Michigan State vs Purdue: 5 potential breakout players

Aug 29, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) reacts to a play during the 1st half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Looking for any answers in the struggling secondary, Michigan State junior cornerback Darian Hicks seems like a potential breakout candidate. Senior starter Arjen Colquhoun has been struggling in his time this year, but it’s difficult to replace a guy like Vayante Copeland when all signs were pointing to him being the top defensive back for 2015.

Must Read: Michigan State vs Purdue: 5 bold predictions

Copeland was compared to former Spartan star cornerback Darqueze Dennard by teammates as well as Coach D, but losing him after the Oregon has forced this group to look for a news star.

Remember when Darian Hicks was the starter at cornerback for a team that went 11-2 last year? Well, he’s now 100 percent recovered from his short stint with mono and I think he has the most potential of any of the remaining cornerbacks, outside of Demetrious Cox.

The Spartans are desperate to find a solid No. 2 starter and I think Hicks will be that guy. He will come into the game in the second quarter and really clamp down on the aerial attack, breaking up a couple of passes and showing an improvement with his open-field tackling.

Watch for Hicks to really have a solid game Saturday for the Spartans.

Next: 4. Danny Anthrop