Tag: Michigan State Football

Former Michigan State WR Bennie Fowler to sign with the New Orleans Saints

Former Michigan State wide receiver Bennie Fowler will reportedly sign with the New Orleans Saints.

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In terms of former Michigan State Football players who are currently playing in the NFL, I think, for whatever reason, that Bennie Fowler gets slept on a little bit. He hasn’t set the league on fire, but he has proven to be a reliable wide receiver and he has parlayed that into a nice career, and it looks like that career will continue moving forward. On Thursday, it was reported that Bennie Fowler will be signing with the New Orleans Saints.

This was first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Fowler last played for the New York Giants and was released back in November. He has played six seasons in the NFL, 4 with the Denver Broncos and then 2 with the Giants, and has accumulated 1,090 yards and 6 touchdowns over his career. Fowler gets the chance to play with former Purdue Boilermaker Drew Brees.

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Report: Former Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard agrees to terms with the Atlanta Falcons

Dennard will sign with his hometown Falcons after his initial free agency deal with Jacksonville fell through in March.

After his initial free agency deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars fell through, it appears as though former Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard has found his next NFL home.

Dennard, recently named to the Big Ten All-Decade team, has agreed to terms with the Atlanta Falcons according to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero.

Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed. Dennard’s agreement with Jacksonville was for three-years and $13.5 million with $6 million guaranteed.

It was reported Thursday afternoon that Dennard, who was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, was in Atlanta visiting the Falcons. If the deal is finalized and signed it will be a homecoming of sorts for Dennard, who was born and raised in rural Georgia.

Dennard played from 2010-2013 at Michigan State, winning two Big Ten Championships and a Rose Bowl Championship. He won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and was a unanimous All-American in 2013. He was named to the All-Big Ten first team in 2012 & 2013 while winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

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NCAA to allow athletes to wear commemorative and memorial patches on uniforms

Athletes can display messages of support for social justice causes on their uniforms.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has voted to allow student-athletes in all sports to wear patches on their uniforms for commemorative and memorial purposes, as well as to support social justice issues.

Currently commemorative patches are banned in a number of NCAA sports, while others don’t address the issue in their rule books.

The move comes as a number of professional sports leagues in America have allowed athletes to wear special messages on their uniforms to honor the current social justice movement in the country.

The following is from a release from the NCAA regarding patch placement, subject, and size:

“Panel members, who met by videoconference last week, reaffirmed and expanded existing rules, which will now allow student-athletes two places on the uniform, one on the front and one on the back, to express support and voice their opinions.

“The patch on the front, which most sports already allowed, as authorized by the school or conference, may be a commemorative/memorial patch (names, mascots, nicknames, logos and marks) intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes.

“The patch must not exceed 2¼ square inches and must be placed on the front or sleeve of the uniform. While not all team members are required to wear the patch, they must be identical for those who choose to wear them.

“The second location is on the back of the uniform where the player name is traditionally located and, as authorized by the school or conference, will allow names/words intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes. The names or words may vary by team member.”

Elsewhere with the Playing Rules Oversight Panel, the sideline box in football has been extended from between the 25-yard lines to between the 15-yard lines to help with social distancing. Also, coin tosses will be restricted to two officials and one captain from each team.

In soccer a player ejected for spitting on an opponent will be suspended for two games, up from one game and in volleyball the teams will no longer switch benches.

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Former Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins ranked No. 58 on NFL’s Top 100

Minnesota Vikings QB and former Spartan Kirk Cousins has been ranked No. 58 in the NFL’s Top 100 rankings.

After a season in which he helped lead his team to the Divisional Playoffs, Kirk Cousins is finally starting to get his due as a strong starting quarterback in the league. For the past week, the NFL has been releasing their divisive NFL Top 100 player rankings, and on Monday night they announced that Kirk Cousins was their No. 58 ranked player in the NFL.

Cousins threw for 26 touchdowns while only throwing 6 interceptions in the 2019-20 season and helped the 10-6 Vikings defeat the New Orleans Saints in the NFC’s Wild Card round. Cousins was also named a Pro Bowl alternate for his efforts.

Cousins was ranked No. 78 in last year’s NFL Top 100 so this is a major jump up the rankings for the former Michigan State quarterback.

 

A roundup of Spartans in the NFL as training camps get started

All of the Spartans currently on NFL rosters as training camp gets going.

With the exception of a couple of teams and players, the majority of the NFL world will be reporting to training camp this week.

There are a number of former Michigan State Spartans on NFL rosters as things get going; some undrafted rookies looking to make a roster and some established, and high-paid, veterans.

Just for a refresher, here are all of the former MSU players currently on NFL rosters.

Brian Allen, C, LA Rams

Joe Bachie, LB, New Orleans Saints

Le’Veon Bell, RB, NY Jets

Shilique Calhoun, OLB, New England Patriots

Jack Conklin, OT, Cleveland Browns

-Conklin signed a three-year $42 million deal with Cleveland this offseason.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Andrew Dowell, LB, New Orleans Saints

William Gholston, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Joel Heath, DT, Denver Broncos

Tyler Higby, OG, Minnesota Vikings

Brian Hoyer, QB, New England Patriots

-Hoyer returned to New England as a backup quarterback this offseason

Justin Layne, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Panasiuk, DT, Las Vegas Raiders

Josiah Scott, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Matt Sokol, TE, Detroit Lions

Darrell Stewart Jr., WR, Green Bay Packers

Trae Waynes, CB, Cincinnati Bengals

-Waynes agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal with Cincinnati, but has yet to officially sign due to COVID-19 limiting the ability for the Bengals to perform a physical on him.

Kenny Willekes, DE, Minnesota Vikings

Raequan Williams, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

Khari Willis, S, Indianapolis Colts

NOTE: Cody White and Brian Lewerke were released Sunday, July 26. Darqueze Dennard is a free agent after his offseason contract was rescinded due to a failed physical.

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Former Michigan State receiver Cody White waived by Kansas City

White is the second Spartan rookie to be waived this offseason.

Cody White’s stay in Kansas City didn’t last long.

Shortly after rookies reported for camp, the former MSU receiver was waived by the reigning Super Bowl champions with a non-football injury designation. White was signed by the Chiefs after going un-drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft. He is the second former Spartan receiver cut by the Chiefs this offseason, with Felton Davis III being the other. Former MSU quarterback Brian Lewerke was waived by the New England Patriots Sunday night as well.

White left MSU after compiling 1,967 receiving yards and 12 TDs across three seasons.

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Former Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke released by the New England Patriots

Lewerke among nine releases the day before camps are set to begin.

With COVID-19 shrinking training camp rosters from 90 to 80 players, the 2020 NFL offseason is going to be especially cruel for un-drafted free agents.

Former Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke was among nine players released by the New England Patriots Sunday night. Rookies and quarterbacks are scheduled to report for the Patriots and most other NFL teams on Monday morning. New England also released the other un-drafted quarterback signed this offseason J’Mar Smith.

Lewerke was thought to have landed in a good spot in New England after not getting selected in the 2020 draft as the Patriots at the time only had two quarterbacks on the roster. However former NFL MVP Cam Newton signed with New England later in the offseason and that combined with the roster restrictions put the writing on the wall for Lewerke.

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4-star Oak Park OT Rayshaun Benny puts Michigan State Football in top-8

Oak Park, Michigan lineman Rayshaun Benny has put Michigan State in his top-8 for his recruitment.

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It looks like we have another Metro Detroit football recruiting battle brewing between Michigan State, Michigan, and Penn State. On Saturday, 4-star offensive tackle Rayshaun Benny out of Oak Park, Michigan released his top-8 for his recruitment and the Spartans made the cut.

Here is his full top-8:

  • Michigan State
  • Michigan
  • Penn State
  • Arkansas
  • Arizona State
  • LSU
  • Tennessee
  • Kentucky

Penn State has had a lot of recent success scooping up big-time prospects in the Detroit area, and Benny is one of the top prospects in the entire state of Michigan. 247Sports has him ranked as the No. 6 ranked recruiting prospect in the state and the No. 19 ranked offensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting class.

For those wondering, Benny is 6-foot-5.

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MSU Football offers 4-star CB Philip Riley, currently committed to Notre Dame

Michigan State has extended an offer to Philip Riley Jr., a 4-star CB currently committed to Notre Dame.

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Mel Tucker has no fear on the recruiting trail. The Michigan State Football head coach is already going after two players (Steffan Johnson, Albert Reese) who had previously committed to Rutgers, and it looks like he is now also targeting one of the top recruits in Notre Dame’s 2021 recruiting class in 4-star CB Philip Riley Jr.

Riley is the No. 13 ranked cornerback in the country by the 247Sports rankings and the No. 28 ranked player in Florida. He’s had offers from some huge players including Clemson, Texas, Iowa, Penn State, Oregon, Mississippi State and more, so it would be pretty surprising if Tucker can pull him away from Notre Dame amidst all of the other interested parties, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to throw your hat in the ring for a game-changing player.

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MSU Football offers 6’7″ OT Albert Reese who is currently committed to Rutgers

Michigan State Football has extended an offer to 3-star, 6’7″ OT Albert Reese who is currently committed to Rutgers.

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Well, well, well, it looks like we might have a mini Big Ten recruiting rivalry in the works. On the same weekend where we saw one Michigan State Football recruiting target in Steffan Johnson de-commit from Rutgers, seemingly to join up with his old teammate Charles Brantley on the Spartans, another Rutgers commit announced that he has received an offer from MSU as Albert Reese IV revealed his offer late Friday evening.

Reese fits Mel Tucker’s ideal recruit profile as he stands tall at 6’7″ and weighs just under 295 lbs. Reese is a 3-star offensive tackle and the No. 94 ranked offensive tackle by the 247Sports composite rankings. If Tucker can pull two prospects away from Rutgers, we might have a fun little inter-conference rivalry on our hands.

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