The NFL Draft ended last week, and many former Michigan State football players are set to begin a new chapter. Luke Newman and Jonathan Kim are in Chicago, while Nathan Carter and Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams are slated to be rivals in the NFC South.
However, spring has sprung, which means that not only is the spring transfer portal open, we are getting our first look at year two of the Jonathan Smith era in East Lansing.
With that being said, here are my three breakout candidates to watch for this upcoming season.
1. Jeremiah Hughes, DB (Jr.)
Jeremiah Hughes was one of Jonathan Smith’s most highly-anticipated additions from the transfer portal last spring but did not make much of an impact in his inaugural season in green and white. Hughes appeared in nine games for MSU after appearing in 13 for LSU as a freshman, but most of his impact came on special teams.
Hughes recorded three tackles against Ohio State, and the North Las Vegas native should see an expanded role as a junior. Caleb Coley entered the transfer portal as a grad transfer, Charles Brantley is now at Miami, and Ed Woods ran out of eligibility, so there is no shortage of playing time up for grabs in the secondary.
Expect the former four-star recruit to take advantage, and cement his starting spot (presumably at nickel) for Joe Rossi’s defense.
2. Brandon Tullis, RB (So.)
The former three-star has an opportunity to quickly emerge as the go-to runner for Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren. Last season, it was Lynch-Adams who surpassed Carter atop the running back depth chart, and now Tullis has that same opportunity.
Tullis recorded just seven carries for MSU as a freshman, but the Dallas native has been with the program since January 2024. With Carter and Lynch-Adams NFL-bound and his main competition for snaps coming in the form of Elijah Tau-Tolliver, I would be surprised if Tullis didn’t carve out some sort of role.
3. Evan Boyd, WR (R-So.)
Most of the attention in the Michigan State receiver room goes to Nick Marsh (for good reason), but the Spartans brought plenty of help for the freshman phenom this offseason. Between Crishon McCray, Omari Kelly, and Evan Boyd (and the return of Alante Brown), Aidan Chiles has plenty of help to build on his strong second half of 2024.
While McCray and Kelly have been more talked about than Boyd, I think the latter is going to prove to be a great addition to the program over his final three seasons of eligibility. The brother of former Spartan tackle Ethan Boyd, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound wideout amassed 21 receptions for 302 yards with two touchdowns for Central Michigan last season.
The East Lansing native has good size to complement Marsh’s skillset, and played at Spartan Stadium in 2023 for the Chippewas. In an offseason where there were a lot of moving parts, I think Boyd will serve as an admirable replacement to the departed Jaron Glover.