Junior quarterback Kirk Cousins looks to the pass during an open practice April 8 at Duffy Daugherty Building. Cousins, MSU’s incumbent quarterback, was picked No. 1 overall in MSU’s spring draft. The annual Spring Game will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
One day before football fans across the country situate themselves in front of televisions for the NFL Draft, the MSU football team conducted a draft of its own — albeit on a much smaller scale.
Not quite the three-day production that is the NFL Draft, MSU players and coaches gathered Wednesday afternoon at the Skandalaris Football Center to select the Green and White teams for the Spartans’ Spring Game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
Players were chosen by MSU’s seniors, who were equally divided between each team prior to the draft.
“I think it’s good for (the players) to empower them a little bit, see how they pick their teammates,” head coach Mark Dantonio said. “Interesting, though, sometimes you sort of wonder where people’s heads are.”
The Green team held the first pick in the draft and took junior quarterback Kirk Cousins.
In order to make sure positions are evenly filled, the teams were required to select players position-by-position. Abiding by that rule, the White team took freshman quarterback Andrew Maxwell with the second pick, putting MSU’s top two quarterbacks on opposite teams for Saturday’s scrimmage.
When the White team had its first opportunity to select a player at any position, it went with junior wide receiver Keshawn Martin.
Senior linebacker Greg Jones, a member of the White team, said he was pleasantly surprised his team had the chance to draft Martin.
“I think Keshawn was a little bit of a hot commodity,” Jones said.
“He’s so explosive, and he can do a lot, so I think Keshawn was a steal.”
Almost 20 picks after the White team was able to “steal” Martin, the Green team turned some heads and made what Dantonio called a “surprise pick.”
In a move that likely would not shock anyone, the White team made sophomore Larry Caper the first running back drafted. However, the surprise came when the Green team drafted freshman Le’Veon Bell before sophomore Edwin Baker, who shares the top spot on the depth chart with Caper.
“That’s not exactly how I would have picked them, but everybody’s got their way, I guess,” Dantonio said. “That’s why they get to choose.”
In spite of his coach’s doubt, senior safety Marcus Hyde said his Green team knew exactly what it was doing with the selection of Bell.
“He’s impressed a lot of people,” Hyde said. “He runs hard, and he knows what he is doing.”
The remainder of the draft finished smoothly without anymore surprises, and Dantonio, who spent the day playing the role of commissioner, allowed the teams to begin trade discussions following the draft’s conclusion.
Although Dantonio said the coaching staff might make some changes before Saturday’s game, the only move made by the players Wednesday was when the White team acquired freshman safety Jairus Jones in exchange for freshman linebacker Max Bullough.
After any further trade talks subsided and players were able to examine their rosters, members of both teams said they were satisfied with the outcome of the draft.
“I think we did pretty good,” Jones said of his White team. “They picked who they picked, and we picked who we picked. I’m pretty confident in whoever we get.”
Hyde, who said he expects the Green team to be especially strong on the defensive side of the ball because it is led by linebacker coach Mike Tressel, had similar feelings about his own team’s draft.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
“I think we did pretty well (Wednesday,)” Hyde said. “We had a little game plan, and we succeeded with what we needed to do.”
