Spartans Illustrated is continuing its Michigan State football 2024 positional previews with a look at the offensive line.
The trenches are one of the most important position groups in the game, and after some disappointing seasons for the Spartans the past couple of years, the offensive line will be key to laying the foundation for the Jonathan Smith era in East Lansing.
There are some big additions to the room heading into the 2024 campaign, including new offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jim Michalczik, who notably coached last year’s Oregon State offensive line to a Joe Moore Award (awarded annually to the best college football offensive line in the country) nomination.
One of the starters from that OSU unit, Tanner Miller, has made his way to East Lansing as well, and will likely be an anchor of the line t center this fall. Additionally, the Spartans have brought in Holy Cross transfer Luke Newman, and several true freshmen, including Illinois transfer Andrew Dennis. Michigan State also returns several offensive linemen from the 2023 roster.
Michigan State also saw several offensive linemen from the 2023 roster either move on to the professional ranks (Nick Samac, who was drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, and J.D. Duplain, who was recently drafted by the UFL's Michigan Panthers) or transferred out of the program (Spencer Brown, Geno VanDeMark, Ethan Boyd, Kevin Wigenton II and others).
Let’s take a look at the Spartans’ personnel along the offensive line in year one under Smith and Michalczik.
Returning Members
Brandon Baldwin (R-Sr.) started 10 games at left tackle and played 553 total snaps in 2023. He is certainly in the driver's seat to start at left tackle in 2024 as well, but he will still have to earn it. A Detroit native, Baldwin joined the Spartans in 2021 from Independence Community College. During the Minnesota game in 2023, he was the highest-graded offensive line starter, according to Pro Football Focus, logging a 79.8 pass block and 77.6 overall grade. While Baldwin still has plenty of room to improve, his experience and skill set should help out an offensive line dealing with depth issues at the position.
Ashton Lepo (R-So.) is another player who is penciled in to start at tackle for Michigan State in 2024, likely on the right side, but he has experience on the left side. Lepo played in all 12 games for the Spartans in 2023, and saw some quality reps during his limited action with 96 snaps left tackle. During the Indiana game last year, he recorded an 84.3 pass block grade from PFF. The size Lepo has at 6-foot-7 and 296 pounds immediately stabds out from a physical standpoint. He will have to continue to develop as the season progress, but the promise that Lepo showed in 2023 could carry over into this fall as he gets more experience under his belt.
Stanton Ramil (R-Fr.) could crack into the tackle rotation in 2024, if healthy. While in high school, Ramil was an Under Armour All-American, and was ranked as the No. 26 prospect in the state of Alabama. Ramil was an early enrollee for MSU in January of 2023 and went through spring practice, but unfortunately, Ramil suffered a significant injury that required surgery last August and he missed his entire true freshman season, slowing down his development, and using the year as a redshirt. It is unclear where Ramil stands in his recovery (he did not participate in the "Spring Showcase" event in April), but we'll get a clearer picture when fal lcamp begins next month. While the Spartans are thin at tackle, this could be an opportunity for Ramil to get some experience early in his Spartan career, if he is available.
Gavin Broscious (R-So.) missed all of 2023 with an injury and redshirted in 2022, but Broscious appears to be healthy entering 2024 and showed some promise in the "Spring "Showcase" to conclude spring ball. He had impressive accolades in high school, being named the Randall McDaniel Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2021. Broscious could be a big part of the offensive line in 2024. He will have the opportunity to compete for a starting spot at one of the guard positions, or earn a rotational role.
Kristian Phillips (R-So.) will look to make an impact along the interior of the offensive line. Phillips saw limited action in 2023, while playing in 11 games and recording 33 snaps at right guard. While he hasn’t cracked the rotation much in his time as a Spartan just yet, he will have a chance to do just that in 2024 as a starter or rotational player. The 6-foot-4 Phillips was listed at 347 pounds as a true freshman in 2022, but was listed at 315 pounds in the spring and should move better. Phillips was rated a three-star prospect and the No. 38-ranked prospect in the state of Georgia.
Jacob Merritt (R-So.) walked on for the Spartans in 2022, but could be working toward a bigger role in 2024. He had a strong spring that saw him taking reps with the first team and second team in the "Spring Showcase," a sign that he could soon see his first game snaps in a Spartan uniform this coming fall. Given the depth issues previously mentioned at tackle, the 6-foot-6, 286-pound Merritt certainly could crack the rotation and provide a boost for the unit, but will still have some developing to do.
Dallas Fincher (R-Sr.) will likely see a good amount of snaps on the interior of the offensive line in 2024 as the backup/rotational center behind Miller. Fincher played in nine games in 2023, including two starts at center against Central Michigan and Penn State. He also played in 11 games in 2022, but the majority of those appearances came on special teams, as he registered just 15 offensive snaps during that campaign. It will be interesting to see if Fincher lines up at guard at all in 2024, but Fincher’s experience will be a welcome asset to the offensive line in the fall.
Other returning members Cooper Terpstra (R-Fr.) and Cole Dellinger (R-Fr.), both redshirted in 2023. Terpstra walked on to the team last season and did not see game action. Delinger was a four-star prospect coming out of the 2023 class. He enrolled early in January of 2023 and went through spring ball that season. Dellinger missed the 2024 "Spring Showcase" event. If healthy, he will look to crack the rotation.
Newcomers
Tanner Miller (sixth-year senior) is in his final year of college eligibility. He followed Smith and Michalczik from Oregon State, announcing his decision to transfer to MSU in January and enrolling in East Lansing shortly after that. He then went through spring ball with the Spartans. Miller was named as a second-team All-American by ESPN, first-team All-Pac-12 selection by the Associated Press and second-team All-Pac-12 selection by the coaches. Miller started all 13 games last fall for the Beavers' offensive line nominated for the Joe Moore Award. He will almost certainly start at the center position in 2024 and be Samac’s successor.
Luke Newman (fifth-year senior) is another exciting transfer addition for the Spartans in 2024. He announced his committed to Michigan State in January, but didn't arrive to East Lansing until this summer. Newman, a Michigan native, will be taking a step up in competition level going from the FCS to the FBS, but he is expected to come in right away and compete for a starting spot, or at the very least, a heavy rotational role. Newman played exclusively at left tackle for Holy Cross in 2023, but sees himself playing as a guard at the FBS level. With that said, he can certainly play tackle for the Spartans if needed, especially given the lack of depth there. Newman had a decorated career with the Crusaders, earning FCS All-America Team honors in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Andrew Dennis (true freshman) has had an interesting journey. Dennis was a longtime Michigan State commit under previous MSU head coach Mel Tucker and offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic. Shortly after Tucker's firing, Dennis decommitted from the Spartans. He went on to sign with Illinois and enrolled early in Champaign, allowing him to go through spring practices with the Fighting Illini. However, he entered the portal on April 29 and committed to Michigan State on May 2. It may be tough for Dennis to see meaningful playing time as a true freshman, but he could work his way onto the field, and could be a strong contributor in the future.
Twin brothers and true freshmen Charlton Luniewski and Mercer Luniewski both enrolled at Michigan State in January and went through spring practices. They both committed under the previous coaching staff and stayed on with the Spartans once Smith and company took over. Like Dennis, they could potentially get some reps early in their careers, but it's unlikely they'll make huge impacts in their first year on campus. However, the Luniewskis could certainly be difference-makers in the years to come. Both were rated three-star prospects in high school and have unique athletic backgrounds that include playing several different sports such as basketball and cycling, and even participating in the circus.
Rustin Young (true freshman) ended up as a four-star tackle prospect coming out of high school. He was a previous Oregon State commit under Smith and Michalczik, whom the coaches were able to convince to follow them commit to Michigan State instead. After Smith and Michalczik left for East Lansing, Young was a priority in their late-season recruiting and for good reason. He ranked as the top recruit in his home state of Hawaii, was an Under Armour All-American and was named to the Polynesian Bowl All-Star Game. Again, it is hard for true freshmen offensive linemen to get on the field immediately, but Young has a bright future ahead of him in East Lansing.
Payton Stewart (true freshman) was another recruit who was previously committed to Oregon State under Smith and Michalczik before pledging to the Spartans shortly after the coaches arrived at Michigan State. Stewart was rated as a three-star recruit in the 2024 cycle. His senior season was his first playing exclusively on offensive line, so Stewart will need some time to develop and likely won't see a lot of game reps this season, but at 6-foot-7, 275 pounds, with plus athleticism and physicality, he has the traits you look for in an offensive lineman.
Rakeem Johnson (true freshman) was rated a three-star recruit in high school, and picked up a few accolades in his career, including Southern Idaho Conference Player of the year, as well as a first-team All-State selection. Johnson is another player who was previously committed to Oregon State before eventually switching his pledge to Michigan State. He is also a standout basketball player and track and field athlete. Johnson isn't the biggest offensive lineman recruit coming in, saying he was around 255 pounds or so at the time of his commitment to MSU, but his athleticism and ability to move are things that stand out. He may not see consistent playing time early on, but he is somebody to keep any eye on in the future.
Michigan State also adds two more true freshmen in Hayden Lorius and Kyler Brunan, both of whom are preferred walk-ons, along the offensive line in 2024.
Final Thoughts
While depth in some areas is a concern, especially at tackle, the offensive line as a whole looks to be a solid unit that could take a step forward from what’s been seen in previous years. Paired with an offensive line coach that has produced professional talent in Michalczik, it's not too much of a stretch to think that a healthy offensive line could lead to better results in 2024. With that said, a lot of questions remain about this unit, especially if injuries pile up.
There’s enough balance of returning veterans and experienced newcomers that could help MSU control the line of scrimmage and help set the Spartans up for success. But, fans will have to way another month-plus to see if the unit has improved at all as Michigan State opens the season on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic.
More 2024 football season preview content:
Full roster breakdown by the numbers
Breakout candidates on offense
Breaking down Michigan State's schedule
Bold predictions
Positional Preview: Quarterbacks
Positional Preview: Running backs
Positional Preview: Wide receivers
Positional Preview: Tight ends
Positional Preview: Interior defensive line
Positional Preview: Defensive ends and rush ends
Positional Preview: Linebackers
Positional Preview: Defensive backs
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