Michigan State Football: Linebacking corps are loaded in 2019

Linebackers will not be desperate need for Michigan State football for a while — it’s graced with depth and playmakers across the board. 

Linebackers are a project the Spartans have prepared for well. Joe Bachie is entering his senior year and Tyriq Thompson is also entering his.

Michigan State is looking for the new crop of linebackers to join the mix.

Antjuan Simmons will likely get his chance and share reps with Brandon Bouyer-Randle and 2019 won’t just be about sustaining last years success it will also be about creating the next wave and building on last year.

With a new year comes new faces so here guys you can expect to see make plays or be on the field in 2019.

Chase Kline, Freshman (RS)

Chase Kline was one of my favorite recruits, watching his tape he looks like a Spartan linebacker. He showed speed to the ball, great IQ and the ability to hit hard. The cherry on top was his spring game debut when accounted for eight tackles himself. With a full four years to use him, expect Michigan State to give him solid reps in 2019 to guide him into a future big role. Kline is a name you will hear plenty in 2019.

Marcel Lewis, Freshman

Marcel Lewis is a young player coming in this summer. He’s a guy that was recruited heavily by Michigan, Iowa and Kentucky. The talent is clearly there. I know it’s crazy putting him on the list while only being an incoming freshman, but he’s one of the two guys at this position i think will earn some early playing time in their career. He showed raw speed to the ball on film and top-level hard-hitting. If he can come to summer camp ready and well conditioned, he could easily get a chance to play in four games as a freshman but still retain that redshirt.

Luke Fulton, Freshman

Luke Fulton is another guy from the 2019 class. He’s someone who will likely be redshirted due to depth, but he’s also a guy who could end up jumping the line. This guy’s film shouts Michigan State middle linebacker — hard hitting, high emotion high IQ and a great downhill attack. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked to hear his name in summer camp or see him creep into the rotation. With the new redshirt rule don’t be surprised to get a taste of Fulton to get him game time experience.

Edward Warinner, Freshman (RS)

Edward Warriner is a player who has received praise from players and coaches and if it weren’t for injury we probably would have seen him in the spring game. Either way, his name has been mentioned by his peers in a positive light. If all the hype is legit and the injury doesn’t take Warinner off track, I expect him to get meaningful reps in 2019.

Honorable mentions: Jeslord Boateng, Dante Razzano, Noah Harvey

Linebacker prediction for 2019

Michigan State is in a good situation with linebackers. There seems to be talent deep at all three positions that could be mixed and matched around. There’s senior leadership, experienced guys who are juniors and sophomores and then redshirt freshman and incoming freshman.

With all that being considered there’s no reason why Michigan State shouldn’t be able to create the perfect rotation this fall. The depth is great and you have a variety of talent to mess with. This could be the year Michigan States linebacker unit becomes elite.