Underclassmen Most Ready To Play for MSU Football This Fall
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Michigan State is going to turn to some of its younger players for real snaps this year.
One of the benefits of the new "5-for-5" rule from the NCAA is that coaches no longer have to worry about redshirts and the four-game limit. If a player is ready to play, they will play. These first- or second-year players should be getting their fair share of snaps this year.
TE Jayden Savoury
One of the biggest risers thus far in fall camp has been Jayden Savoury. He's somebody who probably wishes the "5-for-5" rule was in place last year. Savoury seemed like he was in a spot to earn occasional snaps as a true freshman as a potential TE3, but he didn't appear during the final seven games of the season to keep his redshirt.
Savoury looks ready to be a starter this year for the Spartans, with Brennan Parachek probably being his main competition. Carson Gulker will be an interesting piece of the offense, but that may be more as a gadget player than as a traditional tight end.
TE Eddie Whiting
I'd also expect to see some of true freshman Eddie Whiting a bit this year. He had a nice spring, and there seems to be a path for him to forge out some snaps for MSU this fall. Whiting was perhaps the most under-ranked recruit in the Spartans' 2026 recruiting class.
He finished ranked 1,067th overall in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite, but his offer list is more reflective of a tight end who should be a 4-star recruit. Some of his other notable offers were from Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Colorado, Auburn, Iowa State, and Illinois. Whiting probably won't be a starter this year, but he definitely should be considered a huge part of Michigan State's future at tight end.
RB Marvis Parrish
Sophomore running back Marvis Parrish will be a big part of the Spartans' backfield. The new eligibility rules mean that Parrish has four years of eligibility left again. Parrish had 779 scrimmage yards as a true freshman at Western Kentucky last season. That came with 576 yards on the ground, making him WKU's leading rusher, and another 36 catches for 203 yards as a receiver.
Parrish could very well be Michigan State's RB2 this season. UConn transfer Cam Edwards will be the lead back, although Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson and Brandon Tullis will both certainly push for carries, too. Parrish averaged more than six yards per carry going through either A-gap last year. Combine that with his abilities as a receiver, and I think Parrish should be deserving of plenty of touches this year.
DT Derrick Simmons
Second-year defensive tackle Derrick Simmons will also have a big hand in this year's defense. He redshirted last season, but a big reason was simply to adjust to the massive jump from Division 5 MHSAA football to the Big Ten.
Simmons should be the No. 3 defensive tackle this year. Ben Roberts and Eli Coenen are the expected starters, but the position is physical enough that another player or two have to be rotated in each week. Simmons got just 44 snaps last season, but he's going to be looked at as a critical piece of this year's defense.
WR Samson Gash
Incoming 4-star recruit Samson Gash should also get some playing time this year. I'd be a bit surprised if he carved out a starting role right away, but it's easy to see him gaining snaps as the year progresses, as he learns the offense better and continues to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered this summer during a track and field meet.
He was out there practicing without a non-contact jersey on Monday, so that's definitely a promising sign.
WR Charles Taplin
Second-year receiver Charles Taplin is also a huge breakout candidate. He looks like he's one of the team's starting receivers at the time this article is being written, though he'll have to continue playing like a starter once the pads go on.
Taplin made just one catch during his freshman season. He was actually one of the lowest-rated recruits in MSU's 2025 recruiting class, but he's definitely playing above his low-3-star mark he had coming out of high school.
LB Adam Shaw
True freshman Adam Shaw has also made a lot of noise up to this point. It might be tough for him to jump some of the older, more experienced linebackers on the depth chart, but Shaw played a lot during the spring game back in April, and he seems to be in a spot to play a little bit this year. Pat Fitzgerald said he gained roughly 15 pounds over the offseason.
"He's a really good athlete, he's a physical kid, and he's got a high aptitude," defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said of Shaw. "So you get guys that are athletic, who are smart, and can run, those are the great foundation to be a really, really good linebacker, and he has it."
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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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