MSU Now Has Playmaking, Experience in WR Room
Jonathan Smith and the Michigan State Spartans knew they needed to improve their wide receiver room heading into the 2025 season.
Montorie Foster Jr. is off to the NFL Draft, while Jaron Glover, Aziah Johnson and Jaelen Smith have all found new homes in the transfer portal. Antonio Gates Jr. is also looking for a new place to play.
With all those departures, MSU loses 82 receptions, 1,121 yards, and seven touchdowns from their 2024 receiver group. Even if they did not have so many portal entries, the Spartans needed to find more receiver talent.
And find more receiver talent they did.
MSU has landed Middle Tennessee’s Omari Kelly and Kent State’s Chrishon McCray in the last week, adding explosive playmakers and experienced receivers. While MSU had talent last season, they lacked consistent separators and big playmakers.
Aidan Chiles only had one consistent receiver he could rely on last season with Nick Marsh, so it was a priority of this staff to find receivers who could shoulder some of the load Marsh had to carry as a true freshman.
Kelly started his career at Auburn before transferring to Middle Tennessee last season. He has caught 58 passes for 970 yards and four touchdowns in his three-year career, with much of that production coming in 2024 with the Blue Raiders.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Kelly is also a dynamic returner, so he could bring a special teams element to the Spartans’ return game that they did not previously have. Adding a player like Kelly is exactly what this MSU offense needed.
McCray is one of Smith's most impressive additions. The All-MAC receiver shined for a winless Golden Flashes team, catching 40 passes for 705 yards and nine touchdowns. He is a small, shifty receiver who can make big plays consistently.
Kelly and McCray are smaller receivers, the kind Smith had success with at his previous stop at Oregon State. They fit his offensive system well, so Smith must help them acclimate to it and develop chemistry with Chiles.
MSU’s passing offense should look much improved in 2025 with more experience and explosive playmakers. With another year in Smith’s offensive system, this group should look smooth next season.
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