Michigan State Football 2025 Positional Preview: Offensive Line
Football is a game that is often won or lost in the trenches. Skill players such as quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are often the ones who make the highlight reels. But substandard blocking from the offensive line in front of them can undercut the ability of the offense to shine and can hamper the ability of a team to win games.
In 2024, the Michigan State Spartans‘ offensive line struggled with both injuries and inconsistency. As a result, the ground attack racked up just 90 yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry, making it the least potent rushing attack in modern Spartan history. The pass protection also had issues throughout the season.
MSU head Coach Jonathan Smith wants to assemble a team built on toughness that thrives in part due to a strong run games. The Spartans must also find a way to protect quarterback Aidan Chiles better. In their second campaign in East Lansing, Smith and offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jim Michalczik look for improved play and depth along the front line in the fall of 2025.
Here is a breakdown of where things currently stand with the Michigan State offensive line for the upcoming season.
Note: Michalczik was adamant throughout the spring that there is not yet an established depth chart. The following starters and depth charts named below are projections.
Left Tackle
Projected Starter: No. 56 Stanton Ramil (redshirt sophomore)
Projected Depth Chart:
- No. 73 Rustin Young (redshirt freshman)
- No. 63 Payton Stewart (redshirt freshman)
- No. 79 Mercer Luniewski (redshirt freshman)
Staton Ramil (listed at 6-foot-7 and 302 pounds this spring) was pressed into action in 2024 when veteran left tackle Brandon Baldwin was forced to move inside due to a string of injuries at the guard position in the month of September. Ramil started in eight of the final nine game and played over 600 snaps, gaining valuable experience in the process.
The Alabama native enters the 2025 season as the Spartans’ second-most experienced returning offensive lineman as well as the player in the room who was the highest-rated prospect in high school (four-star recruit with an On3 rating of 91.82). According to Pro Football Focus, Ramil recorded a pass-blocking grade of 58.7 and a run-blocking grade of 55.4 in 2024. The MSU coaches are expecting a jump from Ramil this year based on that combination of raw talent and experience.
Ramil also appears to be emerging as a team leader. He will represent the Spartans at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas later this month, along with wide receiver Nick Marsh and linebacker Jordan Hall.
There is a lack of proven depth behind Ramil, however, as the current projected depth chart features three redshirt freshmen in Rustin Young (6-foot-4, 296 pounds), Payton Stewart (6-foot-6, 298 pounds) and Mercer Luniewski 6-foot-6, 309 pounds).
Young was the only player in that group to see the field in 2024, having logged just 19 snaps against Ohio State in the fifth game of the season. As the only other four-star prospect (On3 rating of 90.4) on the offensive line, the Hawaiian native has the potential to earn a rotational role and provide quality depth.
Left Guard
Projected Starter: No. 60 Luka Vincic (redshirt junior transfer from Oregon State)
Projected Depth Chart:
- No. 72 Caleb Carter (redshirt senior transfer from Western Carolina)
- No. 63 Andrew Dennis (redshirt freshman)
Oregon State transfer and Washington native Luka Vincic has experience playing for Smith and Michalczik during their time together in Corvallis. Vinic played in 10 games for the Beavers in 2024 and started two games at center, but he has played only 356 snaps total in his college career. Still, after enrolling in January and going through spring practices with the Spartans, Vincic has a strong chance of starting with the Spartans in 2025.
While Vincic is new to East Lansing, he is an experienced college football player and already familiar with the offensive system under Smith, offensive coordinator Brain Lindgren and Michalczik. In 2024, Pro Football Focus gave Vincic a run-blocking grade of 64.4 and a pass-blocking grade of 61.6.
The Spartans also added graduate transfer Caleb Carter (redshirt senior, 6-foot-3, 310 pounds) from Western Carolina in the offseason. Carter is viewed as a versatile and experienced lineman who started all 11 games for the Catamounts and who has taken snaps at all five positions on the offensive line over his career.
Carter has played over 1,200 snaps over his 35-game career so far. He has the potential to challenge for a starting guard position and will likely be a key member of the offensive line rotation.
Redshirt freshman Andrew Dennis (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) may also see rotational action in 2025 and will provide depth at the position. Dennis played in two games as a true freshman in 2024 to preserve his redshirt. Dennis transferred to MSU ahead of the 2024 fall season after spending the spring with Illinois that year.
It is also possible that redshirt junior Kristian Phillips (who missed the majority of the 2024 season and all of spring ball with an injury) or redshirt junior Gavin Broscious start at or play the left guard position as well. More on Phillips and Broscious in the right guard section below.
Center
Projected Starter: No. 51 Matt Gulbin (graduate transfer from Wake Forest)
Projected Depth Chart:
- No. 54 Cooper Terpstra (redshirt freshman)
- No. 56 Cole Dellinger (redshirt sophomore)
In 2024, the Michigan State offensive line was anchored by Oregon State graduate transfer Tanner Miller at the center position. Miller started in all 12 games for the Spartans and according the Pro Football Focus was the highest graded offensive lineman on the team (72.3 overall).
With Miller out of eligibility, Smith and Michalczik brought in yet another Power Four conference transfer in the form of Wake Forest alumnus and Connecticut native Matt Gulbin (6-foot-4, 317 pounds). He has appeared in 40 games total, started in 22 total games, and took 1,579 snaps as a Demon Deacon. Gulbin was also selected as an honorable mention member of the All-ACC Team following the 2024 season.
Gulbin mostly played at the guard position at Wake Forest, but he is projected to be the starting center this coming fall in East Lansing. He started 11 games at left guard and one at center for the Demon Deacons in 2024. He also started 11 games at right guard in 2023.
Another player who could see action at center is redshirt sophomore Cooper Terpstra (6-foot-4, 312 pounds) from Holland, Michigan. He saw limited playing in 2024 (just 36 offensive snaps), but did appear in a total of 10 games. Terpstra has the flexibility to play guard as well, but will most likely primarily be used as a backup center.
Redshirt sophomore Cole Dellinger (6-foot-4, 294 pounds) is expected to provide depth at the center position, but it is certainly possibly he could carve out a larger role than that, if he stays healthy. Injuries have plagued Dellinger’s career as a Spartan thus far, so MSU fans and pundits alike will have to wait until the fall and see what he can provide on the field.
Redshirt freshman Rakeem Johnson is a versatile offensive lineman who could also see time at the center spot. More on Johnson below.
Right Guard
Projected Starter: No. 71 Kristian Phillips (redshirt junior) OR No. 74 Gavin Broscious (redshirt junior)
Projected Depth Chart:
- Phillips or Broscious (whichever one does not start)
- No. 55 Rakeem Johnson (redshirt freshman)
Kristian Phillips (6-foot-4, 319 pounds) emerged from fall camp in 2024 as the new starting right guard and played all 64 snaps in the first game of the season against Florida Atlantic. A Georgia native, known as “Big Dooley,” Phillips then suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice and did not see the field again.
Gavin Broscious (6-4, 307 pounds) was promoted to the starting lineup at the right guard position for the Week Two contest at Maryland due to the injury to Phillips. Over the next two games, Broscious split time at the position with backup center Dallas Fincher, who departed as a grad transfer last December and transfered to San Diego State. But, the Arizona-native, Broscious, suffered a season-ending leg injury in the third quarter of the Week Three contest with Prairie View A&M after just 65 total snaps.
The loss of both Phillips and Broscious set off a chain reaction of position shuffling on the line, which was a major source in inconsistency for the unit for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Broscious seems to be the most likely candidate to return to his natural position of left guard following the graduation of Luke Newman. The Holy Cross transfer started all 12 games last year for the Spartans before being selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
Both players hope to enter 2025 healthy, stay that way and provide experience and a lot of snaps for the Spartans. Broscious was available in the spring to go through practices and should be a full-go for camp. Meanwhile, Phillips was still recovering from his 2024 injury and missed spring ball. It is currently unclear what Phillips’ status is for fall camp, but if he is available, expect him to battle with Broscious and Vincic for a staring guard spot. Regardless, all three of those players should earn plenty of reps, if they stay healthy.
Again, it is possible that Vincic plays on the right side as well.
The guard spots are the most difficult positions to predict which players will start for the Spartans this fall. Michalczik could even opt to use a four-man rotation at the two guard positions between Phillips, Vincic, Broscious and Carter. The competition is expected to last well into fall camp.
The next most likely player off the bench at guard is redshirt freshman Rakeem Johnson (6-foot-3, 287 pounds), however Johnson has the flexibility to play just about any position on the offensive line, and it would not be surprising to see him play center or tackle as well in 2025. An Idaho native, Johnson took a total of 104 snaps last year as a true freshman and even earned a start at left tackle against Ohio State. However, Johnson played in just four games total and was able preserve his redshirt.
Right Tackle
Projected Starter:
No. 58 Conner Moore (redshirt junior transfer from Montana State)
Project Depth Chart:
- No. 66 Ashton Lepo (redshirt junior)
- No. 75 Charlton Luniewski (redshirt freshman)
- No. 67 Hayden Lorius (redshirt freshman)
Grand Haven, Michigan native Ashton Lepo (6-foot-7, 308 pounds) started all 12 games and played 774 snaps last year at right tackle for the Spartans, making him the most experienced returning member of the offensive line. But the coaching staff dipped into the transfer portal in an effort to create depth and competition at the position. In this case, the staff brought in Conner Moore (6-foot-5, 309 pounds) from FCS national runner-up Montana State.
Moore played over 1,600 snaps and started 28 consecutive games during his tenure with the Bobcats. He was bestowed the honor of second-team Associated Press All-America at the FCS level last year. The Ohio native is projected to start for the Spartans this fall at right tackle, with Lepo expected to make a significant contribution off the bench as a heavy rotational player.
Additional depth at the either tackle spot will be provided by redshirt freshman Charlton Luniewski (6-foot-5, 300 pounds out of Cincinnati, Ohio), who saw six snaps at left tackle against Prairie View A&M in 2024. Redshirt freshman preferred walk-on Hayden Lorius (6-foot-4, 317 pounds) from Brighton, Michigan, who did not see action last year, will also provide depth at tackle or guard.
Other new additions to the offensive line position will come from the incoming class of true freshmen. This group includes early enrollee Justin Bell (6-foot-6, 307 pounds) from Dakota High School in Macomb, Michigan; Drew Nichols from Temecula, California; Antonio Johnson from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Michigan; and preferred walk-on Rashawn Rogers from Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids. It most likely that the true freshmen will redshirt in 2025, but it will be interesting to see if any of them are able to see game action.
Stay tuned to Spartans Illustrated all summer as the positional preview series continues. Other entries in the series can be found below: