Michigan State WR Braylon Collier Reveals Why He Chose The Spartans

Jul 18, 2025 1:52 PM EDT

Jonathan Smith and his Michigan State football coaching didn’t have a ton of competition at the Power 4 level when it came to landing freshman wideout Braylon Collier, a three-star prospect in the Class of 2025 of enrolled early and spent the spring practicing with the Spartans.

Collier was recruited the heaviest by programs out of the MAC at the Group of 5 level, but Michigan State, Iowa, and Iowa State also all found themselves competing to land the standout Sandusky, Ohio native.

In a recent interview with Locked On Michigan State, the Perkins (OH) product revealed what it was about the Spartans that made him decide the East Lansing was where he belonged — and a lot of it had to do with the opportunity to play underneath former NFL wideout and current Michigan State receivers coach Courtney Hawkins.

“You know, he is straight up with — he don’t sugarcoat anything,” Collier said. “And, you know, he told me it was an honor, it would be an honor to coach me. And I told him it would be an honor to play under his wing.”

Collier also mentioned part of the main pitch from Michigan State was a “get after it” type of attitude he felt suits his mentality as a player and potential for development well.

“The main pitch was really just let’s get after it and get to work,” he said. “You know, there’s always something to improve on. Nothing’s ever going to be perfect. Never settle, I should say — there’s always something to improve on no matter what it is.”

Collier might not have drawn a ton of attention from the Spartans’ Big Ten rivals, but he might end up being one of those overlook gems that becomes the steal of the program’s 2025 class. He was a highly-touted talent at the prep level, finishing his senior season with 84 receptions for 1,423 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading Perkins (OH) to a 14-2 record and OHSAA Division IV state championship game appearance.

He finished his career fourth in OHSAA history in touchdown receptions (56) and receiving yards (3,434), and 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu has compared Collier to current New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

“Highly productive high school receiver who has a chance to catch a lot of balls in college. Shows twitch and short-area quickness as a route-runner. Can work the middle of the field and is fearless in traffic. Not big, not small, but plays bigger than listed and has excellent ccontested catch ability,” Trieu wrote.

“No verified top end, but runs away from defenders on tape and shows the ability to make breaks at full speed and catch the ball and continue up the field without breaking stride. Body control and general hand-eye coordination are very good, potentially elite. Can play slot or outside and should be an excellent college player with a chance to play on Sundays.”