Michigan State Football: Weston Bridges’ move to WR makes sense

Michigan State football will have a new receiver this fall as redshirt sophomore Weston Bridges has made the move from running back.

Two ACL tears derailed any hope Weston Bridges had of becoming Michigan State’s lead back. He redshirted as a freshman and played in just six games during his first eligible season, recording 53 yards on 16 carries.

Though he didn’t have much production, he showed flashes of brilliance with the ball in his hands. However, he was behind LJ Scott, Connor Heyward and La’Darius Jefferson on the depth chart. Was it his knee that was holding the former four-star back from being an elite rusher? It’s possible, but it could have been that he didn’t have as much confidence anymore.

But yet he looked good in spurts.

After spring ball, though, Anthony Williams Jr. emerged in the backfield and seemed to pass Bridges up on the depth chart, so Mark Dantonio decided to make a change. In order to get his talented back with two ACL injuries under his belt onto the field, he would move him to receiver.

The move for Bridges makes sense. He wasn’t going to see the field much at running back with the emergence of Williams Jr. and Eli Collins so why not move him to receiver to help out Darrell Stewart Jr., Cody White, Cam Chambers, CJ Hayes and Jalen Nailor?

Brandon Sowards was just granted a sixth year of eligibility but Bridges could be a better option. He is strong, athletic and if he learns the playbook this summer, he could be a major contributor in the pass game.

Why leave a talented athlete like Bridges buried on the depth chart? He’s better served on the field at a different position and he could excel at wide out — remember Jeremy Langford benefitted from a Dantonio position change years ago from defensive back to running back. This could yield similar results.