Ontario High School's Tre Fowler (27) tackles Perkins High School's Braylon Collier (1) during their OHSAA Division IV Region 14 championship high school football game Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 at Tiffin Frost Kalnow Stadium. TOM E. PUSKAR/MANSFIELD NEWS JOURNAL TOM E. PUSKAR/MANSFIELD NEWS JOURNAL / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will This MSU Freshman WR Be a Factor?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are always looking for dynamic playmaking talent at wide receiver.

MSU has a rich history of elite receivers, from Charles Rogers to Jayden Reed. High-profile legends like those two help the Spartans on the recruiting trail.

The Spartans’ receiver lineage likely played a factor in high three-star high school recruit Braylon Collier, who joined the Green and White this winter after committing to the Spartans last summer.

The Ohio product totaled 80 receptions for 1,164 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also played basketball and baseball in high school.

Collier, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound player out of Perkins High School in Sandusky, Ohio, had offers from several MAC schools, but decided to commit to Jonathan Smith and Courtney Hawkins.

Hawkins, MSU’s wide receivers coach, has developed multiple receivers into pros, including Reed, Jalen Nailor and Keon Coleman. He played a major factor in Collier’s recruitment.

“The main pitch was really just, ‘Let’s get after it, and let’s get to work,’” Collier told Matt Sheehan of the "Locked On Spartans" podcast last month. “There’s always something to improve on. Nothing is ever going to be perfect; never settle, I should say. There’s always something to improve on, no matter what it is. Releases, hand fighting, stuff like that.”

While he is only a freshman, and the Spartans brought in multiple proven talents at his position, Collier continues to shine for MSU in fall camp. The team has posted several highlights of Collier making big-time catches.

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— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) August 5, 2025

He has been working with the depth players, but if he continues to make plays with that group, it would not be surprising to see him climb the depth chart and earn snaps during the season.

Smith and his staff have been unafraid to play young players who have shown they deserve snaps, and if Collier continues to work hard and show up every day, they will reward him with playing time.

Collier may be the sixth receiver on the depth chart at best, but that means next to nothing at this point in camp.

Even if he does not become a factor this season, Collier will be a major piece of the Spartans’ passing game in the next few years.

Fans should be excited to see what he is capable of.

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