MSU Represented on Prestigious Preseason All-America Team

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 12:18 PM ET

We're already to the point in the offseason when we'll start to see some preseason watch lists coming out, setting the expectations high for the best in college football.

This offseason, one of Michigan State's most underrated – yet most valuable – players has been named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America Second Team, as revealed by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Tuesday.

That player is Spartan redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley. Another stellar season is expected of the veteran specialist, who has earned second-team All-Big Ten honors the past two seasons.

Last year, Eckley's average of 47.9 yards per punt led the Big Ten, and it was the third-longest mark in a single season in program history. Six of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard mark, while two were downed inside the 10.

Eckley is the only Spartan to make either of the Walter Camp Preseason All-America teams. He is one of 15 players from the Big Ten to be represented.

For the Spartans' sake, they will be hoping to not have to rely on their punter as much as they did in past years, but to whatever extent they do, he is sure to be key for their success, in an area of the game most fans overlook.

If Eckley's career ended today, his career average of 47.2 yards per punt would be the longest in school history behind former Spartan punter Bryce Baringer.

The Walter Camp All-America Teams are the oldest in college football. This year will be its 136th edition.

Here's more on Walter Camp and the All-America team, per the Walter Camp Football Foundation:

"Considered the “Father of American Football,” Walter Camp introduced the play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side in 1880. Nine years later, Mr. Camp, then the Yale University head coach, selected the first-ever college football All-America team. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team."

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