When putting together Michigan State's all-time best, mammoth defensive end Bubba Smith was the choice for No. 1. The 6-6, 280-pound Smith simply dominated in East Lansing. SN selected the top 10 Spartans, from Smith to Peterson.
1. Bubba Smith
"Kill Bubba, kill!" Michigan State fans chanted that throughout the famed 6-8, 280-pound defensive end's career. Smith, a two-time All-American in 1965-66, didn't have gaudy statistics. That's because teams double- and triple-teamed and avoided his side of the field. Smith anchored a Spartans' defense that limited Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan to negative rushing yards in 1966. Michigan State finished 19-1-1 in those two seasons. Smith later starred in both the NFL and as Moses Hightower in the "Police Academy" movies.
2. Lorenzo White
This 5-11, 204-pound workhorse still holds most of Michigan State's rushing records. White rushed for 2,066 yards as a sophomore in 1985, the first Big Ten running back to crack the 2,000-yard mark. He led Michigan State to a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl victory in 1986-87; the signature game a 56-carry, 292-yard effort against Indiana. White closed out his college career with an incredible 1,082 carries, 4,887 yards and 43 TDs.
3. Brad Van Pelt
Van Pelt became the first defensive back to win the Maxwell Award in 1972. The two-time All-American safety served as the team leader through Duffy Daugherty's last years at Michigan State. Van Pelt finished with 256 tackles and 14 interceptions. He also starred in basketball and baseball at Michigan State and was a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker in the NFL.
4. George Webster
Legendary Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty created a position called "roverback" for Webster, a 6-4, 218-pound vicious hitter who could play linebacker and defensive back. Webster earned All-America honors in 1965 and 1966. He teamed with Bubba Smith on one of the best defenses in college football history. Webster had 93 tackles and 10 tackles for loss as a senior. Webster starred in the AFL and NFL from 1967-76.
5. Percy Snow
Snow tackled everything and finished as one of Michigan State's most-decorated linebackers. The three-year starter and two-time All-American career with 473 tackles, and he was the first player to sweep the Butkus Award and Lombardi Award in the same season in 1989. Snow had 11 games with double-digit tackles that season, including a 23-tackle effort against Illinois. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
6. Tony Mandarich
Try to not focus on the reputation as a NFL Draft bust. Remember Mandarich for what he was in college; a 6-6, 315-pound dominant force at offensive tackle. He finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 despite playing in just eight games because of a NCAA suspension. Michigan State averaged 268.8 rushing yards per game with Mandarich in the lineup. Mandarich did not allow a sack and recorded 50 pancake blocks as a senior.
7. Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins is the signature player in the program's revival under coach Mark Dantonio. Cousins led the Spartans to back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2010-11. He holds school records in career completions (723), passing yards (9,131) and TDs (66). Those numbers are great, but Cousins will be forever adored by Spartans fans for the Hail Mary against Wisconsin in 2011 and a 3-0 record as a starter against rival Michigan.
8. Charles Rogers
Michigan State has several receivers deserving of this list, including Kirk Gibson, Andre Rison and Plaxico Burress. None were better than Rogers, however. He's best known for an incredible leaping touchdown catch in back of the end zone against Notre Dame, a catch that ignited a season in which he won the Biletnikoff Award. Rogers put up a school-record 1,470 receiving yards and 14 TDs in 2001 and followed up with 1,351 receiving yards and 13 TDs in 2002.
9. Darqueze Dennard
Dennard, a physical press-coverage cornerback, coined the term "No Fly Zone" for a nasty Michigan State secondary. Dennard won the Thorpe Award and helped the Spartans win both the Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl. Dennard — a three-year starter — had 62 tackles, four interceptions and 10 pass breakups as a senior.
10. Julian Peterson
Underrated best describes Peterson. He put together a remarkable year in 1999 with 30 tackles for loss and 15 sacks, and he finished his career with 48 tackles for loss. That was good for first-team All-American honors. Peterson capped his career with eight tackles — including five tackles for loss — in the 2000 Citrus Bowl win against Florida. Peterson went on to be a five-time Pro Bowl selection in the NFL.
