5 Michigan State football players named to Reese's Senior Bowl watch list

Michigan State football fans are counting down the days to the start of the 2024 season and it's especially exciting because it's the start of a new era.

Jonathan Smith is kicking off his Michigan State tenure next week and he's doing so with a number of his own guys that he's recruited both in the transfer portal and the 2024 class. There are, however, some players left over from the Mel Tucker era who will be critical to the Spartans' success this season.

Some of those holdovers from the Tucker era are senior leaders and some were named to the Reese's Senior Bowl watch list on Tuesday.

In fact, five Spartans were named to the watch list and two of them transferred in this offseason.

The two newcomers who made the Senior Bowl watch list are Luke Newman and Jack Velling. Newman came over from Holy Cross where he was an FCS All-American and Velling is actually a redshirt junior who made the list even with one more year of eligibility remaining. I think all Spartan fans would like him back for one more season but he's that good that this will likely be his last year.

Nate Carter was an obvious pick and he, too, is a redshirt junior who fans hope will be back for one more season in 2025. He could be one of the best running backs in the Big Ten this year.

Jonathan Kim was one of the most consistent kickers in the Big Ten last season and he shockingly didn't make the Lou Groza watch list despite being lights out. He should be in for a huge senior season as the team's kicker.

Lastly, Khris Bogle is finally healthy and should have a huge impact on the defensive line and if he lives up to his potential, he could be an All-Big Ten selection.

All five of these guys transferred to Michigan State. All five could be All-Big Ten performers.