Michigan State's Michael Masunas catches a touchdown pass against Youngstown State during the third quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Breaking Down MSU's Best Passing Weapons After 2025

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Dec 17, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans did not have the greatest passing attack last season.

MSU dealt with a bit of a quarterback carousel last season, as Aidan Chiles started the year strong, but he got injured and lost his starting job to Alessio Milivojevic.

The Spartans wanted to add receiving talent around Chiles last offseason to improve the offense, but that did not materialize. Now, new head coach Pat Fitzgerald will try to reimagine what that side of the football looks like.

He has some solid talent to work with in his pass-catching room, and some of those players developed well last season. Who were MSU’s best receivers and tight ends?

Let’s see who earned the best Pro Football Focus grades.

Best wide receiver - Nick Marsh (68.6)

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Fitzgerald may be disappointed that he won’t have Marsh in the fold for 2026, as he made a big difference in the passing game as a sophomore.

Marsh posted a career-best season with 59 receptions for 662 yards and six touchdowns. Whether Chiles or Milivojevic was throwing him the ball, Marsh was making a big play.

He announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal earlier this month, and it’s likely he will head to one of the bigger programs in college football. The Spartans must find a game-changing receiver to replace Marsh this offseason.

Best tight end - Michael Masunas (76.4)

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Masunas developed into one of the best tight ends in the Big Ten last season.

Jack Velling had better counting stats, but Masunas did many of the little things well. He continued to improve as a pass-catcher, and he was always a good run-blocker.

Masunas is the exact type of player Fitzgerald will love as part of his offense, as he has the size and route-running skills to be an effective player next season. With Velling out of the mix, Masunas will be the focus at tight end in 2026.

Best receiving grade - Masunas (86.4)

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He wasn’t the focus of the passing game last season, but good things always happened when MSU threw the ball to Masunas.

He stayed healthy throughout the season, appearing in all 12 games and catching 19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. He enters his final season of eligibility as the best pass-catcher on the team.

Fitzgerald has not yet hired an offensive coordinator, but that coach should love Masunas’ skill set. His size, blocking, and yards-after-catch playmaking would entice any OC.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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