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Michigan State Football: Predicting where Spartans land in 2017 NFL Draft

By Connor Muldowney

Oct 24, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans tight end Josiah Price (82) celebrate a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans tight end Josiah Price (82) celebrate a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans safety Montae Nicholson (9) reacts to a play during the first half of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans safety Montae Nicholson (9) reacts to a play during the first half of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Montae Nicholson’s decision to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft was shocking to a lot of people. He came in as a highly-touted recruit in 2014 out of Monroeville, Penn., and really took Spartan fans by surprise in his first spring game before his sophomore season in 2015.

Not only was Nicholson looking the part of an All-Big Ten safety, he was switching in on the offensive side of the ball as a receiver. His athleticism was evident and he was on track to becoming the Spartans’ next big defensive star and a potential first-round defensive back draft pick (the third under Mark Dantonio).

However, a disappointing sophomore season followed by a slightly better junior year led him to believe that he would be better suited to enter the NFL Draft. He made some big strides from his sophomore to junior year, but was it enough to be selected?

The short answer is yes and he intrigues scouts with his 4.42 40-yard speed, but the fact that he had a shoulder injury and couldn’t perform at Michigan State’s pro day may have hurt his stock slightly. I could see the big, physical safety going in the sixth, maybe even the late-fifth, round.

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