It’s not uncommon to see a few freshman spring up as standouts each year.
Michigan State is hitting the reset button and starting the Pat Fitzgerald era anew, but that hasn’t stopped the Spartans from bringing in an interesting recruiting class. Here are a few players who could be seeing the field pretty quickly:
WR Samson Gash
Incoming four-star wide receiver Samson Gash hasn’t even officially joined the team yet, but there could be a role for him right away during his freshman season. He was the third-highest-rated player in MSU’s 2026 class at 244th overall on the Rivals Industry Ranking, behind offensive tackle Collin Campbell (No. 220 overall) and quarterback Kayd Coffman (No. 240 overall), but those two guys don’t have immediate pathways to playing time as Gash does.
Spots in Michigan State’s wide receiver room are up for grabs right now. No hierarchy has been set just yet. When Gash’s elite speed and talent are introduced to the group during fall camp, it might be hard to keep him on the bench for long once he’s able to get a firm grasp on Nick Sheridan’s offense.
WR Zach Washington
For some similar reasons, I think Zach Washington is another freshman who can make some noise this upcoming season. He’s already got a bit of a bond with quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, as they overlapped for a little bit at St. Francis back in Naperville, Ill. Washington was rated 838th overall in the class of 2026 and 121st among wideouts.
It’s a little more common to see skill guys jump up quicker, too. Most younger linemen need time in the strength and conditioning program to be able to hold their own out there, but that’s not quite as important when you’re talking about who can catch the ball best and can evade defenders in the open field. With so many players jostling for a few spots at receiver, I think there’s a bit of a chance Washington finds his way out there.
TE Joey Caudill
Tight end is another spot where things feel a bit open for Michigan State, and freshman Joey Caudill could have an opportunity there. He was one of the highest-rated prospects in the class, finishing 472nd on the Rivals Industry Rating and getting a four-star rating from Rivals’ own internal rankings.
Caudill, who played quarterback in high school, is a nice athlete who should pick up his new position quickly. He will need to bulk up a bit from 232 pounds during the summer, but he’s close enough to the other tight ends, generally around 245-260 pounds, that he could gain enough weight to see the field immediately.
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