Michigan State Football: 10 potential 2017 NFL Draft picks

Looking for the popular option to replace Aaron Burbridge as the next Big Ten Receiver of the Year from Michigan State? Look no further than R.J. Shelton.

Out of high school, he was considered a three-star running back, but Dantonio and his staff saw something in Shelton that could give him early playing time at Michigan State. He saw a potential slot receiver, and that’s exactly what the Spartans have turned him into.

Of course, his running back background hasn’t been forgotten as the Spartans run far too many slot reverses and end arounds, but Shelton has grown into much more than just a guy who can take a handoff and potentially break a couple of tackles — he’s now a reliable receiver.

Before the 2014 season, it looked like his only job was to take a reverse handoff and try to turn it into positive yardage — which was often a challenge because, more often than not, the defense knew it was coming. However, he blossomed into a big-catch machine as he had eye-opening snags against Rutgers, Indiana and Michigan.

Shelton has become a reliable target and his 19 catches for 415 yards in 2015 may have been down from his sophomore year in which he had nearly 800 yards, but with an increased role, he could be a guy who finishes with over 1,000 and five-plus scores.

If that’s the case, the speedy 5-foot-11 slot receiver could work himself into a top-five round pick. At worst, though, he should be selected in the sixth or seventh based on versatility and stats — he can catch, return kicks and punts and run with the ball.

Next: 1. Malik McDowell