Michigan State football: The 10 most valuable players from past decade

The past 10 years of Michigan State football have been full of incredible success and face-palming failure. There have been major bowl wins and an appearance in the College Football Playoff, but there have also been subpar seasons — namely 3-9 in 2016 — and radical change within the coaching staff.

Mark Dantonio vaulted Michigan State to national status. Mel Tucker, the only MSU coach to win his first 2 against Michigan, has the college football world buzzing due to his success on the recruiting trail. Players who would ordinarily choose another school have now made the Spartans a top priority. Recruiting has surged under Tucker, who has the No. 18-ranked 2023 class, which packs a trio of 4-stars from Texas — a state in which MSU didn’t typically hit too hard in the past because it couldn’t compete with the big dogs who routinely snag top talent from the high school football mecca.

It’s time to reflect on who has done what for the Spartans during the past decade.

Maybe they were stars during their entire career. Or maybe they made a program-defining play in a major bowl game. Or maybe they just came around at just the right time.