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Michigan State Football: Projected post-2018 spring game depth chart

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 29: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans runs for a short gain as Jourdan Lewis #26 of the Michigan Wolverines makes the stop during the fourth quarter of the game at Spartan Stadium on October 29, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan defeated Michigan State 32-23. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 29: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans runs for a short gain as Jourdan Lewis #26 of the Michigan Wolverines makes the stop during the fourth quarter of the game at Spartan Stadium on October 29, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan defeated Michigan State 32-23. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 04: Juwan Johnson #84 of the Penn State Nittany Lions can’t make a second half catch next to Justin Layne #2 of the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 27-24.(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 04: Juwan Johnson #84 of the Penn State Nittany Lions can’t make a second half catch next to Justin Layne #2 of the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 27-24.(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Defensive Backfield

Starting cornerbacks: Justin Layne, Josiah Scott
Backups: Josh Butler, Tyson Smith

There’s no question that both Justin Layne and Josiah Scott will be starting when the season kicks off this fall. Both have all-conference potential and plenty of athleticism, quickness and lockdown ability to boot. Layne, a converted receiver, enters his junior season after breaking up eight passes and picking one off in 2017. Scott was an all-everything freshman, breaking up nine passes and intercepting one in a breakout season.

Depth is not an issue at the cornerback spot with incoming freshmen Xavier Henderson and Kalon Gervin and redshirt freshman Shakur Brown likely entering the mix at some point, but Josh Butler and Tyson Smith are the favorites in the two-deep. These guys could be starting on plenty of teams around the nation, but that just goes to show how good the Spartans’ secondary is.

Starting safeties: Khari Willis, David Dowell
Backups: Matt Morrissey, Dominique Long

Khari Willis and David Dowell both return as starters in 2018 and both could be All-Big Ten selections by the end of the season. Dowell was one of the Big Ten’s top safeties in terms of interceptions and earned all-conference honors while Willis was fourth on the team in tackles and a driving force in a secondary turnaround. He could also be a captain this year.

As for the backups, Grayson Miller and Tre Person could be in the running as well, but the former has been in the mix at linebacker, too. However, Matt Morrissey looked solid during the spring game and may have locked up a role as a backup and Dominique Long played extended snaps. We could see Long step up as a potential breakout star in 2018.

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