Michigan State Football: Week 1 depth chart projections

Week 1 is finally here and Michigan State football is still figuring out its depth chart. What could it look like for the opener?

With fall camp officially in the books, it’s time to circle back on the projected depth chart for Week 1. Michigan State football opens the season at home against Central Michigan on Friday, Sept. 1.

It’s worth pointing out that these are merely projections from a guy who has no inside information. I’m simply using what I saw last year, what I’m hearing from interviews, and what MSU has put out on its social media accounts.

As we did in the spring, we’ll go by position and highlight the starters with key reserves.

Special teams

Starters: Hank Pepper (long snapper), Jonathan Kim (kickoff specialist), Stephen Rusnak (placekicker), Michael O’Shaughnessy (punter)
Reserves: Ryan Eckley (punter), Yousef Obeid (kicker), Tark Ahmetbasic (kicker)

In the spring, I mentioned that this unit felt like a work in progress. Over the summer, a few new names appeared on the roster at kicker and punter. This remains a very underrated storyline as we approach the start of the season.

Right now, without knowing much about any of these options, this feels like a mess. Eckley returns after punting once last season to compete with Ohio State transfer Michael O’Shaughnessy. The former five-star prospect punted twice in his four seasons at Ohio State. Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to that competition.

At kicker, Jonathan Kim remains somewhat of a mystery. Mel Tucker did make a comment in camp about the strength of his leg. Whether that’s related to his place-kicking, or his kickoff talents remains unknown. Kim played at North Carolina for four seasons and only attempted one field goal (a miss). I think he’s easily the best option as the kickoff specialist. In the event of an emergency, he should be a serviceable backup that’s dressed every week for place-kicking duties. However, the addition of two true freshman kickers doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in either guy. I’d be stunned if either Obeid or Ahmetbasic wins the job. But after the kicking woes from 2022, Tucker and Ross Els should be looking anywhere and everywhere for better options.

Defensive line

Starters: Tunmise Adeleye, Avery Dunn, Simeon Barrow, Derrick Harmon
Reserves: Jalen Sami, Khris Bogle, Zion Young, Maverick Hansen, Dre Butler, Jarrett Jackson, Bai Jobe

The Spartans picked up Jalen Sami from Colorado as a transfer late in the process. His massive frame figures to be of use as a run stuffer up the middle.

On paper, this appears to be MSU’s deepest position. Scottie Hazelton will rotate bodies all season to utilize that depth and take advantage of certain matchups. Simeon Barrow, Derrick Harmon, Khris Bogle, and Maverick Hansen should provide solid production. But what can MSU get from the rest of these guys? Is there a younger player not listed here that is poised to crack that rotation? I have 10 guys listed. It wouldn’t surprise me to see that number grow to 12 if they like what they see from some underclassmen.

If there’s a criticism of this group, it’s that they don’t have a dominant pass rusher on the edge. Dunn, Young, and Adeleye certainly possess that potential. But the emergence of a guy who can consistently get to the quarterback will help determine just how good this group can be.

Linebackers

Starters: Cal Haladay, Jacoby Windmon, Darius Snow
Reserves: Aaron Brule, Ma’a Gaoteote, Jordan Hall

While there are no changes to the projected starters, it’s worth commenting on Darius Snow. While minimal injury updates have been provided, it’s not a guarantee that Snow is ready for Week 1. His status could open the door for a younger player to see more snaps early.

The name that you keep hearing about is true freshman Jordan Hall. A four-star recruit and an Under Armour All-American, Hall’s talents go beyond what he shows on the field. All indications are that he’s a tremendous leader and also possesses that “it” factor. Even though he’s a true freshman, he just might be good enough to force his way onto the field from day one. Given how strong Michigan State football is with Cal Haladay, Jacoby Windmon, and Snow, the fact that Hall is even in consideration for playing time is a testament to his talent.

Secondary

Starters: Chester Kimbrough, Dillon Tatum, Jaden Mangham, Malik Spencer
Reserves: Angelo Grose, Marqui Lowery, Charles Brantley, Semar Melvin, Justin White, Armorion Smith, Terry Roberts, Caleb Coley, Khary Crump

Reading some comments from coaches, it’s clear MSU really likes their trio of sophomores in the secondary. In an ideal world, Dillon Tatum, Jaden Mangham, and Malik Spencer continue to improve and see the majority of snaps this season. But even if that’s the case, the Spartans are going to need more contributions from their reserves to improve this unit.

We’ll see if anyone can be consistent enough to hold down that starting corner spot opposite Tatum. MSU knows what it has with Angelo Grose, Chester Kimbrough, and Charles Brantley. Transfers Armorion Smith, Semar Melvin, and Terry Roberts certainly have experience. Maybe it really clicks for one of those veterans in this new scheme. Maybe a younger player like Caleb Coley improves rapidly and forces his way onto the field.

Personally, I’m fascinated to see how this shakes out. I would expect MSU to use a lot of different combinations early on to see what they have and what works well together. The secondary is supposed to be Tucker’s area of expertise. We’ll see if he can finally find a rotation that can slow down opposing quarterbacks.

Offensive line

Starters: Nick Samac (center), J.D. Duplain (guard), Geno VanDeMark (guard), Spencer Brown (tackle), Brandon Baldwin (tackle)
Reserves: Keyshawn Blackstock, Gavin Broscious, Kevin Wigenton, Dallas Fincher, Ethan Boyd

For a position group that is typically difficult to project, this seems fairly straightforward.

Nick Samac has missed time during camp with an injury. But if he’s good to go by Sept. 1, Samac, JD Duplain, and Spencer Brown will all be starters. Geno VanDeMark and Brandon Baldwin grabbed starting jobs late last year, and figure to be heavily in the mix again this year.

The great unknown with offensive linemen is development. It’s often said that the biggest change physically for college athletes comes during that first offseason on campus. For Michigan State, there are six redshirt freshmen and two redshirt sophomores on the roster. It’s entirely possible one of those guys took a massive step forward and into the rotation. Unfortunately, we probably won’t know who that is until halftime against Central Michigan.

For now, I think MSU can go about eight or nine deep on the offensive line.

Tight end

Starter: Maliq Carr
Reserves: Tyneil Hopper, Jaylan Franklin, Ademola Falaye

Tight end coach Ted Gilmore offered some interesting comments regarding Maliq Carr earlier this week. Speaking with Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, Gilmore stated that Maliq “is at a point where he’s truly embracing that he’s a tight end and everything that comes along with that.” It’s no secret that the coaching staff had questions about Carr’s ability to be a consistent blocker. It’s why he fell out of the rotation last season. It’s why they pursued three tight ends from the transfer portal that are strong in that department. We’ll see if Gilmore’s comments hold true when the rubber meets the road on Sept. 1.

Of the reserves listed, it sounds like Boise State transfer Tyneil Hopper is next in line behind Carr. In the same interview, Gilmore was complimentary of his play over the past two weeks in camp.

Wide receiver

Starters: Tre Mosley, Montorie Foster, Alante Brown
Reserves: Christian Fitzpatrick, Tyrell Henry, Jaron Glover, Antonio Gates Jr.

I mentioned in the spring that this felt like a position where MSU might add a transfer. They went out and signed former Nebraska receiver Alante Brown. In 30 games for the Huskers, Brown caught 22 passes while also returning 16 kicks. His versatility and experience put him squarely in the mix to be involved in a passing attack that is looking for playmakers.

To put it nicely, this group has a lot to prove.

Similar to the secondary, I expect to see a large rotation of receivers early in the season. If Michigan State’s passing game is to evolve into a strength, it’s because one or two of the reserves listed elevate their game. It’s nothing against the starters, but we’ve seen them excel in complementary roles behind star receivers like Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman. The good news is that there is talent. Jay Johnson has got to find a way to maximize that talent with some of his young pass-catchers.

Running back

Starter: Nathan Carter
Reserves: Jalen Berger, Jaren Mangham, Jordon Simmons, Davion Primm

It’s been hinted at more than once in the media sessions. It’s impossible to ignore the clips shared on social media. Nathan Carter is the most talented running back on this team. Does he do enough of the little things to be the starter? We’ll see. The UConn transfer showed terrific quickness and burst in his first four games with the Huskies last season. When you consider that he’s averaged over five yards per carry at UConn, it’s intriguing to imagine what he could do at a school like Michigan State. Carter forced his way onto the field as a true freshman in 2021 and will definitely do the same in 2023.

Michigan State football returns its leading rusher from 2022 in Jalen Berger. He will remain a consistent, disciplined option between the tackles and in short-yardage situations. But if MSU is going to hit some home runs in the running game, it’s going to be with Carter. Speaking of home runs, don’t sleep on Jordon Simmons or Jaren Mangham either. They’ve cracked a couple of long runs in their careers and are capable veterans waiting for opportunities.

Quarterback

Starter: Noah Kim
Reserve: Katin Houser, Sam Leavitt

I remain confident that Noah Kim will be the starting quarterback for Michigan State on Sept. 1. Whether that means he is the definitive starter remains to be seen. In other words, I think Kiim will be the guy to take the first snap. But that doesn’t mean the job is his. I fully expect the staff to mix in both quarterbacks during the first two weeks. Neither player has legit game experience. My guess is the coaching staff wants to get a look at both guys in a game setting. Practice can’t be the end of the evaluation.

But I do think that Kim will prove to be MSU’s best option at the position.

The fact that Kim is still at MSU is noteworthy. He was not a Tucker recruit. If the current coaching staff didn’t see a path forward with him, I think that would have been communicated. Instead, he served as the primary backup last season. When he did get in the game, he looked confident and prepared. Even if Payton Thorne had returned to Michigan State football this fall, the staff was going to make this an open competition. That should be an indication of how they feel about both players.

The deciding factor for me is Kim’s rushing ability. This figures to be an offense that wants to lean heavily on the ground game. If Johnson can do part of that with his quarterback, it can open up more options in the playbook. Additionally, with a young receiving group, there could be instances where the receivers struggle to gain separation. In that scenario, you want someone back there who has the ability to take off to get something out of a broken play. Tucker described Kim as one of the “20 fastest kids on the team” at Big Ten media days. For now, that should give him a slight edge over the promising redshirt freshman.