Program field guide · 2026

Big Ten · Michigan

Michigan State

Spartans

Michigan State’s Michigan-developed core fell from 42 to 32 players.

2026 roster · Roster geography

In 2016, 42 of 107 roster spots were filled by Michigan players with no earlier college team detected. On the 2026 roster, 32 of 111 fit the same definition. Detected transfers went from 2 to 30.

In 2016 the median player grew up 171 mi from campus. Now it is 412 mi.

Of the 30 players who came from another college, 2 are from Michigan. Those home-state players make up 7% of detected-transfer stock on this roster.

Then → now

2016–18 compared with 2021–25

2016–182021–2541.3%35.1%2.3%20.8%
  • Local-developed core
  • Transfer stock
Measure2016–182021–25
Local-developed core41.3%35.1%
Transfer stock2.3%20.8%

The roster, at a glance

  • 619 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 109 located players.
  • 30.6%In-state30.6% of the roster is from Michigan.
  • 30.3%Backyard30.3% grew up within 100 miles of campus.
  • 27.0%Detected transfers27.0% of the roster arrived after playing at another school.

Across the FBS

Where Michigan State ranks

Most In-State#6630.6%Most Transfers#5327.0%Closest to Home#101619 miFarthest From Home#38619 miBiggest Localism Shift#6330.6%Most Backyard Players#2930.3%Fewest Transfers#8627.0%Biggest Transfer Shift#4927.0%

Homecoming Radius over time

The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.

0100200300400FBS median (250 mi)200920122016201920232026

Roster composition over time

Where the in-state lens draws the line: local-developed, local transfer, outsider developed, outsider transfer, and unknown. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.

Local-developedOutsider developedOutsider transfer200920122016201920232026

Where do Michigan State's players come from?

SeasonRosterIn-stateTransfer signalRadius
202611130.6%27.0%412 mi
202512037.5%27.5%433 mi
202411839.8%24.6%351 mi
202311740.2%21.4%348 mi
202211338.1%18.6%208 mi
202111638.8%12.1%191 mi
202012241.8%2.5%171 mi
201912047.5%3.3%151 mi
201810244.1%2.0%168 mi
201710144.6%3.0%166 mi
201610740.2%1.9%171 mi
201511034.9%1.8%188 mi
201411638.3%0.9%181 mi
201311143.2%0.9%170 mi
201211444.7%0.9%170 mi
201111151.4%1.8%127 mi
201010658.5%1.9%78 mi
200910654.3%2.8%93 mi

Where the roster grew up

Every 2026 player's hometown, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.

Michigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometownMichigan State player hometown

Homecoming Radius: 412 mi

(This slider is for exploring — leaderboards use the fixed lenses.)

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