On Thursday, Michigan State football inched towards the season yet again with the release of the fall camp roster. While there are no “major” surprises, there is quite a bit to be gleaned from looking through the sheet of paper.
Here are some changes and takeaways to jot down.
Weight room gains
Two of the biggest issues for Michigan State football in 2024 came from a lack of health and a lack of speed and acceleration on the field. On the offensive side, quite a few players have packed on some muscle to be more durable taking hits this fall.
The biggest headliner is Aidan Chiles gaining eight pounds, alongside backfield mate Elijah Tau-Tolliver adding a half dozen pounds. Chiles never really struggled with injury last season, save a small contusion against Indiana, but the extra weight will provide insurance.
A pair of Chiles’ throwing targets, senior wideout Rod Bullard Jr. and junior tight end Michael Masunas, also added some muscle, with both up six pounds.
Meanwhile, on defense, Air Force transfer edge rusher David Santiago and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Mikeshun Beeler both added eight pounds, and junior defensive back Jeremiah Hughes was just behind them, adding seven. Redshirt freshman defensive back Keshawn Williams was also notable, as another player gaining six pounds.
The biggest movers, in terms of weight gained, belong to a quartet of incoming early enrollee freshmen. Running back Jace Clarizio is up an astounding 17 pounds, surpassing the 200-pound threshold. Defensively, defensive back George Mullins (up 13 pounds) and linebacker DiMari Malone (up 10 pounds) also deserve a glance. Defensive lineman Derrick Simmons has bulked up nine pounds, with the freshman approaching the 300-pound mark. Expect Simmons to be a force to be reckoned with, based on his workout videos.
Conditioning and diet losses
As is the case in any locker room, there is also a group of players looking to slim down for the upcoming season. Michigan State is no different. A pair of defensive linemen and linebackers, alongside a tight end, earn the honors in this category.
Incoming redshirt freshman edge rusher Anelu Lafaele has slimmed down six pounds, and junior linebacking duo Aisea Moa and Semaj Bridgeman lost eight pounds each.
The biggest offensive note is on tight end Jaxson Wilson, as the third-year sophomore enters his campaign down nine pounds over the spring.
The biggest mover, surprisingly, is senior defensive lineman Quindarius Dunnigan. The former Middle Tennessee State transfer is down a dozen pounds, slimming up for this fall. Dunnigan could quietly put himself in edge rushing consideration at a fleet-footed 257 pounds.
Offensive line gains, losses
The offensive line deserves their own category, as weight is the most emphasized point of their position. Ashton Lepo missed some of spring practice, but it appears his timeline of June recovery has gone well, as he is now up eight pounds. The other returning starting tackle for Michigan State football, Stanton Ramil, also added 10 pounds.
The redshirt freshman quartet of Mercer Luniewski (up 11 pounds), Payton Stewart (up 10 pounds), Rakeem Johnson (up 8 pounds), and Charlton Luniewski (up 7 pounds) are all bulking up for game action this fall.
True freshman Justin Bell has also added some weight, gaining four pounds over his listed spring ball weight. At 311 pounds, he is at a “playable” Big Ten weight.
Kris Phillips and Hayden Lorius have both slimmed up for this fall, with Big Dooley slimming down nine pounds and Lorius tied with Dunnigan for biggest weight loss at 12 pounds.
Position moves/announcements
There are no big surprises here. Incoming freshman Bryson Williams is officially listed as a wide receiver but expect him to play the role of a gadget receiver or an OW (offensive weapon) role, taking snaps or series at running back if he finds a path to the field this fall.
The other notable change is that fullback Jay Coyne is now listed as a fullback and tight end. Per PFF, Coyne has yet to take a snap at tight end in his career, but the position skill sets are extremely similar. This could indicate a move away from the I-form packages the Spartans used in 2024.
MSU loses a player, adds two more than anticipated
Michigan State football does have some late roster movement, with the Spartans adding a pair of specialists. As previously announced, long snapper Aiden DeCorte is walking on to the Spartans in 2025. DeCorte did not see game action for Central Michigan or Colorado during his two previous years of college.
The Spartans also added kicker Blake Sislo. He previously practiced with Davenport University but did not see game action during his two seasons with the team. His eligibility is listed as a senior, although, he may have 3-4 seasons left, as the Dexter High School alum was out of football in 2023 and 2024.
On the negative front, incoming edge rusher Jack Lamancusa, a walk-on from Hope College, will not be on the team in 2025. After announcing his commitment in April, the sophomore was not included in the fall roster. Lamancusa was named first-team All-MIAA last year, but will not take the jump to Big Ten competition.
Number changes, new faces with their numbers
For the non-nerds/analysts (yes, calling myself out here), the biggest part of a fall roster release becomes finding players and their new numbers. A trio of Spartans have changed their numbers from the spring, with those being defensive lineman Kekai Burnett going from the 92 to the 51, and Moa dropping the tens category of his 58, now donning the No. 8 on defense. Transfer offensive lineman Luka Vincic also changes the number in the tens category, going from 60 to 70.
As for the incoming freshmen as well as the transfer portal class, here is a list, alongside eligibility and previous college (if applicable):
- Isaac Smith, Sr., EDGE — No. 13 (Texas Tech)
- Bryson Williams, Fr. — WR, No. 14
- Tracy Revels, Soph., DB — No. 21 (Bowling Green St.)
- Anthony Pinnace III, Jr., DB — No. 24 (UTSA)
- Devynn Cromwell, Sr., DB — No. 27 (Texas Tech)
- Darrin Jones Jr., Fr., HB — No. 27
- Dontavius Nash, Sr., DB — No. 28 (East Carolina)
- Deuce Edwards, Fr., DB — No. 31
- Jayden Savoury, Fr., TE — No. 31
- Evan Young, Fr., DB — No. 32
- Leonard Ah You, Fr., LB — No. 36
- Elisha West, RS-Fr., DB — No. 39 (Merrimack)
- Charles (DeJae) White, Fr., LB — No. 40
- Cam Williams, Sr., EDGE — No. 44 (Georgia State)
- Antonio Johnson, Fr., OL — No. 50
- Aiden DeCorte, Soph., LS — No. 61 (Colorado)
- Rashawn Rogers, Fr., OL — No. 68
- Drew Nichols, Fr., OL — No. 76
- Blake Sislo, Sr., K. — No. 86 (Davenport)
- Jack Wills, Fr., LS — No. 87
- Kai Rios, Jr., TE — No. 88 (Indiana State)
- Nick Hardy, Fr., WR — No. 89
With the roster out, that means the Spartans will be practicing in a few short days. Check back with Spartan Shadows for more news as it comes out.
