Michigan State football: Mel Tucker is right about the 2023 team’s talent

Big Ten Media Days have come and gone and Michigan State football fans have a better idea of what to expect from their team in 2023.

And that includes depth and talent.

Mel Tucker spoke to the media about how this is the healthiest roster he’s had and the depth is benefitting from that. He also went on to say something that opened a lot of eyes.

Tucker said that this year’s team will be his most talented top-to-bottom since he’s been at Michigan State.

That quote seemed to spark some conversation and it’s actually not as controversial as you might think, even coming off a 5-7 season.

This is, in fact, the most talented team that Tucker has had at every position and it’s all about how he coaches it up, how it stays healthy, and how it executes. If all goes as planned and these guys live up to their potential, not only is a bowl game likely, but the Spartans could push for eight wins.

Just how talented is this Michigan State football team?

Well, Tucker took over in 2020 with a roster full of guys that would soon transfer to the Group of Five as well as the FCS. He then hit the portal the following cycle and had the 12th-best transfer class in the country to go along with the No. 45 recruiting class.

In 2022, he landed the No. 26 recruiting class in the country to go along with some high-impact transfers. Unfortunately, that team just couldn’t stay healthy and it never gelled.

Now, for 2023, Tucker has landed yet another crop of impressive transfers to go along with the No. 22 recruiting class in the nation. So over the past three years, he’s improved the overall talent on the roster by swapping out late-era Mark Dantonio recruits with high-end transfers and improved recruits.

If you look at this year’s roster, you’ll see a battle for snaps at every position and this is the deepest that the offensive line and defensive line have been since he got here. That’s where all the success begins and ends.

So, yes, Tucker was absolutely right. This year’s roster is the most talented he’s had. But will it be the most successful?