One Freshman MSU Might Rely on Following NFL Draft Losses

Wide receiver is one of the biggest unknowns for Michigan State football.

The Spartans are looking to replace some of their NFL-bound players. One of those players is Omari Kelly, who wasn't drafted this past weekend but still earned a contract as a UDFA with the Chicago Bears. As MSU looks to replace Kelly, freshman Samson Gash might be part of the program's solution moving forward.

What To Know About Gash

Detroit Catholic Central's Samson Gash returns a punt during a football game on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. | Brandon Folsom/Hometown Life / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Keeping Gash around was one of the first major recruiting wins for Pat Fitzgerald and his new staff. Retaining wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins likely helped those odds, but Michigan State still had to fend off Penn State, Gash's father's alma mater, down the stretch of his recruitment. Georgia also tossed a late offer in his direction.

Gash had been verbally committed to MSU since June 2025. After that 4-8 season and a coaching change, Gash finally signed with the Spartans on Feb. 4. He's a 4-star recruit ranked 244th overall on the Rivals Industry Ranking, making him the third-highest-ranked prospect in Michigan State's 2026 class.

MSU will also be reuniting Gash with his brother, Caleb, who is a redshirt junior defensive back on the team. Michigan State is also actively recruiting a third brother, Gideon, who is a four-star prospect in next year's class. The Spartans have three predictions to land Gideon from On3 and two crystal balls to get him from 247Sports.

Current State of WR Room

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State Spartans wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins watches warmups prior to MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The lack of proven production in the current wide receiver room is a major reason Gash can step in right away. Slot receiver Chrishon McCray can be written in Sharpie at the top of the depth chart right now, but the spots out wide are very much up for grabs.

Michigan State has added three wide receivers from the portal this offseason. Two of them -- Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore and Notre Dame transfer KK Smith -- have been backups their whole careers at their previous stops and have 321 combined receiving yards. The other, Jackson State transfer Jameel Gardner Jr., was the third-leading receiver on his FCS team last season.

Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver KK Smith (11) celebrates scoring against the NC State Wolfpack during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

If Gash sees the field right away, his speed will be a big reason why. He won a Michigan state championship in the 100-meter dash as a junior. Gash will be the fastest player to put on the green and white uniform in some time.

That type of speed is something a coach cannot teach, like Coen Carr's vertical jump. The question is whether Gash can adjust quickly enough to the college game. He wasn't an early enrollee, so he missed out on those 15 practices that included some valuable install time.

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