Jordan Hall, Cam Edwards headline Michigan State's Top 85 while counting toward Next 40

Michigan State’s 2026 roster rankings are back, with a new “Top 85” list aimed at helping readers gauge the program’s “Next 40” under first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The author says the list isn’t a prediction and returns after more than a decade, prompted by an unusually high number of first-year scholarship players. The rankings are built with a ground rule: summer enrollees are placed from No. 85 upward in alphabetical order, while mid-year enrollees join the veterans in their respective ranges. The macro takeaway is that the “Next 40” looks more competitive than expected, while the “Top 20” has fewer proven players than prior generations. The No. 1 spot goes to Jordan Hall, a senior MLB (6-3, 249) with 19 career starts.