks |
LB Caleb Wheatland (Maryland) | @caleb_wheatland | @CalebWheatland |
RB/KR Kenneth Williams (Nebraska) | @kennethwilliams | @KennyRwilliams1 |
OL Robert Wright Jr. (Georgia Southern) | @bigrob.71 | @RobW_71 |
Top Incoming Freshmen
Lots of younger talent is also entering the program. Fitzgerald did a decent job of keeping the 2026 class built by Jonathan Smith's staff together. Some players are still left, but most of the top players Michigan State had stuck by their commitments.
Topping the class is offensive tackle Collin Campbell. He's a four-star ranked 220th overall in the class on the Rivals Industry Ranking. After that, it's in-state quarterback Kayd Coffman (240th overall), who flashed some promise during MSU's "Spring Showcase" in April.
Another big victory was the retention of wide receiver Samson Gash. He's another four-star ranked 244th overall in the class. He has some blazing speed that will make him a candidate for playing time right away. Michigan State had to fend off Penn State and Georgia down the stretch of Gash's recruitment, which went to the National Signing Day deadline.
Incoming Freshmen's Social Media Info
Name | Twitter/X | |
|---|---|---|
DL Hudson Aultman | @thehudsonaultman | @hudson_aultman |
QB Peyton Babbit | @peyton_5_babbitt | @PeytonBabbitt |
OL Cole Bertke | @cole_bertke | @Cole_Bertke |
OL Eli Bickel | @eli_bick26 | @eli_bickel_26 |
S Eliyjah Caldwell | @3k_turnup | @turn_up14 |
OL Collin Campbell | @collincampbell52 | @CollinCamp47601 |
TE Joey Caudill | @joey_caudill10 | @Joey_caudill10 |
WR Colin Charles | @colin.charless | @colincharles123 |
CB Darelle Cochran | @infamous.rell | @DarelleCochran |
QB Kayd Coffman | @kayd_mc3 | @kayd_mc3 |
OL Tristan Comer | @tristan_tcp_comer | @comer_tristan |
CB KJ Deriso | @kjderiso | @kjderiso |
WR Rai'Shawn Elmore | @showtiime.rai | @ElmoreRaishawn |
CB Jeremiah Favorite | @1of1fav | @JFavv9 |
WR Samson Gash | @samson_gash | @GashSamson |
CB Luca Genrich | @lucagenrich | N/A |
K Stephen Gonzales | @gonzales_stephen_85 | @StephenGon30054 |
S Jonathan Granby | @jonathan.granby | @JonathanGranby |
EDGE Cory House Jr. | @cincochosen | @CoryHouseJr1 |
LB Jack Lansing III | @jacklansing.3 | @JackLansingIII |
DL Jackson Pahl | @jackson_pahl | @Jacksonpahl13 |
LS Trey Serauskis | @trey_serauskis | @trey_serauskis |
LB Adam Shaw | @adamshawlb | @Adam_Shawdawg |
S Brayden Thomas | @5kbray | @BraydenThomas01 |
CB TJ Umenyiora | @truthumenyiora | @truthumenyiora |
WR Zach Washington | @zachh.washington | @zach5washington |
TE Eddie Whiting | @whiting.eddie | @EdwardWhiting9 |
RB Cedric Williams Jr. | @ced2livee | @CedWilliamsjr_ |
OL Jack Ziarko | @jackziarko | @jackziarko26 |
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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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