Michigan State football: 3 more key Spartans locked in for 2025

With transfer portal and NIL taking center stage these days, you can never be too sure about players returning for another season. That’s why Michigan State football fans were worried about the status of the team following a 5-7 campaign and missed bowl game.

A lot of times when teams fall short of expectations, there’s a mass exodus and a lot of key players leave for greener pastures.

Fortunately for Michigan State, it was able to retain guys like Aidan Chiles and Nick Marsh who had both made it fairly clear that they’d be returning in 2025 and the same goes for other key players like Jordan Hall, Gavin Broscious, and Kristian Phillips, to name a few.

But you can’t be too sure until these guys make a statement. All of them have in their own way.

And in the past few days, three more key players announced they’d be back for the 2025 season and all three could have starting jobs with the Spartans next year. This is big news for Michigan State.

The first was the nation’s tight end touchdown leader in 2023, Jack Velling.

Let’s run it back EL💚🤍 Go Green!! pic.twitter.com/VHYUIdJZRB

— Jack Velling (@JackVelling) December 16, 2024

It’s good to have Velling back because now that Chiles has some legit threats in the passing game to throw to, the offense is going to take some pressure off him and he’ll flourish. Velling, Chrishon McCray, Marsh, and Omari Kelly could be a scary foursome.

The next was Alex VanSumeren who has been injured a bit throughout his career but whose potential is through the roof.

SD4L 💯 pic.twitter.com/ygQLYO9b19

— Alex VanSumeren (@alexvansumeren) December 17, 2024

VanSumeren played in all 12 games as a sophomore this past season, recording 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He looked like he was finally developing into that disruptive defensive lineman we all expected when he committed under Mel Tucker.

Lastly, freshman Justin Denson Jr. pledged his allegiance to Michigan State football for at least next season and hopefully beyond.

Ain’t going anywhere El is Home! #GoGreen 💚🤍 #NoFlyZone pic.twitter.com/GicJeLi8yA

— Justin “The slim reaper” Denson Jr. ✞ (@Jetdenson) December 15, 2024

Denson showed some flashes of being really good near the end of the season and there was a slight worry he might hit the portal after Demetrice Martin decided to leave for UCLA. He’s locked in and said East Lansing is home.

The excitement for 2025 is building. Just have to hope Smith knocks it out of the park in the portal.