The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone, and Michigan State Football had one player selected in fifth-year senior center Nick Samac (No. 228 overall, 7th Round, Balitimore Ravens). Several other Spartans will have opportunities at the next level as well, having signed as undrafted free agents or received invites to NFL minicamps across the league.
Looking ahead to next year’s draft, Michigan State has a chance to have more guys selected next spring. Here are the players most likely to hear their name called in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Tight End Jack Velling — Junior
After two excellent seasons at Oregon State, Velling feels like a shoe-in to get selected in next year’s draft after a season with the Spartans, if the junior tight end chooses to forgo his final season of college eligibility. In two seasons with the Beavers, Velling totaled 45 receptions for 719 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder is an excellent target in the pass game and has the size and strength to hold his own in run blocking as well.
Safety Malik Spencer — Junior
An underrated gem in the 2022 recruiting class, Spencer has turned heads in his first two seasons at Michigan State. One NFL insider suggested that the 6-foot-1, 206-pounder has the chance to play himself into the first round of next year’s draft with a strong junior campaign with the Spartans. After appearing in five games as a true freshman in 2022, Spencer had a breakout year in 2023, playing in all 12 games and making eight starts at safety for Michigan State. The native of Burford, Georgia recorded 72 tackles and six pass breakups on the year. Spencer is easily one of the best players on MSU’s roster.
Defensive Tackle Brandon Lane — Redshirt Sophomore
After the departure of 2023 starting defensive tackles Simeon Barrow and Derrick Harmon via the transfer portal, Michigan State will have plenty of snap opportunities on the interior of their defense. Fortunately, head coach Jonathan Smith and his staff have already addressed that need by grabbing a pair of DTs out of the portal themselves.
One of those guys is Stephen F. Austin transfer Brandon Lane, who has had a meteoric rise in his collegiate career. After two seasons with the Jackrabbits, Lane was a hot commodity in the portal this offseason, ultimately choosing East Lansing as his new home. The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder has the size that NFL scouts are looking for, and the production to compliment that size after recording 55 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, last season for Stephen F. Austin. If Lane approaches those numbers in a hard-nosed, line of scrimmage-focused conference like the Big Ten, he’ll draw a ton of professional interest next spring.
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