Three Portal Picks Plug Spartan NFL Vacancies
Following a disappointing 4-8 season and the departure of center Matt Gulbin and punter Ryan Eckley in the NFL Draft, Michigan State leaned on the transfer portal to fill critical gaps. Iowa’s Australian punter Rhys Dakin arrives with a 43.9-yard career average and an uncanny knack for pinning teams inside the 20. North Dakota State’s Rimington Award–winning center Trent Fraley brings pedigree (and NFL-coached lineage) to stabilize the middle. Finally, UConn’s dynamic rusher Cam Edwards, fresh off a 1,240-yard, 15-touchdown campaign, aims to elevate the Spartan ground game and cement himself as a Big Ten breakout back.
In true Spartan fashion, MSU fans can now sleep at night knowing their punter has crafted his leg with the precision of a caffeinated kangaroo, their center has enough blocking badges to fill a Pokémon card binder, and their running back is already plotting how to swipe the Heisman from the unsuspecting. It’s like assembling the Avengers, except with more turf bruises and fewer CGI explosions.
Jordan Scott: The 6-8 Swiss Army Swingman
Fresh off a 5.8-point, 3.1-rebound freshman campaign, 6-foot-8 freshman Jordan Scott has quickly become Michigan State’s most intriguing NBA hopeful. Scott’s 37.0% three-point accuracy (boosted to 42.0% after January) and position-less defensive versatility earned him tough assignments and a team-leading +4.9 defensive plus/minus. Standing slender at 200 pounds, he projects as a switchable perimeter defender and floor-spacing threat, offering NBA scouts a rare blend of length, shooting touch, and switchability for the modern game.
Fans should prepare popcorn for Scott’s eventual highlight reel: deep triples raining down like unsolicited Spotify ads, defenders left grasping at air, and mid-range pull-ups smoother than a barista’s flat white. Sure, he might handle the ball about as much as I handle my taxes, but give him an offseason and he’ll have defenders asking, “Is that a 6-8 guard or a Shutterstock model in a jersey?”
Spartans’ Linebacker Hierarchy After Spring Shakeup
Linebacker has emerged as Michigan State’s defensive core after spring drills. Senior Jordan Hall anchors MIKE with 88 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks, while Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford brings 81-tackle pedigree and pass-rush flashes on both MIKE and WILL. On the weak side, Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland offers interior pop (7.5 career sacks), and freshman Adam Shaw combs in as a surprising second-team rep after quarterback convert hype. With Joe Rossi and new co-DC/linebackers coach Max Bullough leading the room, the LB corps stands poised to carry the defense.
Remember that scene in a superhero movie where the ragtag team of punch-happy misfits realizes they’re actually the best hope to save the world? That’s Spartan linebackers this spring: part muscle, part muscle, all “did you see that?” Expect linebackers to sprint, smother, and possibly recite searing team mantras between snaps—all while you update your fantasy forum in awe.
Two Units Reviving Spartan Spirit
Pat Fitzgerald’s first spring at Michigan State highlighted two position groups primed for impact. On offense, new feature back Cam Edwards (1,240 yards, 15 TDs at UConn) pairs with sophomore Marvis Parrish’s dual-threat receiving/rushing ability and Brandon Tullis’s return to form, creating a versatile, deep backfield. Defensively, linebacker Jordan Hall led the unit with 88 tackles and 2.5 sacks, prompting Fitzgerald to hire ex-Spartan Max Bullough as co-DC/LB coach and add Buffalo’s Dion Crawford and Auburn’s Caleb Wheatland for depth and playmaking.
It’s like MSU discovered two secret cheat codes: one grants unstoppable ground pounds, the other unlocks laser-guided tackle missions. Fans can now envision spring workouts as carnival rides—running backs popping wheelies, linebackers swirling in a blur of shoulder pads—because, finally, there’s something here worth tweeting about.
Keeping McCulloch Anchors Spartan Frontcourt Future
Michigan State survived the transfer portal with minimal losses—only Divine Ugochukwu left—and retained stretch big Jesse McCulloch for 2026-27. With Anton Bonke and freshman Ethan Taylor occupying starting center/four slots, McCulloch projects as a key rotational five who can space the floor (9-for-18 from three) and protect the rim (2.5 blocks/40 minutes). His role flexibility—frontcourt spacing, interior defense—and room for improved physicality and quicker release make him indispensable to Tom Izzo’s 15-man limit roster plans.
McCulloch is essentially MSU’s basketball octopus, eight arms of three-point bombs and shot-smothering blocks, only slightly more coordinated. Expect him to become the Swiss Army knife of the frontcourt: slicing defenses, opening lanes, and maybe even brewing postgame coffee if Izzo asks nicely. Just don’t be surprised when he’s moonlighting as the team’s unofficial hype DJ.
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