Michigan State Football Weekly Positional Breakdown: Wide Receivers
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"A team of ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things when no one quits."
That should be the motto for the receiving corps the Spartans are preparing to send onto the field week after week.
Do you know the meme of Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man squinting before putting on his glasses, suddenly making everything clear? That's kind of what Michigan State is hoping happens with this wide receiver room. Without the glasses, it looks raw and inexperienced. Put them on, however, and the Spartans believe this group has much more potential than most people realize.
At first glance, this is easily the weakest positional group on the roster. But saying that without looking deeper is probably one of the most casual takes you can have. The numbers don't jump off the page, but if you dig a little further, there are several players capable of emerging as the face of this unit.
After losing leading receiver Nick Marsh to Indiana through the transfer portal, replacing that production won't be easy. The drop-off is significant, but that doesn't mean success can't blossom from the seeds that have been planted.
So let's take a look at who will be catching passes from quarterback Alessio Milivojevic this season.
Projected Starter: Chrishon McCray (Senior)
2025 Transfer from Kent State
McCray enters the season with the most experience of any Spartan receiver. More importantly, he already has the best chemistry with starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic.
During three seasons at Kent State, McCray totaled 81 receptions for 1,315 receiving yards over his final two years while hauling in 13 touchdowns. He transferred to East Lansing last season but struggled to find consistency with then-starting quarterback Aidan Chiles. In eight games with Chiles under center, McCray managed just 16 receptions and one touchdown.
However, everything changed over the final two games when Milivojevic took over. McCray caught eight passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns, giving the Spartans a glimpse of what the connection could become.
McCray will occupy one of the starting receiver spots and is essentially the only wideout with a firmly established role heading into the season.
Projected Starter: Samson Gash (Freshman)
Predicting an incoming freshman to earn a Day 1 starting job isn't just bold—it probably sounds crazy. But once you look at Michigan State's receiver room, it becomes much easier to understand why.
Gash arrives as a four-star recruit and Pat Fitzgerald's highest-rated addition in the recruiting class.
His elite speed, natural football instincts, and ability to create separation have me believing he wins a starting job outright. In fact, my prediction is that Gash finishes the season leading Michigan State in receiving yards.
That's how bullish I am on Samson Gash.
Rodney Bullard Jr. (Senior)
2025 Transfer from Valdosta State
Last season was Bullard's first in East Lansing, and it was a quiet one.
Bullard found himself buried on the depth chart and never received many opportunities. He appeared in 12 games but caught just five passes.
Still, there's something about his explosiveness that gives off untapped-potential vibes. I think Bullard has a legitimate chance to become a fixture in Michigan State's three-receiver sets.
While he only caught five passes, he made them count, averaging an impressive 23.8 yards per reception while totaling 119 yards and one touchdown.
KK Smith (Junior)
2026 Transfer from Notre Dame
One of Michigan State's biggest transfer additions this offseason was KK Smith, who followed coach Max Bullough from Notre Dame to East Lansing.
Smith should immediately become a contributor and has every opportunity to compete for a starting role if he can separate himself from the rest of the pack.
Although he spent three seasons with the Fighting Irish, last year was when he finally began carving out a role. Similar to Bullard, Smith finished with fewer than 10 receptions, catching eight passes for 123 yards while averaging 15.4 yards per catch and scoring two touchdowns.
He made the most of his opportunities, and the Spartans are hoping that efficiency carries over.
Frederick Moore (Junior)
2026 Transfer from Michigan
Moore may be the biggest wild card in this receiver room.
He has the size, athleticism, and overall ability to immediately become not only a starting receiver but potentially the best receiver on a Michigan State offense that could surprise people this season.
Moore appeared poised for a breakout after playing in 13 games during both his freshman and sophomore seasons at Michigan. As a sophomore, he totaled 11 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown while averaging 11.6 yards per catch.
Unfortunately, that momentum never materialized. Moore was limited to just four games last season and didn't record a reception.
If he returns to the trajectory he was once on, Michigan State may have landed one of the steals of the transfer portal.
The Rest of the Group
- Jack Yanachik (Junior)
- Rai'Shawn Elmore (Freshman)
- Bryson Williams (Freshman)
- Charles Taplin (Freshman)
- Braylon Collier (Freshman)
- Nick Hardy (Freshman)
There are still plenty of questions surrounding this position group, which is why I've maintained all offseason that Michigan State will likely lean heavily on its running game. But in today's college football landscape, a run-first offense will only take you so far.
Fitzgerald and wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins will be searching for someone to emerge as the unquestioned alpha of this receiving corps.
The talent is there. The opportunity is there.
Now it's simply a matter of who takes it.
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