3 Breakout Candidates For Michigan State Football In 2023

Which off the radar players can make a big impact for the Spartans this fall?

Author:
Matthew Lounsberry
Publish date:
Jul 5, 2023 4:55 PM EDT

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Every college football season, players who are relatively unknown step up and make huge impacts for their teams.

Michigan State is no stranger to this phenomenon, as we've seen guys like tailback Kenneth Walker III, defensive end Jacoby Windmon, linebacker Cal Haladay and others burst on to the scene for the Spartans in recent years.

Who could be next to step to the plate for MSU?

A breakout candidate is someone who hasn't yet made a name for themselves in college football. It could be an upperclassmen who's had to wait for his opportunity to climb the depth chart, or an underclassmen who's been thrust into a starting role due either to his immense talent or an immense need at his position.

It'd be easy to label Michigan State's new starting quarterback, redshirt junior Noah Kim or redshirt freshman Katin Houser, as a breakout candidate but that felt like a cop-out. Obviously, one of those two guys is set to establish themselves after winning the job this fall, but we wanted to look for other candidates.

Here are three to keep an eye on:

1.) Sophomore Safety Malik Spencer

Michigan State will have a lot of turnover at defensive back in 2023, particularly at the safety position. Xavier Henderson and Kendall Brooks are both gone, and the Spartans will plug in two new starters at the back end of their defense this fall.

Sophomore Jaden Mangham got his feet wet last season, before being sidelined due to injury vs. Ohio State. I expect Mangham to start at one safety spot, and fellow sophomore Malik Spencer to start opposite him at the other.

Spencer played in each of Michigan State's final five games last season as a true freshman, playing 56 snaps at safety and 57 on special teams. He recorded five tackles. After a full year in the program, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder is poised to make a much bigger impact as a sophomore. Spencer's is a name that has generated a lot of buzz going back to spring football, and we're excited to see him on the field starting in September.

2.) Sophomore Wide Receiver Tyrell Henry

Michigan State needs help at wide receiver following the departures of it's two leading pass-catchers from a year ago — Jayden Reed (NFL Draft) and Keon Coleman (transfer portal).

Redshirt senior Tre Mosely is expected to hold down one starting spot for the Spartans, but they'll need some young guys to step up. My money is on sophomore Tyrell Henry, who made his way on to the field as a true freshman in 2022 on special teams. The 6-foot, 175-pounder led MSU with 10 kick returns for 183 yards last season.

Henry could return both kickoffs and punts for Michigan State this fall, and will be asked to play a much bigger role on offense as well. His special teams experience in 2022 should give him confidence, and his speed and fluidity will make him a tough cover for opposing defensive backs.

3.) Freshman Linebacker Jordan Hall

I normally like to chose a guy who's been on the roster for over a year as a 'breakout candidate', but Hall's natural talent might make him impossible to keep off the field in his first season as a Spartan.

The true freshman already turned heads this spring, both with his football abilities and his leadership qualities. A four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, Hall was a major win for head coach Mel Tucker and his staff. He and fellow freshman edge rusher Bai Jobe are the face of the future for Michigan State defensively.

With that being said, I think Hall gets his career started immediately for the Spartans. He may not be a starter to begin the season, as Windmon and redshirt junior Cal Haladay likely hold those spots, but I do believe Hall will be a regular contributor on special teams and will get opportunities to play right away on defense.

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