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Michigan State Football: 3 post-spring 2021 breakout candidates on defense

By Connor Muldowney

Michigan State's head coach Mel Tucker, left, talks with Angelo Grose during the first quarter in the game against Ohio State on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.201205 Msu Osu 083a
Michigan State's head coach Mel Tucker, left, talks with Angelo Grose during the first quarter in the game against Ohio State on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.201205 Msu Osu 083a /
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Michigan State’s Angelo Grose, right, tackles Ohio State’s Chris Olave during the second quarter on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.201205 Msu Osu 133a
Michigan State’s Angelo Grose, right, tackles Ohio State’s Chris Olave during the second quarter on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.201205 Msu Osu 133a /

Two young defensive backs stood out to me last season and both looked to have bright futures under the new coaching staff in East Lansing.

One was Chris Jackson who has since transferred to Washington State which came as a huge surprise given the fact that he could have pushed for a starting job in 2021 with Shakur Brown gone and the other was Angelo Grose.

As a freshman in 2020, Grose was solid, finishing with 23 total tackles, two pass breakups, 0.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. He fit right in with this defense and looked like the second-best cornerback option on the team for most of the season. With Scottie Hazelton running a 4-2-5 defense, however, and the Spartans bringing in five new cornerbacks from the portal, Grose’s game is going to translate well to the nickel position where he ended up quite a bit in 2020.

Grose and Michael Dowell are going to duke it out for the starting nickel spot, but I like the former’s chances of winning the job.

If 2020 was any indication, Grose is going to be the Spartans’ next breakout star in the secondary.

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