It’s no secret that the loss of Keon Coleman was a big blow for MSU football fans. A guy that some believe will be going in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. It won’t be easy to replace him, but there are definitely options for Michigan State to consider.

Current MSU Football WRs

At the moment, Michigan State  have Tre Mosley as their WR1, and then the rest are all up for grabs. Montorie Foster Jr. is a senior who has gotten some solid playing time the last two seasons. In 2022, he had seven receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Foster was supposed to be competing for the WR3 spot, but obviously, with Coleman leaving, it will change.

The interesting names to watch out for are Tyrell Henry, Antonio Gates Jr., and Christian Fitzpatrick. Henry is a sophomore and someone that MSU is very high on. Cade McDonald and Henry both return kicks, and both are guys that are expect to do that and be returners. Gates is the son of the HOF TE and has a lot of potential as well. He’s a redshirt freshman, but he did show up at the spring kickoff for MSU with a touchdown to finish it off. Fitzpatrick is interesting because he’s dealt with a lot of injuries throughout his time but is 6-4, 218 and a transfer from Louisville. The redshirt junior has been with the team for two seasons and only has four catches, but there are rumblings of potential for him.

Replacing Keon Coleman in the Transfer Portal

This is the way Michigan State needs to go. There are more than a few options out there at WR, but here are some of the guys Michigan State could have a good chance at. Jahdae Walker is a transfer from GVSU and would be a junior this season. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver isn’t Keon Coleman, but he has the same height and could make a splash if MSU lands him. Colorado, Texas A&M, Illinois, and 10 others have offered him as well. Walker had 30 receptions for 636 yards and four TDs last season, showing the ability to go up and make some great catches. His highlights are below and are very impressive.

Tyler Harrell

The other guy is Tyler Harrell, who is a redshirt senior transfer from Alabama and started off at Louisville. Harrell is a burner in the slot with speed that hasn’t been at MSU in a very long time. There are reports that he’s run a 4.2 40-yard dash before and could be dangerous to have. Harrell was at Bama last season but didn’t play much with an injury. Before that, he was at Louisville from 2018–2021, where he had 20 catches in 17 games for 559 yards and six scores.

Keon Coleman’s Replacement Summary

There’s still talent on this roster, but it’s not the same as 2021, with Jalen Nailor, Jayden Reed, Keon Coleman, and Tre Mosley all in the same group. The best-case scenario would to get both Walker and Harrell from the portal to replace Coleman, but what likely happens is that they only get Harrell. We’ll have to see how it plays out, but it could be very interesting to watch in the upcoming weeks how Mel Tucker and company address it.

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