Fall camp is entering a new week and Michigan State football fans are starting to really get excited about a new era. Pat Fitzgerald has assembled a team that Vegas may not believe in (3.5 wins is the line), but he feels like he can contend in the Big Ten right away.
He hit the team with a “why not us?” in one of his first speeches during the winter and he reiterated that sentiment to open fall camp.
If the Spartans are going to make any noise in the Big Ten and finally push for a bowl berth, they’re going to need some guys to step up. Let’s start with three early stock-risers.
1. Kenny Soares Jr., EDGE
It only made sense to put the most obvious stock-riser at No. 1, right? Everyone seems to be buying stock in Kenny Soares Jr. heading into the season, including his teammates who voted him as “The Spartan” who will wear the No. 1 this season. Fitzgerald has also been raving about his transfer edge rusher from NC State who’s coming off a career year with the Wolfpack.
Soares has been turning heads during camp and you don’t get voted as the team’s first No. 1 jersey wearer of the Fitzgerald era if you’re not doing something right.
Charles Brantley even said that he’s the most competitive player that he’s ever seen and he was on a team that just played for a national championship. Buy stock expeditiously.
2. Brady Pretzlaff, LB
Coming off a season-ending injury, people seem to have forgotten just how good Brady Pretzlaff was supposed to be. The former four-star recruit from Gaylord, Mich., has spent his first two years in East Lansing playing for a dud coaching staff, but fortunately there’s familiarity with Joe Rossi that’s only going to help him ease back into the action.
It’s already been paying off according to Rossi who says that he’s way ahead of where he was before he got injured and he’s going to play a lot for the Spartans this season one way or another.
Pretzlaff is just a sophomore so he’s still got three years left, but the 2026 season is going to be the start of his rise to linebacker stardom at Michigan State. Especially since he’s now getting to learn from former Spartan All-American Max Bullough.
3. Jayden Savoury, TE
Several offensive players could have earned this position, but Jayden Savoury has been a popular name during fall camp. He’s been turning heads and drawing the attention of anyone who attends practice. Although the tight end room is a little more unproven this year than in years past, Savoury still feels like a guy who could break out and become the first star at the position since Josiah Price.
Jack Velling was a little underwhelming and Michael Masunas looked like a budding star before deciding to hit the transfer portal so the hope is that Savoury revives the position.
Carson Gulker would have also been a strong pick here along with guys like Ben Murawski, Cam Edwards, and Charles Taplin, but all the stock on offense is going directly into the Savoury fund.
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