Michigan State’s NFL Draft streak was extended to four years in April, with offensive lineman Luke Newman going to the Chicago Bears in the sixth round. An invitation to the annual Senior Bowl all-star game is, historically, a strong indicator of a player’s chances of being drafted.In that regard, with MSU looking to continue the streak into a fifth year in 2026, three Spartans have been identified as early candidates, as safety Nikai Martinez, punter Ryan Eckley and tight end Jack Velling have been named to the Senior Bowl’s preseason Top 300 list.

Source: Spartan Tailgate

Michigan State’s football program is desperately seeking a successful season. Aidan Chiles seems to give the Spartans a shot. The dual-threat quarterback is back after an uneven season as the starter and said he likes what he sees from his teammates.“A lot of good energy,” he said. “It’s a different environment for sure. New guys that fit the program and fit the culture.”

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Last fall was a difficult season to follow for Michigan State fans, as the Spartans went 5-7 and missed out on a bowl game for the third year in a row. That was nothing compared to the real-life challenges safety Armorion Smith was forced to navigate.Last August, Smith’s mother, Gala Gilliam, died of breast cancer, and a month later, he became the legal guardian of his five younger siblings.

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Michigan State junior quarterback Aidan Chiles has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, which was released on Tuesday by the Johnny Unitas Golden Award Educational Foundation, Inc. The award is presented annually to the top senior or upperclassman quarterback who is on track to graduate with their class. This year’s list showcases 58 of the nation’s premier collegiate quarterbacks, including a mix of returning standouts and rising stars.

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Nick Marsh wants Michigan State football back to the way it was when he decided to be a Spartan. As part of the crowd for Michigan State’s come-from-behind top-10 victory over rival Michigan in 2021, Marsh witnessed Kennth Walker’s brilliant five-touchdown performance and Charles Brantley’s game-sealing interception in the final minute. It was there that Marsh made up his mind and, now entering his second season as a wide receiver for second-year coach Jonathan Smith, it’s the magnitude he wants Michigan State’s football team to perform again.

From: MLive.com

Following the loss of standout Jonathan Kim, the Spartans are sorting through another mix of guys who don’t have experience. Second-year coach Jonathan Smith opened spring practice expecting a battle for Kim’s replacement to play out through the fall. Michigan State broke camp on Monday and the outlook remains murky with injuries further complicating the competition.

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If the Spartans can take care of business for three quarters and put the game out of reach by the fourth, we may see some of MSU’s freshmen earn some important playing time. It would be helpful to see some young players on the field.  So, which Spartan freshmen could earn some run against the Broncos if things go well? Let’s break down the three likeliest names. 

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Alex VanSumeren earned meaningful snaps immediately as a true freshman. The Michigan State defensive tackle rebounded from a season-ending injury the following year to take over a starting role last fall. Now a redshirt junior, the former four-star recruit plans on being a lot more disruptive this season.

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Kelley Ford — who is behind the popular KFord Ratings — has released a number of his preseason ratings and rankings for the upcoming season — one of which is a breakdown of his most improved teams. Ford included a complete breakdown of the teams that experienced the biggest jumps and declines from their ratings at the end of last season to the start of this season, and the Spartans were considered one of the teams with the highest improvement.

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It’s easy to say “could have, should have, would have,” not just in sports, but in everything in life. For Michigan State, a team that enters Year 2 of what is still a fresh regime that has gotten a taste of a full season in the Big Ten, with most of Jonathan Smith’s staff having come with him over from Oregon State, it’s not a matter of excuses but rather a matter of knowing how close it is to reaching that next level.

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