Spring practice in 2016 is all but over for the MSU football team. At the beginning of the spring, there were holes on the team the Spartans were looking to fill. For the team, wide receiver was one position they seemed to lose a lot of production.
The Spartans graduated seniors Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings Jr. from the offense following 2015. Both were a huge part of the offense, combining for 125 receptions and 1,777 receiving yards in the fall.
Burbridge was arguably one of the most talented receivers in the Big Ten in 2015. He was named to the first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media and won the 2015 Richter-Howard Big Ten Receiver of the Year award. He also led the conference in receptions and receiving yards, playing a pivotal role in the Spartan offense.
Kings played an integral part in the Spartan’s offensive system as well. He was third on the team in receptions with 40 and second in receiving yards with 519. With both players leaving, they put the Spartans in the unenviable task of replacing them.
However, the Spartans are not completely barren of returning talent to their receiving core. Senior wide receiver R.J. Shelton will be back with the team. Shelton had a solid junior campaign in 2015, ranking second on the team in receptions with 43 and third in receiving yards with 503.
Through the years, head coach Mark Dantonio said he has liked what he has seen out of Shelton. Shelton played his true freshman year and is now in his last year of eligibility as a senior.
“(Shelton) is in his fourth year, he’s played since his freshman year,” Dantonio said. “He’s been pretty much a factor in every game we’ve played since then. In terms of leadership, I think that’s sort of thrust upon him and he’s done a great job with that. He’ll take the next step.”
Being a senior, Shelton has also seen his leadership roles increase, teaching some of the younger guys on this team. Sophomore Felton Davis III was a true freshman last season and said Shelton has helped shape him into the player he is today.
“R.J. lifts me,” Davis said. “I used to get down on myself real quick, but R.J. keeps me up. He’s being like a big brother so he keeps me up, helps me make plays.”
Shelton is not the only receiver the Spartans will rely on this upcoming fall, though. Redshirt-freshman Darrell Stewart Jr. is listed atop the depth chart at slot receiver. Opposite of Shelton on the outside is Davis, now a sophomore.
Being a true freshman in 2015, Davis played in seven games including the Big Ten championship and the College Football Playoff. Davis said the experience playing last year has helped him grow as a player.
“It gave me a lot of confidence going into this season,” Davis said. “Knowing that I can play at this level, with the speed and strength that these guys possess, I’m not that very far off. Now it’s just time to step up and show what I have.”
While Davis just wrapped up his first season, there’s an even younger standout receiver who has made some noise. True freshman Donnie Corley is someone who has received a lot of praise throughout spring practice. Dantonio was not hesitant describing the freshman’s talent.
“(Corley) is an outstanding athlete,” Dantonio said. “He’s a doer, he’s very motivated. He’s not afraid to put his foot in there, step into that ring and play at a high level. That’s what you see out of a great athlete who’s extremely confident.”
Senior quarterback Tyler O’Connor, too, has been extremely impressed by what he has seen out of Corley thus far.
“I think everybody would be impressed with Donnie Corley, I really do,” O’Connor said. “He’s just fluent when he gets the ball. You can throw a ball up to him and the way he snatches it just looks like he’s been doing it obviously his whole life. It’s very impressive to see a high school senior doing what he’s done this spring.”
While he’s been gathering a lot of hype during the past few weeks, Corley said that he’s learned a lot from the players that have been there longer.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Corley said. “Different releases, different routes, different ways to run routes. Stuff like that, where to line up. They teach me a lot of stuff so they help me out.”
Overall, the Spartans undeniably have plenty of bodies at the wide receiver position. How they will produce though remains to be seen. Luckily, MSU has veteran tight ends to take some of the load off the wide receivers. But with the quarterback battle still up in the air, the Spartans have plenty of questions.
MSU fans will be able to catch their first glimpse of the Spartans April 23. The annual Green and White scrimmage game will kickoff at 3 p.m. and be held at Spartan Stadium.
