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2020 PRESEASON PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST: Connor Heyward, Michigan State,...The Duluth, Georgia, native has 618 rushing yards and five TDs on 145 carries in 29 career games, including nine starts, and also has 43 receptions for 314 yards and two TDs. He had 24 carries for 79 yards and seven catches for 52 yards and one TD in the first four games of last season. During his breakthrough season in 2018, Heyward led the Spartans in rushing (118 carries for 529 yards), rushing touchdowns (5), kick returns (13 for 287 yards) and all-purpose yards (1,065). - Michigan State Football

(DS#2 FB) rSr/2022

FB Connor Heyward, Michigan State
News Source: Michigan State Football
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07/26/20 - Jarrett Horst, rSr/2023, Michigan State, 6-6, 298 (DS#21 OT) + More +

2020 OUTLAND TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: OT Jarrett Horst, Arkansas State,...Horst is now the second A-State player tabbed to the Outland Trophy Watch List over the last three seasons, while also becoming the fifth all-time to earn a spot on the prestigious list. He joins former standouts Lanard Bonner (2018), Ryan Carrethers (2013), Matt Mandich (2008) and Garry Johnson (2002). Starting every game at left tackle last season as a sophomore, Horst was named Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference and received the Gary Withrow Award, presented annually to the A-State football team's outstanding offensive lineman of the year. Horst helped lead the way for over 300 yards total offense by A-State in all but one game and over 400 yards in 10 outings during 2019, including a season-high 558 yards against Troy. - Arkansas State Football

(DS#21 OT) rSr/2023

OT Jarrett Horst, Michigan State
News Source: Arkansas State Football
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07/25/20 - Jordan Reid, rSr/2022, Michigan State, 6-4, 315 (DS#79 OG) + More +

Jordan Reid, a senior and the only offensive lineman to start all 26 games the past two season, voiced his opinion on Twitter, wondering why the 2020 season has yet to be postponed or canceled. "Guys are testing positive across the country left and right...why is there still discussion on a season? Why is it taking so long to make a logical decision? Hmm let me guess REVENUE #NCAA #B1G10." The tweet, to no one's surprise, has garnered quite a bit of attention and, also to no one's surprise, a mixed reaction from people. A handful of MSU teammates have retweeted Reid's comment.

Reid's tweet is possibly in response to MSU's decision to stop workouts on Wednesday after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 following testing the previous weekend. MSU did player surveillance testing Wednesday, and a second staff member and a player also tested positive, it was announced Friday. The school announced Friday afternoon that the entire MSU football team would quarantine, or isolate, for 14 days. Reid's tweet came roughly three hours before MSU made the announcement. - Lansing State Journal

(DS#79 OG) rSr/2022

OG Jordan Reid, Michigan State
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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07/24/20 - *Kenneth Walker III, Jr/2022, Michigan State, 5-09, 209 (DS#2 RB) + More +

2020 PRESEASON DOAK WALKER AWARD WATCH LIST: Kenneth Walker III (So.), Wake Forest,...Walker III is coming off one of the best seasons for a freshman running back in program history. In 2019, averaged 5.9 yards per carry, highest by any freshman running back in Demon Deacon history. In his first career game, he set the school record with a 96-yard scoring run at Rice, which was also the longest run by an ACC player in 2019. He finished the game against the Owls with a season-high 125 yards and 13.9 yards per carry, the fifth-best mark in school history. He also went for 113 yards in the Big 4 Championship clincher against Duke. Walker III's 14-yard touchdown run against the Blue Devils in the fourth quarter proved to be the game winner in a 39-27 win at Truist Field. - Wake Forest Football

(DS#2 RB) Jr/2022

RB *Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
News Source: Wake Forest Football
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07/23/20 - Antjuan Simmons, Sr/2021, Michigan State, 6-0, 218 (DS#20 ILB) + More +

2020 PRESEASON BEDNARIK AWARD WATCH LIST: LB Antjuan Simmons, Michigan State,...Simmons, who started all 13 games last year, had a breakout season with a team-leading 90 tackles and a career-best 15 tackles for loss as junior in 2019. He ranked sixth in the Big Ten in tackles and seventh in the conference in TFLs. He also recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks, three pass break-ups and one interception while leading MSU with 865 snaps on defense. Simmons picked up honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades from the coaches and media and earned MSU's Outstanding Underclass Back Award on defense. A three-year letterwinner, Simmons has 156 career tackles, most of any active Spartan entering the 2020 season. - Michigan State Football

(DS#20 ILB) Sr/2021

ILB Antjuan Simmons, Michigan State
News Source: Michigan State Football
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07/19/20 - Antjuan Simmons, Sr/2021, Michigan State, 6-0, 218 (DS#20 ILB) + More +

2020 LOTT IMPACT TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: ANTJUAN SIMMONS, Michigan State, LB, 6-0, 216, Ann Arbor, MI: Had 15 tackles for loss; team high 90 tackles; Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. - Lott Impact Trophy

(DS#20 ILB) Sr/2021

ILB Antjuan Simmons, Michigan State
News Source: Lott Impact Trophy
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05/18/20 - Brian Lewerke, rSr/2020, Michigan State, 6-2, 213 (DS#14 QB) + More +

Brian Lewerke didn't get drafted, but the former Michigan State quarterback might have landed in just the right spot. Getting selected in the NFL's seven-round draft was coin flip for the Spartans' career leader in total yards, and when Lewerke's name wasn't called, the expectation was he would land a free-agent deal. Two days after the draft, that deal came as Lewerke signed with the New England Patriots. "I'm not disappointed that he's a free agent and didn't get drafted," said Mike Giovando, an Arizona-based quarterback coach who has worked with Lewerke for the bulk of his career. "And he's the same way. He's happy he's got a chance.

"He's a great quarterback who's gonna learn his playbook, and I think there are going to be some other things they're going to see that they like. And when they get him out there and watch him throw it, they're gonna be like, 'He can spin it. He can spin it.' He can throw it and he can move it around the field. And when he gets in a game, he's kind of a gamer, man. When he gets in the game and chips are on the line and when he's healthy and feeling he's tough to deal with. He's a good player, a really good player." Lewerke flashed plenty of that talent as a three-year starter at Michigan State, primarily in his sophomore season when he threw for more than 2,700 yards and 20 touchdowns while running for more than 500 yards and five more scores as the Spartans won 10 games. - Detroit News

(DS#14 QB) rSr/2020

QB Brian Lewerke, Michigan State
News Source: Detroit News
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04/29/20 - Naquan Jones, rSr/2021, Michigan State, 6-3, 313 (DS#18 DT) + More +

As Michigan State's defensive line coach, Burton will be tasked with attempting to replace three of four starters, including one who was taken in last weekend's NFL Draft. The middle of the defensive line seems most equipped to keep on moving without skipping a beat. Naquan Jones is entering his fifth year in the program and has been one of the primary backups in the interior of the line. He's played in 13 games in each of the past three seasons and earned his first career start in 2019. Jacob Slade was also in the rotation as a redshirt freshman. He played in all 13 games and played 262 snaps, recording 14 tackles, including 2.5 for losses and a sack. He had two tackles for loss and his first career sack in the win over Wake Forest in the Pinstripe Bowl. "Naquan Jones has been an experienced player for the last four years with an opportunity to really flourish with multiple more starts," Burton said. "He has been a great person in the classroom with the guys. He has been more vocal; he's very energetic. He'll double his snaps but he is a leader right now in the defensive tackle room. - Detroit News

(DS#18 DT) rSr/2021

DT Naquan Jones, Michigan State
News Source: Detroit News
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04/27/20 - Brian Lewerke, rSr/2020, Michigan State, 6-2, 213 (DS#14 QB) + More +

No, Brian Lewerke didn't get picked in the 2020 NFL draft. But as an undrafted free agent, he will now go learn under one of the great coaches in football history. The former Michigan State football quarterback agreed to terms with the New England Patriots, led by six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick. Of course, those Super Bowls came with Tom Brady at quarterback. Now, the longtime Patriot is in Tampa Bay. Now at QB for the Pats is Jarrett Stidham, drafted last year, and another former Spartan, Brian Hoyer, back for another stint under Belichick. Lewerke, a 6-foot-3, 216-pounder, threw for 3,079 yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2019. That came after a disappointing junior season, when he had 2.040 yards passing, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His sophomore year offered some promise when he threw for 2,793 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for another 559 and five scores. - Lansing State Journal

(DS#14 QB) rSr/2020

QB Brian Lewerke, Michigan State
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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04/20/20 - Brian Lewerke, rSr/2020, Michigan State, 6-2, 213 (DS#14 QB) + More +

Lewerke thinks he did well to answer some of the critics at the NFL Combine where he says he played well and "killed it" in the interviews. Still, as the draft nears, there are questions. Some are legitimate, others are odd. More than one analyst has questioned his athleticism, a bit strange considering Lewerke ran for 1,255 yards in his career. "I don't really get that either," Lewerke said. "Maybe people just base it off my 40 times out of the combine where I didn't run very well, and they see 4.95 and say, 'This guy must not be fast.' But I had 1,000 yards rushing and I was pulling away from guys on long touchdown runs. So if you watch the film, you'll definitely see that I'm an athletic dude. That's definitely something I hope to bring to the table for a team."

In the meantime, Lewerke is back home with his parents in Phoenix. Things aren't as strict as they are in Michigan and he's been able to continue throwing with receivers while doing his best to come up with weights for workouts around the house. He's also keeping in contact with a handful of NFL teams through Zoom meetings, Facetime or traditional phone calls. He hopes one of those teams pulls the trigger and drafts him, though he isn't making any predictions. "I don't know. I really have no idea," Lewerke said. "That's kind of what my agent was saying, is that when he talks to teams, there's teams that really like me or a team that doesn't even want to look at me at all. So it's kind of in between, depending on what team you talk to, but it is a little weird not knowing really at all where I'm gonna go." - Detroit News

(DS#14 QB) rSr/2020

QB Brian Lewerke, Michigan State
News Source: Detroit News
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04/19/20 - Ben VanSumeren, rSr/2023, Michigan State, 6-2, 231 (DS#19 OLB) + More +

Michigan football has a new member of its defense. Ben VanSumeren, who played the last two seasons at fullback, is now a linebacker for the Wolverines, he revealed over the weekend on social media. Asked by a fan on Twitter if he sees himself continuing as a fullback or moving to tight end in the offense, VanSumeren replied: "I am now a LB ;)" Michigan never released an updated roster this spring, so the move went unannounced by the coaching staff. It's unclear when the change occurred, or what precipitated it, but it's not entirely unexpected.

The 6-foot-2, 244-pound VanSumeren was recruited to Michigan in 2017 as an athlete after he played both sides of the ball at Garber High School in Essexville, where he was a three-star prospect. He amassed 1,053 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns, had 176 catches for 2,888 yards and 29 touchdowns, and had an impressive senior season at linebacker -- totaling 43 tackles (four for a loss) and a sack. VanSumeren played sparingly during his first two seasons at Michigan, appearing in nine games, four of which came exclusively on special teams, and saw no carries in 2018. Because he only played in four games that season, he recouped another season of eligibility, making him a redshirt sophomore in 2020. - Ann Arbor News

(DS#19 OLB) rSr/2023

OLB Ben VanSumeren, Michigan State
News Source: Ann Arbor News
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04/15/20 - Brian Allen, Sr/2018, Michigan State, 6-1, 298 (DS#7 C) + More +

A report late Wednesday night said former Michigan State center Brian Allen is the first NFL player to test positive for the coronavirus. Allen is a member of the Los Angeles Rams and first tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks ago, according to Fox Football Now. Fox Sports reporter Jay Glazer said Allen is still dealing with the loss of taste and smell, but the Hinsdale, Illinois, native expects to be cleared next Thursday by doctors. A spokesman for the Rams confirmed the diagnosis to USA TODAY Sports. Allen did not immediately return a message from the Free Press. He started the first nine games last season for the Rams before suffering a season-ending knee injury in November. His brother, current MSU senior center Matt Allen, said March 30 that Brian remained in Los Angeles to continue rehabbing that injury. Matt Allen said he and their oldest brother, former MSU center Jack Allen, were staying at their parents house in Illinois and working out together. - Lansing State Journal

(DS#7 C) Sr/2018

C Brian Allen, Michigan State
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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04/09/20 - Matt Dotson, rSr/2022, Michigan State, 6-5, 240 (DS#999 TE) + More +

Michigan State football tight ends coach Ted Gilmore should be able to teach his position group a few new tricks after serving as a wide receivers coach for 24 of his 25 years in the business. Since Josiah Price finished his career in 2016, the tight ends have seen a decrease in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Although Matt Seybert impressed with 284 yards and three touchdowns in 2019, he has exhausted his eligibility. "We're going to put a lot on those guys, not just in the pass game but the run game," Gilmore said Thursday in a teleconference. "It has to be a selfless group of men. I can't really speak to the room right now, because we haven't been able to do anything on the field."

Gilmore is unsure if Matt Dotson has fully recovered from his torn Achilles sustained in early November against Illinois but said he's an "important piece to the puzzle." He's looking forward to the progression of Trenton Gillison, who made four receptions for 88 yards in the Pinstripe Bowl. "I hope that left a taste in his mouth of wanting to pick up where he left off," Gilmore said. "My expectation with him is we don't have time to start all over. I talk to him about how body language reflects confidence. The minute we can start this thing, I expect him to hit the ground running and not take any steps back." - Lansing State Journal

(DS#999 TE) rSr/2022

TE Matt Dotson, Michigan State
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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03/25/20 - Connor Heyward, rSr/2022, Michigan State, 5-11, 237 (DS#2 FB) + More +

Jay Johnson is still getting to know Michigan State football's offensive personnel. However, he knows where he wants one player - Connor Heyward - to be . Johnson, the offensive coordinator under new coach Mel Tucker, said he expects Heyward to return to the Spartans as a running back. Heyward played in four games last season before entering the NCAA transfer portal, then withdrew his name and announced he would return to MSU for his final two years of eligibility. "Right now my intent is Connor to be a running back unless it would tell me different at a later date," Johnson said on a conference call Wednesday. "But certainly going into this, we're glad that he's back and I anticipate him being a running back."

The 6-foot, 233-pound son of former NFL running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward opened the season as the Spartans' No. 1 running back and had 79 rushing yards on 24 carries and seven catches for 52 yards and a TD in his four games in 2019. As a sophomore in 2018, Heyward started eight games and led the Spartans with 529 yards and five rushing TDs on 118 carries. Because he played only four games in 2019 and still had a redshirt season available, he will be a junior in 2020. - Lansing State Journal

(DS#2 FB) rSr/2022

FB Connor Heyward, Michigan State
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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03/17/20 - Matt Seybert, rSr/2020, Michigan State, 6-4, 252 (DS#42 TE) + More +

When news started to trickle out last week that schools were canceling their pro days, Seybert even made a plea on Twitter, saying he'd go through drills in a hazmat suit. The frustration was clear, and it was understandable coming from Seybert. He didn't get an invite to the NFL Combine like seven of his teammates did, and after suffering an MCL sprain in preparation for the Pinstripe Bowl in late December, he was unable to play in any of the all-star games to help put on a show for the scouts. So pro day was Seybert's big day, one he was looking forward to after watching many of the workouts from the Combine on television. "Having to sit at home, watching the tight ends going through the combine knowing that...I personally believe that I should have been there with a chip on my shoulder. Just like thinking to myself that some of the guys in the combine had less receptions and stuff like that than me, and so it just naturally created a chip on my shoulder. So, I was looking forward to turning some heads on this pro day and for it to be canceled was really frustrating."

Seybert is used to taking the road less traveled, so finding another way to impress scouts might work out OK for the Traverse City native. After redshirting his first season at Buffalo, Seybert decided he wanted to pursue his dream of playing at Michigan State, transferring in as a walk-on. He sat out 2016 after the transfer and appeared in only eight games over the next two seasons, primarily on special teams. - Detroit News

(DS#42 TE) rSr/2020

TE Matt Seybert, Michigan State
News Source: Detroit News
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