If you didn’t know the name Zach Slade before the spring of 2019, the Green & White Game changed that.
Michigan State fans got their first look at Slade during the spring scrimmage after redshirting in 2018 and he appeared to be a breakout candidate. He may not have had all the fanfare guys like Jacub Panasiuk, Raequan Williams or Mike Panasiuk did on the defensive line entering the college ranks, but the underrated Slade looked poised to prove people wrong.
There’s something to be said about underrated recruits at Michigan State out-performing their rankings, and Mark Dantonio usually does a solid job at spotting diamonds in the rough and getting the most out of them — just ask Kenny Willekes.