MSU Will Have Options at CB in 2025
The Michigan State Spartans saw a plethora of injuries from their cornerbacks in 2024. Dillon Tatum played just one game for MSU after suffering an injury in the opening game. Chance Rucker played in just two games after suffering an upper-body injury. Khalil Majeed also only played in one game due to injury.
Jonathan Smith, Blue Adams, and the Spartans staff wanted to prevent this from happening again in 2025, so they relentlessly attacked the transfer portal, looking for as many cornerback options as possible.
In the first few weeks of the portal's opening, they have landed three cornerbacks: Joshua Eaton from Texas State, Nijhay Burt from Eastern Illinois, and Malcolm Bell from UConn.
MSU was aggressively looking for corners in last year’s portal classes, too. They landed Ed Woods from Arizona State, Jeremiah Hughes from LSU, and Lejond Cavazos from North Carolina. Hughes and Cavazos will return in 2025, while Woods has graduated.
With so many injuries at cornerback last season, the Spartans wanted to keep that room deep. Despite the pass defense being the best it has been in years, Smith and his staff added more to the defensive back room.
Tatum and Rucker were expected to be major contributors to the Spartans’ defense in 2024, and now that they are both healthy, those expectations should return to them in 2025. Chuck Brantley’s departure opens a starting spot across from Tatum, and the slot cornerback job should also be available.
Not only do the Spartans have multiple transfers to choose from, but they also have the in-house talent they recruited out of high school to step into bigger roles next season. Will we see more of Andrew Brinson IV? Could a freshman like Aydan West see the field right away?
MSU’s cornerback group is intriguing because there are so many new faces and few proven options. This leaves many players with a chance to earn more playing time.
Smith and his staff have a good problem with figuring out which cornerbacks will give them the best chance to win games in 2025. They have earned that good problem by being proactive and finding talent from every possible resource.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
