Michigan State Football: 5 players who’ll break out vs. Notre Dame

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA;The Michigan State Spartans take the field before a game against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA;The Michigan State Spartans take the field before a game against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio (C) leads his team onto the field prior to their game against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio (C) leads his team onto the field prior to their game against the Furman Paladins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

All summer we’ve heard about the rise of Raequan Williams. The former highly-touted prospect from Illinois was climbing the depth chart and looked to be the Week 1 starter at the defensive tackle position opposite Malik McDowell. A defensive line with those two big boys up front would cause nightmares for any offense.

However, Nebraska-transfer Kevin Williams got the nod against Furman and it surprised some folks, including myself. I have pegged Raequan a breakout candidate for some time now and I was starting to buy into all the talk of him being the next great lineman.

Just because he’s not officially the starter yet doesn’t mean he’s not going to see regular snaps and find his way into the backfield a few times as well as in on multiple tackles. He finished with three total tackles against the Paladins, and that was just the start of his career in the green and white.

Williams is just a redshirt freshman and he will be the starter by the end of the year, mark it down. To get there, though, he has to take advantage of his opportunities and there’s a big one ahead of him in the form of Notre Dame.

When he gets onto the field, he has to capitalize on McDowell double-teams to fight his way into the backfield as well as read the play until the end and close would-be running lanes. Williams is a big guy and he has all the potential in the world to be a star. It starts here.

Next: 1. Donnie Corley