Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft doesn’t exactly concern a ton of Michigan State fans as no Spartans were projected to go in the first round and they may not have a pick until Day 3.
Ryan Eckley, Jack Velling, and Matt Gulbin are likely Michigan State’s top options to be drafted, but they’re not connected to the current staff so they don’t exactly get to use them as proof of development. They can say that the program got them seen, but Pat Fitzgerald and Co. have a lot of work to do to improve Michigan State’s standing among recruits when it comes to potential NFL development.
Michigan State offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, however, just got a head start with his standing among recruits thanks to the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
The Los Angeles Rams just selected Alabama’s Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the draft.
How exactly does an Alabama quarterback going in the first round affect Michigan State’s offensive coordinator? Well, Sheridan was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama during Simpson’s final two seasons, including his 2025 breakout where he passed for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns to just five picks.
Simpson was Sheridan developed and we can say that because he never attempted more than 25 passes in a single season before 2025. Sheridan was the quarterbacks coach who developed him not only into an All-SEC player, but a first-round draft pick.
No need to worry about quarterback recruiting or development, Spartan fans.
Michigan State has been starved of consistent QB play
Since Payton Thorne’s breakout season in 2021, Michigan State just hasn’t gotten consistent quarterback play, and it wasn’t for a lack of talent.
Michigan State had guys like Sam Leavitt, Katin Houser, Aidan Chiles and Thorne on the roster over the past five years and all of them have started — or will be starting — for a Power Four team since leaving Michigan State. Leavitt became the starter at Arizona State and led the Sun Devils to the playoff, Houser is now the starter at Illinois after East Carolina, Chiles is the projected starter at Northwestern, and Thorne started at Auburn.
With Sheridan producing first-round picks at the position, something tells me that Michigan State won’t have to worry about consistent quarterback play moving forward.
Plus, Alessio Milivojevic is a fun first quarterback for him to work with.
Thanks for the recruiting help, Ty Simpson.
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