MSU Safety Battle To Watch Following Spring Ball

The competition seems to be close following spring practice.

Michigan State's Aveon Grose intercepts the ball during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of Michigan State's three safety spots seem pretty sealed after spring.

Fifth-year senior Nikai Martinez is virtually uncontested for getting the starting spot at free safety this coming fall. Louisiana Tech transfer Michael Richard is in a great spot to become the team's nickelback -- he says he's been working with the safeties and coach James Adams.

Remaining Battle

April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State Spartans safeties coach James Adams watches drills during MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Strong safety doesn't have as clear an answer, though. The main battle seems to be between Maine transfer Devin Vaught and returning redshirt senior Aveon Grose. Redshirt freshman Deuce Edwards could also hover around as a bit of a "sleeper" pick.

Chances are that either Vaught or Grose will be starting next season, though. Here's a short "tale of the tape."

Devin Vaught

Delaware wide receiver Phil Lutz runs for the end zone on a first quarter touchdown reception in front of Maine's Devin Vaught (left) and Kesean Dyson at Delaware Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. | William Bretzger-Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vaught played a lot of football last season. He played 708 defensive snaps in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus, which was the most on Maine last season. He's missed only one game in each of the last two seasons, showing he also has decent durability.

The big thing Vaught has going his way is his ability to take the ball away. He's intercepted three passes in each of the last two seasons and broken up nine other passes. That is in comparison to four touchdowns allowed, according to PFF as well.

What remains to be seen is how that translates to the Big Ten. Vaught had an interception last season against FBS Georgia Southern, but that's still a few steps below what he'll be seeing every week at quarterback and wide receiver.

Aveon Grose

Michigan State's Aveon Grose celebrates after a special teams tackle against Penn State during the third quarter on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Grose was once in a similar situation to Vaught. He started his college career at Charlotte at the Group of Five level before dropping down to FCS Southern Illinois for a year. This coming season will be Grose's third with the program, though. The adjustment period has been over for a bit.

Much of his playing time has been at special teams, though. He had more snaps last season on those units (219) than he did on defense (159). Of those defensive snaps, 119 were in the final two weeks of the season against Iowa and Maryland. Grose had his first career interception at the end of the game against the Terrapins that sealed the Spartans' only Big Ten victory in 2025.

Michigan State's Aveon Grose catches a pass during a drill at the first day of football camp on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

It doesn't count towards his total, but it's also worth noting that Grose intercepted starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic last month during Michigan State's "Spring Showcase." Grose was right there with a receiver on an underthrown deep ball, picking it off pretty easily.