Michigan State football has had a handful of players sign with NFL teams as undrafted free agents. Where are they headed?
Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft ended with two more Michigan State football players hearing their names called. Bryce Baringer and Ameer Speed each got drafted in the sixth round by the New England Patriots.
They joined Jayden Reed as a member of the 2022 Spartans that got drafted. Reed went No. 50 overall on Friday night, being selected by the Green Bay Packers.
Despite the underwhelming season last year, the Spartans had quite a bit of talent eligible for this year’s draft. Personally, I expected Jacob Slade to hear his name called on Day 3 well before the seventh round concluded. Alas, things were not meant to be, and Slade, as well as the others I mention, will be entering the league with a chip on their shoulders.
Additionally, they each got to choose which team to play for, either guaranteeing them a great payday or the best situation to succeed in the NFL. The final positive of being undrafted is that a majority of the league is either a Day 3 pick or an undrafted free agent, per the NFL statistics.
Now, where did some of our favorite Spartans end up on Saturday as undrafted free agents?
Jacob Slade, DT: Arizona Cardinals
Jacob Slade is the most notable undrafted Spartan on this list, and he inked a deal with the Arizona Cardinals after the conclusion of round seven. Slade started 26 games as a Spartan and appeared in 42 total games. He finished his career with 88 tackles, 11.5 of them for loss, 4.0 sacks, and a degree in Economics. The burly defensive tackle also contributed four passes defended and a blocked kick. One hold-up might have been that Slade dealt with an injury this year, sliding him down draft boards. This stated, he should be at full strength for training camp this summer.
Slade could wind up competing for a chance to make the active roster from the start, as the Cardinals switch regimes after moving on from Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim.
Kendell Brooks, DB: Arizona Cardinals
Kendell Brooks was a player who had a flashy pro day but had not garnered much hype leading into the draft. Regardless, he also had reached a deal to head to the desert after not hearing his name called. Brooks, a transfer from DII North Greenville University, was a two-year letter winner for MSU. He burst onto the scene last season after Xavier Henderson went down with an injury against Western Michigan in the opener.
Brooks played in 24 games for the Spartans, recording 10 starts, and finished his career with 109 tackles for the green and white. Finally, he also recorded three passes defended and was prolific at forcing fumbles, recording three last season. Brooks had flashed at points last year, and I am interested to see if he could break the Cardinals’ roster late in the season if he makes their practice squad.
Xavier Henderson, DB: Washington Commanders
Xavier Henderson was the most experienced Spartan of the draft-eligible prospects, but his injury concerns ultimately led to teams staying away. He quickly signed a deal that sent him off to Washington after the conclusion of the draft.
During his time as a Spartan, he was the vocal leader of the defense and locker room. He was elected team captain twice, earned five letters, and started for four seasons as a Spartan. In total, he played in 53 games, with 40 starts. He recorded 273 tackles, which is 28th-most in MSU history. He also added 16.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and nine pass breakups.
Henderson’s experience will be missed as a Spartan next year, but it should be interesting to see if he can garner enough attention to make the Commanders’ practice squad next season.
Ben VanSumeren, LB: Philadelphia Eagles
Ben VanSumeren is the most recent Spartan to ink a pro deal, signing with the Eagles a few minutes before 9 p.m. ET. VanSumeren had a Pro Day that was out of this world. He ran a 4.4 40-yard dash, had nearly 30 reps of 225 pounds, and had a vertical of well over 40 inches. The former Michigan transfer had 11 starts for the Spartans, with 10 coming this year. He recorded 93 tackles over the last two years, with four coming for a loss. VanSumeren also got to the quarterback twice last year and defended two passes as well.
With only one year as a starter, VanSumeren is a lot like Ameer Speed and Kendell Brooks. These three all have the athletic ability, but a team needs to help cultivate their talents if they want to succeed. I expect VanSumeren to be a practice squad player with his athleticism. The Eagles have turned a project into a starter before, see the case of Jordan Mailata.
Jarrett Horst, OT: Miami Dolphins
Jarrett Horst, an Arkansas State transfer, was a player that had received a few looks as a late-round project. Ultimately, he wound up undrafted and decided to head down to Miami. Horst was a two-year starter for the Spartans but only wound up starting 15 games over those two years due to injury. He was productive as a Spartan but also was a source of frustration. It seemed that once a game Horst was a little too extracurricular or grabby with an opponent and ended a drive. As proven by the stories of Trevor Penning and Ryan Jensen, the NFL likes the players who are borderline in their actions.
If Miami can harness Horst’s mean streak, he could work his way into a starting guard or tackle in the league. Horst certainly has loads of potential. I would at least expect to see him on a practice squad this fall. Horst, however, has a decision to make. He was drafted first overall by the Michigan Panthers in the USFL Draft a month ago.
As of right now, those five Spartans are all that have signed deals with pro teams. Daniel Barker has yet to officially sign a deal, but his last tweet shows us that he has something to prove. Brian Greene, Jarek Broussard, Matt Carrick, Ronald Williams II, and Tyler Hunt are the other Spartans that have yet to ink a deal anywhere as well.
If any of this changes, expect a follow-up article detailing their new landing spots.
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