Breaking down the top 20 players on the Michigan State football roster
Breaking down the top 20 players on the Michigan State football roster
Michigan State football is in the mix of the biggest recruiting month of the year, while the team is also gearing up for the 2025 season.
With the 2025 season on the horizon, the roster is also building from within themselves, gaining what they can to immediately push themselves to the heights of an expected season that will push the Jonathan Smith tenure into the trajectory Spartan nation expected it to go.
The team's expectations may be high, and that can be concerning to some Spartan fans, there is a lot to like on the Spartans roster that would justify the expectations that this team could get to eight or nine wins over the course of 2025.
Breaking down the roster, it is interesting how it looks from a top-20 perspective, but one thing is for certain, the Spartans have clear talent on the roster:
20. CB Aydan West
Is it crazy to have a true freshman here? Maybe. One thing is for certain, though, West has talent and is expected to put himself firmly in the playing group at some point this season. Coming in the winter, and participating in the spring, puts West firmly in the competition to potentially earn a starting spot this fall.
19. DE Jalen Thompson
While there was a lot of hope for Thompson after a breakout freshman season in 2023, 2024 left a lot to be desired. While he is a bit of a tweener, Thompson will need to make a leap from his sophomore to junior seasons, but one thing is for certain, he has the talent.
18. G Luka Vincic
Vincic was honestly a good add for the Spartans, needing the help at interior offensive line. He falls this far solely because he has been unable to really lock down a starting job. He has played enough with the Beavers to warrant a starting opportunity here, but he has to prove himself.
17. Edge Isaac Smith
Michigan State turned to Texas Tech edge transfer Isaac Smith as the splash add of the spring portal window. Smith has had an injury filled history, but in his most recent season with the Red Raiders he had 31 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He is going to need to step up in a big way for MSU if there will be a jump in 2025.
16. LB Jordan Hall
While Jordan Hall is going to be the vocal and spiritual leader on this team, I wish he could rank higher going in. Unfortunately, he could not lock down the starting role in 2024, and there is no guarantee that he will get that role in 2025. He has the tools to be a star in East Lansing, though.
15. DT Grady Kelly
Florida State transfer Grady Kelly will play a big role in this Spartans defense in 2025, but he is going to have to prove that he is someone that is going to be able to step up into the big time role assigned for him. He had the production at Colorado State, but fell off a Florida State, so it will be interesting what we see at Michigan State.
14. WR Omari Kelly
Kelly could not find himself in the rotation during the two years at Auburn, but a year at Middle Tennessee State proved that he deserved another shot at the power level. A 53 catch, 869 yard season with the Blue Raiders has hope high for him for 2025.
13. DT Alex VanSumeren
Alex VanSumeren came onto the scene, overcoming injuries early in his career to own a starting role in 2024, where he was a productive player for the Spartans. VanSumeren can make a big leap on this list if he is able to have a big jump in his play in 2025. He will be a starter and get the opportunity.
12. LB Wayne Matthews
Michigan State had a massive recruiting win when they landed Old Dominion linebacker transfer Wayne Matthews last offseason. In 2024, he showed an ability to be a plus player for MSU, securing 33 tackles in 9 games, battling injuries. A solid coverage linebacker, standing alongside Hall, Matthews has the talent to make a leap for his final year of his college career.
11. CB Chance Rucker
Chance Rucker had a breakout season in 2023 as a true freshman, being a lone bright spot in a struggling defense. In 2024, it was another year for Rucker to make a step, but a season ending injury in week two took that away from him. Now, as a redshirt freshman in year three, Rucker will have the chance to take a leap in a wide open defensive backfield with every spot being up for grabs.
10. WR Chrishon McCray
Michigan State his a home run when they landed Kent State wide receiver transfer Chrishon McCray, who's two years at Kent State provided him with 81 catches, 1,315 yards and 13 touchdowns. His skill set should work alongside Nick Marsh and Omari Kelly beautifully.
9. CB Joshua Eaton
Eaton comes to Michigan State from Texas State, where he spent two seasons, and prior to that, three seasons at Oklahoma. He was rated the highest transfer recruit the Spartans had in 2025, according to 247Sports, and is someone that should be a reliable cornerback option for the Spartans defense in 2025.
8. LT Stanton Ramil
While positioned at No. 8 right now, Ramil has the capability to be someone who could come near the top of the list as the season moves along. Getting the chance to start as a redshirt freshman, Ramil has the talent to be the Stallworth of the offensive line.
As of now, Ramil cannot be higher on this list, after an average 2024, but there is nothing saying that he can't be a special player in 2025 and beyond.
7. S Malik Spencer
A staple of MSU defenses for the past three seasons, Malik Spencer is getting into his fourth season with the Spartans and is known to be a consistent contributor year in and year out. If his health stays strong, Spencer will be a very key piece of Joe Rossi's defense in 2025.
6. QB Aiden Chiles
Quarterback Aidan Chiles is similar to Stanton Ramil in the fact that he could very well top this list this season. All of the talent and potential in the world, the success of MSU in 2025 will solely rely upon how the junior plays this fall. An up and down season in 2024 shows what he could be capable of, but he has to show it on the field.
5. TE Jack Velling
Coming into 2024, Oregon State tight end transfer Jack Velling had a ton of expectations, but unfortunately it did not totally live up to what was expected. Albeit, Velling is still a very good collegiate tight end, and is a pivotal asset for the Spartans to have at their disposal offensively.
A big senior year is on the horizon for Velling, for himself as a pro prospect, and doing his part to help lead a successful Spartans offense in 2025.
4. OT Conner Moore
Montana State offensive line transfer Conner Moore was a massive win for the Spartans in the transfer portal, beating out Ohio State head to head. Now, he is going to be slated as the Spartans starting right tackle.
An FCS All-American in 2024, and a freshman All-American in 2023, there is still some projection to making the leap from FCS to Big Ten competition, but after seeing the success that Luke Newman had in 2024, there is a ton of faith that Moore's skillset will translate and he will be a standout right tackle for the Spartans.
3. S Nikai Martinez
There is no doubt that in 2024, Nikai Martinez was one of the top defenders the Spartans had. Graded out phenomenally by PFF, and being one of the best coverage safeties in power conference football, he is an asset running the center field portion of Rossi's defense.
Martinez's consistency and ability to cover will have to be on full display, with an improved tackling ability, in his senior season for the Spartans success and his own personal professional aspirations.
2. C Matt Gulbin
A Wake Forest transfer, Gulbin's accolades coming into East Lansing speak for itself. An All-ACC performer, to go along with him grading as the No. 4 guard in 2023 and No. 2 guard in 2024 by PFF, he is a certified stud joining the Spartans offensive line.
Gulbin should be able to be an all conference performer, while being a major staple on the Spartans offensive line, if we are going to see a major improvement in the Spartans offense, Gulbin will be a major part of it.
1. WR Nick Marsh
It was a true freshman season to remember for the River Rouge product, with Nick Marsh securing 41 catches for 649 yards and 3 touchdowns in just 11 games. He has firmly put himself on the map as one of the best wide receivers in the country, and is a bona fide superstar.
Marsh is going to be the focal point of the Spartans offense and is going to be firmly on every watch list for wide receiver awards, along with all conference and all America teams.
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