Michigan State Football: Ranking 3 strongest position groups for 2021

1. Wide receivers

The wide receiver room at Michigan State remains one of the strongest position groups in the entire Big Ten. A full offseason and actual fall practices should allow the talented group of pass-catchers to thrive like they did last season. One of the two quarterbacks Payton Thorne or Anthony Russo will also be a huge help for the team that struggled to find consistency from the quarterback position.

The two big hitters, Jayden Reed and Jalen Nailor, return for their senior seasons after strong individual campaigns in 2020. Reed should prove to be one of the most dynamic players in the Big Ten, and Nailor could find himself in late-round NFL draft conversations if he has the year he is expected to. These two are some of the best in the entire country at their positions.

The supporting cast of receivers also runs incredibly deep. Ricky White returns for his sophomore year after his breakout performance against Michigan and an otherwise injury-hampered freshman campaign. Tre Mosley returns as well after he also suffered through an injury-riddled 2020. Freshman phenom Keon Coleman looks to make a name for himself in the Big Ten. Louisville transfer Christian Fitzpatrick is a name that could surprise some Spartan fans. He stands at 6-foot-4 and has been impressive throughout fall practice. With his blend of size and elite skillset, Fitzpatrick could put his name on the map this season.

Other names to watch for in the receiving core are Terry Lockett Jr., Montorie Foster, and Ian Stewart. Courtney Hawkins has a large pool of talent to work with this season, and it will be tough for teams in the Big Ten to slow down this group of receivers.