Breaking Down MSU's WR Room Without Nick Marsh

This loss stings for MSU and Fitzgerald, who still have a chance to retain Marsh if he can sell him on his vision for the future. As of now, the future NFL receiver will likely be playing elsewhere in 2026. 

With Marsh not expected to be in the fold for Fitzgerald’s first year, what does the Spartan wide receiver room look like? Let’s break down what MSU’s new coach has to work with. 

The Spartan wide receiver room

Marsh is in the portal, and Omari Kelly is out of eligibility, so Chrishon McCray currently stands as MSU’s leading receiver. He caught 24 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns last season. 

McCray is talented and explosive, but he did not have many opportunities to showcase his skill set in 2025 under the previous offensive system. If Fitzgerald likes what he has, and McCray wants to stay, he could have a bigger season in 2026. 

Central Michigan transfer Evan Boyd did not have a big season, only catching three passes for 54 yards. However, now that a few spots above him on the depth chart have opened, we could see more Boyd next season. 

MSU will also be without Alante Brown and Rodney Bullard Jr., who are no longer eligible. 

One intriguing player Fitzgerald might like is freshman Braylon Collier. The 6-foot-tall, 176-pound receiver didn’t see much action in his first season in East Lansing, but a year of development and putting on more weight may make him a stronger contributor next season.

The receiver room also features players like Charles Taplin, Atticus Carradine, Shawn Foster, Jack Yanachik, and Nick Hardy. 

MSU also has high school recruits coming in, like Zachary Washington and Rai’shawn Elmore. Four-star Samson Gash will wait to sign until February. 

The Spartans will likely add some wide receivers through the transfer portal to supplement the room. They may feel the loss of Marsh, but the receiver position is typically easy to replace.

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