Training camp is where starting spots can be won and lost.Michigan State's depth chart has changed around a bit since practices started up a week and a half ago. Here is a quick rundown of who has risen up the depth chart and stood out thus far:Tight EndsMichigan State tight end Jayden Savoury catches a pass during football practice on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectOne big place where some clarity has been found has been at tight end. Jayden Savoury and Brennan Parachek seem to be the team's top two players at the position at the moment. Savoury has been perhaps the biggest winner of camp thus far. He looks bigger than last year, has some easy athleticism and a nice catch radius, and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said this past week that Savoury has taken a nice jump as a blocker.Parachek seems primed to take a step forward in his role, too. He's made 14 catches for 118 yards during his career at MSU thus far, though Parachek didn't have a catch in four games last year. Michigan State tight end Carson Gulker runs after a catch during football practice on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectIt's definitely not wise to forget about Ferris State transfer Carson Gulker, either. He probably won't be a starter for the Spartans this year, but his unique skill set as a rusher and a passer means he should be an often-used gadget player who will open up tons of interesting possibilities for Michigan State's offense.Perhaps on the outside looking in, but still in the running for playing time are Kai Rios and Eddie Whiting. Rios would likely serve in more of a blocking tight end type of role whenever he gets onto the field. Whiting made a fair bit of noise during the spring and could be an intriguing receiving option, but the ceiling is only so high for a true freshman.Wide ReceiversMichigan State's Charles Taplin catches a pass while warming up during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectMy biggest question entering training camp was about who would emerge in the Spartans' wide receiver room. The update, kind of, is that there really isn't an update. Back during April's open scrimmage, the starting receivers were Chrishon McCray, Charles Taplin, and Rodney Bullard Jr. At one point this past Monday, while I was watching the receivers start a drill, the starters were the same.The fact that all three starting receivers this season could be returning players from the 2025 team would be a surprise, especially given that MSU lost its top two wideouts from last season (Nick Marsh and Omari Kelly). Most teams in Michigan State's position would have at least one newcomer starting. Michigan State's Rodney Bullard Jr. runs with the ball during football practice on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThe Spartans also brought in three receivers from the portal: Fredrick Moore (Michigan), KK Smith (Notre Dame), and Jameel Gardner Jr. (Jackson State). Moore and Smith should definitely get some real playing time this fall, but the mere fact that Michigan State is banking a lot on its internal development is a little unusual these days.It's noteworthy that MSU is still awaiting word on the result of Bullard's waiver application from the NCAA. There are less than three weeks to go until kickoff now, and nobody knows if a potential starter will be able to play or not.Offensive LineMichigan State's Conner Moore, left, blocks Eli Coenen during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThere have been a few interesting alterations on Michigan State's offensive line. One of the big moves has been the placement of returning starter Conner Moore at left guard. Moore was MSU's starting right tackle last season, but never played a single snap on the interior of the offensive line in 2025.That decision also meant that South Carolina transfer Nick Sharpe moved back to right guard. Sharpe played left guard last season with the Gamecocks, but the choice to place him on the right side of the line isn't much of a surprise. He previously played only right guard at Wake Forest. His offensive line coach there, and now again at MSU, was Nick Tabacca.Michigan State's Nick Sharpe, center, runs a drill during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectMoore's spot at right tackle was also made vacant, though. The leader there seems to be Rakeem Johnson. That would certainly be an interesting decision, as most of Johnson's career snaps thus far have been at right guard, though he has played 90 career snaps at right tackle. If Johnson is the starter, though, that means he's ahead of Robert Wright Jr., one of Michigan State's better transfer portal pickups from the winter.Wright was the starting right tackle at Georgia Southern last season. He went the entire season -- 752 snaps -- without committing a penalty. Both he and Johnson have three seasons of eligibility remaining each (this year included), so this battle is definitely a big one. Johnson has a ton of versatility for an offensive lineman, though, so another shift at some point in his career wouldn't be surprising.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow