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Michigan State has provided the NFL with strong players, some of whom are part of the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State in 2022. Despite not boasting the most prestigious football program, with all six of their national championships coming before 1966, MSU continues to be a pipeline for talent to get to the NFL.
Not all of this talent is judged as elite upon entry into the league, which is the downfall of choosing Michigan State, but many have exceeded all expectations once in the league.
As of the start of the 2022 season, 19 Michigan State alumni are active in the NFL, leaving a short selection of players to be considered in the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State.
Below, we will rank this group of players, deducing the order of the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State.
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10. Connor Heyward, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bringing up the rear of 2022's top 10 NFL players from Michigan State list is rookie tight end Connor Heyward. While not one of the premier collegiate talents at tight end, Heyward has adapted to life in Pittsburgh and is already a serviceable backup.
In seven games, he has caught five of his six targets, all for a total of 67 yards, and is averaging 11.2 yards per target. These are promising numbers for a rookie who is yet to start, and he could get promoted by the Steelers sooner rather than later.
9. Naquan Jones, DT, Tennessee Titans
Naquan Jones was taken as a prospect with potential by the Tennessee Titans in 2021. They didn't expect him to be NFL-ready immediately but hoped he could turn into a serviceable backup on the defensive line.
Jones exceeded all expectations in 2021, starting five games and recording 2.5 sacks. However, he has found time on the field limited in 2022. He has two solo tackles in five games before Week 7, although he is playing away from his more familiar nose tackle role.
There is a lot of upside for Naquan Jones, and he has already shown an ability to make plays in the NFL.
8. Justin Layne, CB, New York Giants
Justin Layne was one of the best talents to come out of Michigan State when he was selected 83rd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. His career as a starter in Pittsburgh never really got off the ground, but he showed enough for the Giants to bring him in ahead of the 2022 season.
In 2022 he hasn't started a game for the Giants, but he has made one successful pass defense and three solo tackles on a winning team.
7. Brian Hoyer, QB, New England Patriots
If you were making a list of the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State from any era, then Brian Hoyer would be on it. Hoyer is one of the most respected professionals in the NFL, having served as a reliable backup quarterback for multiple franchises.
Most of Hoyer's work has come across three spells with the New England Patriots, although he has only been a legitimate starter in two of his 14 NFL seasons. In 76 NFL games, Hoyer has thrown for 10,668 and 53 touchdowns. He also boasts a win record of 42-34, which is above .500.
6. Josiah Scott, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Jacksonville selected Josiah Scott in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, but he lasted just one season. Since signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, Scott has become an important role player in the secondary.
In 2021, he registered one sack and eight solo tackles, with his performances impressing enough for the Eagles to consider him a rotation starter in 2022. Having started two of the Eagles' six games to this point, the former MSU defender has five solo tackles and one successful pass defense.
Scott will need to improve to start regularly in the NFL, but there is talent to work with.
5. Brian Allen, C, Los Angeles Rams
Brian Allen had to work hard to earn his place on the Los Angeles Rams roster, but he marks the halfway point on the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State in 2022.
After failing to start a single game as a rookie with the Rams, Allen impressed and became the starting center for Los Angeles in 2019. However, his best year would come in 2021, both from an individual and team perspective.
He started 16 games at center and allowed only 2.5 sacks as the Rams won the Super Bowl.
His 2022 campaign stalled with a Week 1 knee injury, but upon his return, he will be a starter on the O-Line again.
4. William Gholston, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
William Gholston has enjoyed a tremendous NFL career, spending 10 years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He easily qualifies to be part of the 2022 top 10 NFL players from Michigan State selection.
In 81 career starts, Gholston has an impressive 19.5 sacks, including a career year in 2021 where he made 4.5 sacks.
He has played exclusively from the edge in Tampa, using his impressive first step to get to the quarterback, and he has improved in this regard as he has aged. After hitting 29 years old, Gholston registered 34 hits on opposing quarterbacks. This is a vast improvement on the total of 41 he had made in the seven preceding seasons.
3. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Kenneth Walker III has the potential to be the greatest Michigan State Spartan to ever play in the league. As a rookie, he has already cracked the top three positions in this ranking of the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State, and the best is yet to come.
Since being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, Walker has been a revelation at running back. He has started two of six games but has already rushed for 411 yards and four touchdowns. His highlight play was a 74-yard run against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7.
Walker has a wonderful skill set that is not too dissimilar to that of Marshawn Lynch. He doesn't have the same power, but the way he pushes through defenders is impressive.
His breakaway speed is much faster than Lynch's, making him explosive on rushing plays. Pete Carroll loves to focus on the run and hasn't had a dominant running back in years; he has now found one in Walker.
2. Jack Conklin, OT, Cleveland Browns
Due to longevity, Jack Conklin just shaded Kenneth Walker III to the runner-up position.
Conklin enjoyed a fine career as an offensive lineman, starting with the Tennessee Titans before he moved to the Cleveland Browns.
Conklin was a blue-chip prospect in 2016, having been selected with the eighth overall pick. He was the highest Spartan selected since Charles Rogers went second overall in 2003.
He was an ever-present on the Titans O-Line at right tackle for four years, aside from the 2018 season, where he was injured for all but nine games.
He has made the All-Pro first team twice and is a natural blocker. Since 2020 he has allowed just three sacks, and in 2022 he hasn't allowed a single sack in five starts.
1. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Opinions over Kirk Cousins will always be divided. Some consider him an elite quarterback, while others consider him an overpaid bust. The reality lies somewhere in the middle. However, as of 2022, he is the best-rated of the top 10 NFL players from Michigan State.
At times, his arm has been prodigious. In three successive years with Washington, he threw for over 4,100 yards, almost hitting the 5,000-yard mark in 2018. He has been to three Pro Bowls, most recently in 2021, where he threw for 4,221 yards and 33 touchdowns. These are impressive statistics for Cousins, and after six games in 2022, he already has nine touchdown passes and 1,502 yards.
If you take opinions out of the matter, Cousins is a good NFL quarterback. In 131 games, he has thrown for 34,095 yards and 232 touchdowns. He will be missed in Minnesota when he leaves, even if he can't lead them to a championship.
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