Players from Michigan with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 39% of roster spots in 2016 and 29% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 42 of 107 roster spots were filled by Michigan players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 32 of 111 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 2 to 30.
The median hometown distance moved from 171 mi in 2016 to 412 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 41.3% | 35.1% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 2.3% | 20.8% |
The 2026 roster
- 619 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 109 located players.
- 30.6%In-state30.6% of players with a known home state are from Michigan.
- 30.3%Backyard30.3% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 27.0%Previously rostered elsewhere27.0% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Michigan State ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Michigan State's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 111 | 30.6% | 27.0% | 412 mi |
| 2025 | 120 | 37.5% | 27.5% | 433 mi |
| 2024 | 118 | 39.8% | 24.6% | 351 mi |
| 2023 | 117 | 40.2% | 21.4% | 348 mi |
| 2022 | 113 | 38.1% | 18.6% | 208 mi |
| 2021 | 116 | 38.8% | 12.1% | 191 mi |
| 2020 | 122 | 41.8% | 2.5% | 171 mi |
| 2019 | 120 | 47.5% | 3.3% | 151 mi |
| 2018 | 102 | 44.1% | 2.0% | 168 mi |
| 2017 | 101 | 44.6% | 3.0% | 166 mi |
| 2016 | 107 | 40.2% | 1.9% | 171 mi |
| 2015 | 110 | 34.9% | 1.8% | 188 mi |
| 2014 | 116 | 38.3% | 0.9% | 181 mi |
| 2013 | 111 | 43.2% | 0.9% | 170 mi |
| 2012 | 114 | 44.7% | 0.9% | 170 mi |
| 2011 | 111 | 51.4% | 1.8% | 127 mi |
| 2010 | 106 | 58.5% | 1.9% | 78 mi |
| 2009 | 106 | 54.3% | 2.8% | 93 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 412 mi