Why Spartans' Cam Edwards has Breakout Potential
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There's been a lot of chatter lately about running backs who transferred to Michigan State later on in their college careers lately.
Former MSU running back Kenneth Walker III was named the MVP of Super Bowl LX after totaling 161 scrimmage yards in the Seattle Seahawks' 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots. He was the first Spartan to ever win the award and the first running back to do so in more than a quarter of a century.
It's safe to say that Michigan State fans miss having Walker on their team. The former Wake Forest transfer was only in East Lansing for the 2021 season, but he totaled 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground during that lone season, finishing sixth in Heisman voting. He also won the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, making his sixth-place Heisman finish more shocking, since the Walter Camp Award has aligned with the Heisman winner every other year since 2019.
Alas, the hope is that some day another Kenneth Walker III may appear in the MSU backfield. If it's gonna be anyone in 2026 --- not to say it will happen --- it would be UConn transfer Cam Edwards.
Learn about MSU's New RB1
It's weird to think about, but UConn had a much better football team than Michigan State last year. The Huskies are an independent football program, but play a schedule of a high-Group of Five caliber, usually playing a handful of Power Four teams each year.
UConn and MSU had one common opponent in 2025: Boston College. The Spartans needed double OT to take the eventually 2-10 Eagles down in East Lansing. The Huskies went to BC and won by 15 on the road. UConn, which finished 9-4, also won a home game against Duke, the eventual ACC champion.
Edwards was, by far, UConn's top running back. He toted the ball 210 times for 1,240 yards and 15 touchdowns (no one else had more than 262 yards). He also had 19 catches for 187 receiving yards and another touchdown. This made him one of the most productive transfer portal options at the RB position when he decided to spent his last year of eligibility elsewhere.
Even though he finished 15th in the entire FBS in rushing yards, Edwards was ranked 39th among portal RBs this cycle by On3. He'll get his chance to prove that wrong in 2026.
One part of what makes Edwards' potential high is how elusive he is. According to Pro Football Focus, Edwards forced 49 missed tackles in 2025, which ranks 25th in the country. For some additional reference, MSU's top three running backs this past fall (Makhi Frazier, Elijah Tau-Tolliver, and Brandon Tullis) only combined for 51. That's only two more on 47 more attempts.
That leads to more explosive plays. Edwards had 28 carries that went for 10+ yards in 2025 and 15 that went for 15+ yards. He also picked up 67 first downs. Edwards also did all that without fumbling the ball once all season. Fans should be excited that he's MSU's top option to run the ball next year.
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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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