15 Michigan State players named to East-West Shrine Bowl 1000

Fifteen Michigan State players were included in this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl 1000, which was announced on Monday morning.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is an annual college football all-star game showcasing some of the best NFL Draft prospects. Each year, the event and its staff release a preseason list of the top 1000 draft eligible college football players. The players included in the list are eligible to play in the yearly all-star game and are considered the top 2024 NFL Draft prospects.

“Putting together this list was extremely challenging for our team, as we scouted players from all four levels of football and consulted with NFL and college personnel to ensure the selection of the best 1000 players for the NFL level,” the East-Shrine Bowl’s press release stated.

The list included four Spartan linebackers, headlined by redshirt-junior Cal Haladay (6-1, 230) and redshirt-senior Jacoby Windmon (6-2, 250). Redshirt-junior Darius Snow (6-1, 230) and sixth-year linebacker Aaron Brulé (6-2, 242) were also named to the event’s preseason watchlist.

Haladay finished the 2023 season with 120 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two interceptions.

Windmon – who started the season at defensive end – saw his season shortened due to suspension. The New Orleans native tallied 49 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, one interception and six forced fumbles in eight games played.

Brulé saw the majority of his snaps as a pass-rush specialist, garnering 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks on the year.

Snow’s 2023 season was cut short after suffering a season-ending injury in the Spartans’ opener versus Western Michigan.

Three Michigan State defensive backs were also included in the list – senior safety Angelo Grose (5-10, 180), redshirt-senior nickel Chester Kimbrough and redshirt-senior cornerback Semar Melvin (6-0, 170).

Grose has started 25 games over the course of three seasons in the green and white. Swapping between cornerback, safety and nickel, Grose has tallied 159 career tackles, five tackles for loss and one interception.

Kimbrough saw his playing time diminish as the 2023 season went on. The former Florida transfer played in 10 games, finishing with 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception.

Melvin transferred to East Lansing this offseason after beginning his career at Wisconsin. He’s recorded 16 career tackles in 321 snaps while being limited by injury during his time with the Badgers.

Michigan State redshirt-junior defensive tackle Simeon Barrow, Jr. (6-3, 290) and redshirt-senior defensive tackle Jalen Sami (6-6, 303) were also among those listed on the defensive side of the ball.

Sami transferred to East Lansing from Colorado, were he spent five seasons. The transfer started 32 games for the Buffaloes and has recorded 78 career tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 2.5 sacks.

Barrow tallied 40 tackles and four sacks during his redshirt-sophomore campaign.

Michigan State’s offensive line trio of redshirt-senior guard J.D. Duplain (6-4, 300), redshirt-senior center Nick Samac (6-4, 300) and redshirt-senior tackle Spencer Brown (6-6, 315) also made the list.

Duplain has made 30-straight starts at left guard for the Spartans and earned an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2023.

Samac has played in 38 career games for the Spartans with 22 starts at center. Samac also earned an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection last season.

Brown earned his first start in the 2021 season finale against Pittsburgh. The Spartans beat the Panthers to win the 2021 Peach Bowl. Brown started all 12 games at right tackle during the 2023 season.

Redshirt-senior wide receiver Tre Mosley (6-2, 198), redshirt-junior tight end Maliq Carr (6-5, 255) and redshirt-junior running back Jalen Berger (6-1, 215) round out the Spartans who made the list.

Mosley and Carr are expected to to play a large role in the Spartans’ passing game this season. Mosley has 98 career receptions for 1,176 yards and eight touchdowns.

Carr – who joined the Spartan program after one year at Purdue – has hauled in 24 career receptions for 344 yards and two touchdowns.

Berger, like Carr, began his career elsewhere in the Big Ten. The former Wisconsin running back joined Michigan State prior to the 2022 season. He amassed 683 yards and six touchdowns on 148 carries during his first season with the Spartans.

Former Michigan State linebacker Ben VanSumeren and tight end Daniel Barker were named to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl. VanSumeren finished the game with seven tackles, one sack and one forced fumble.

The longest-running college football all-star game will take place in Frisco, Texas, on February 1, 2024. The event will be held at the Dallas Cowboys Facility and will air on the NFL Network.