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Michigan State undrafted free agent tracker: Wide receiver, linebacker land deals

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Michigan State undrafted free agent tracker: Wide receiver, linebacker land deals


The 2024 NFL draft is over and only one Michigan State player’s name was called in Detroit.

Fifth-year senior center Nick Samac was taken by the Baltimore Ravens with the eighth pick of the seventh round, No. 228 overall, on Saturday.

Samac was the lone Spartan invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and unable to participate in on-field drills while still recovering from a broken fibula sustained in a Nov. 18 win at Indiana.

The injury didn’t prevent Samac’s name being called on Saturday and meant Michigan State didn’t get shut out in the draft for the second time in three years. The Spartans’ streak of 80 straight drafts with at least one player selected ended in 2021 before they had seven players picked over the previous two drafts combined.

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Samac was the only Spartan drafted this year but there were nine others from last season’s roster who participated in the program’s pro day in March in offensive lineman J.D. Duplain, linebackers Aaron Brule and Jacoby Windmon, tight end Jaylan Franklin, running back Harold Joiner, defensive back Chester Kimbrough, wide receiver Tre Mosley, defensive tackle Jalen Sami and defensive end Brandon Wright.

They’ll be looking to sign as undrafted free agents and here’s a roundup of Michigan State players with a shot in the NFL:

Jacoby Windmon, LB

Team: Steelers

Windmon’s final season of college was cut even shorter than Samac’s. The linebacker who spent three seasons at UNLV and the last two at Michigan State suffered a pectoral injury in Week 3 that sidelined him for the rest of the fall. It was the second straight season that ended abruptly for Windmon, who was suspended for the final four games the year before due to his involvement in the tunnel incident at Michigan.

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After being a highly-productive player at UNLV, Windmon, 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, made an early splash at Michigan State. He became the first player in program history named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week three times in one year. Even though Windmon played only eight games in 2022, he led the nation with six forced fumbles and topped the Spartans with 10.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks.

By appearing in only three games last year, Windmon had an additional season of eligibility remaining. He entered the portal in December and declared for the draft less than a month later.

Tre Mosley, WR

Team: Bengals

As a Pontiac native, Mosley would have been thrilled to hear his name called on stage in Detroit but had to settle for the next-best route. He’s another productive veteran whose final season of college was cut short as he missed the final four games last year because of shoulder injuries.

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Mosley, 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, made 28 starts in 43 career games over five seasons for the Spartans. He finished with 126 catches for 1,464 yards and 10 touchdowns.

A former standout from West Bloomfield High School, Mosley cracked the lineup as a true freshman and was a reliable pass catcher who excelled while lining up alongside future NFL draft picks at receiver. The Spartans didn’t have one last year and he struggled with injuries in an ugly season all around for the team.



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Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal

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Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal


Announced on Tuesday evening, Michigan true freshman safety Jordan Young has entered the transfer portal.

A former four-star prospect from Monroe, North Carolina, Young flipped his commitment at the last moment from Clemson to Michigan in the 2025 class. He played in nine games this season for the Wolverines and had 15 tackles and three pass breakups, with all three pass breakups coming in the final four games of the season.

We wish Young the very best at his next college football program.



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Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection

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Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection


EAST LANSING – Michigan State was rolling to a win against USC when there was a stoppage in play with six minutes remaining in the second half on Monday night.

It had nothing to do with what was happening on the court at the Breslin Center.

Referee Jeffrey Anderson blew his whistle to eject a fan sitting a few rows off the floor. The individual booted happened to be Paul Davis, who starred at center for the Spartans from 2002-06.

“He kind of got after the official and he was 150 percent wrong,” Izzo said of Davis after the No. 12 Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) won 80-51 against the Trojans on Monday, “and for a guy like me to 150 percent agree with the official, it’s almost illegal.”

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Michigan State fans were upset about a foul call on the other end of the floor when Davis stood up and said something Anderson immediately objected to. That led to a hook.

Despite being tossed, Davis attempted to stay in his seat while taking a drink from an alcoholic beverage container. Anderson didn’t let it slide and provided an explanation to Izzo, who was less than thrilled and yelled across the court questioning what his former player was doing.

Davis finally stood up after being told to leave by associate athletic director Seth Kesler but took his time and brushed two hands against his chest. That prompted Izzo to scream, appearing to tell his former center to “get outta here.” Davis was walked up the stairs and watched the rest of the game from a concourse box.

“I love Paul Davis, I really do, he’s one of my favorite guys … but what he said he should never say anywhere in the world and that ticked me off,” Izzo said. “Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. You know what he’ll say, ‘I screwed up, coach, I’m sorry.’”

Former Los Angeles Clippers center Paul Davis (40).AP

Izzo claimed he was told what Davis said was nothing racial or sexual in nature but it was obviously enough to get the boot.

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“It was just the wrong thing to say,” Izzo said, “and I’ll leave it at that.”

Davis ranks 10th on Michigan State’s career scoring list with 1,718 points, was a second-round NBA pick by the Clippers and spent four years in the league. Izzo praised the work Davis does with current players but the Hall of Fame coach in his 31st season leading the Spartans has never been ejected from a game.

“He made a mistake but he’s been really good with our players too,” Izzo said of Davis. “In the summer he comes up and helps work a guy out or he’s just around. Jud Heathcote used to always tell me sooner or later the game makes fools of us all. Once in a while, the game makes fools of our fans and definitely it’s made a fool of me more than a couple times.”



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Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach

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Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach


Former Michigan running back and assistant coach Mike Hart is getting a promotion on Chris Creighton’s staff at Eastern Michigan.

The school announced Monday that Hart is being elevated to assistant head coach and will oversee the receivers in 2026. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher spent last season as an offensive analyst for the Eagles.

“Coach Hart is a winner,” Creighton said in a news release. “He has the ‘It’ factor. He selflessly helped us this year as an offensive analyst and made a positive impact. We know that he will be a major addition as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.”

Hart has 14 years of college coaching experience, including a three-year stint as Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. He served as interim head coach for one game during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.

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Under Hart, Michigan’s running backs thrived. Blake Corum rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2024. The Wolverines won the Big Ten all three years Hart was on staff, but they did not renew his contract after the 2023 campaign.

The 39-year-old began his coaching career at EMU in 2011 and also has had stints at Western Michigan (2014-15), Syracuse (2016) and Indiana (2017-2020).

As a player at Michigan, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist and finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy voting. Last season, EMU finished 4-8 but was No. 2 in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game.

“I am excited to be a part of Eastern Michigan football,” Hart said in a release. “Coach Creighton is one of the best leaders of men I have ever been around, and I look forward to learning and being a part of his program. EMU football and the Ypsilanti community have always held a special place in my heart, and I am excited to help the team reach our goals for the 2026 season.”



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