Michigan State Football: 5 upperclassmen who need to step up in 2019

EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 27: Cam Chambers #21 of the Michigan State Spartans makes a catch for a first down and tackled by Markus Bailey #21 of the Purdue Boilermakers at Spartan Stadium on October 27, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - OCTOBER 27: Cam Chambers #21 of the Michigan State Spartans makes a catch for a first down and tackled by Markus Bailey #21 of the Purdue Boilermakers at Spartan Stadium on October 27, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 13: Cam Chambers #21 of the Michigan State Spartans pulls in a catch against Nick Scott #4 of the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 13, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 13: Cam Chambers #21 of the Michigan State Spartans pulls in a catch against Nick Scott #4 of the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 13, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Like Matt Dotson, Cam Chambers came to Michigan State as one of the top-rated players in his class and was already a leader off the field. He helped recruit Michigan State’s star-studded 2016 class which has eventually fallen apart for non-football related reasons, but he was a crucial member of that group.

Not many 2016 signees have stuck around in East Lansing and he, too, has probably had opportunities to transfer for more playing time, but he’s been patient.

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Chambers redshirted as a freshman after watching his fellow four-star receiver teammates see plenty of action. It had to be painful to watch, but the staff didn’t want to burn his redshirt on a lost season so he entered 2017 as a redshirt freshman. He finished with five catches for 66 yards in just four games but finally put up decent numbers in 2018.

In fact, he had 19 catches for 264 yards and looked like a solid wide out with strong hands which he showcased in the spring game before the season. He was living up to his potential before an injury kept him sidelined for six games.

Now that he’s healthy and has his focus on breaking out in 2019 as a backup receiver, Chambers could finally reach that lofty potential.

Could he be the next Aaron Burbridge?