MSU WRs White, Rison benefiting in camp from NFL family backgrounds

Michigan State freshmen receivers Cody White and Hunter Rison both have dads who played in the NFL, and their experience around pro football at such a young age has given them an edge in fall camp.

Coach Mark Dantonio said during his media day news conference last week that both will see plenty of playing time early this season, while their teammates at the position praised their eagerness to improve.

The question is where will the frosh land on the Week 1 depth chart?

"They're all in the mix," MSU receivers coach Terrance Samuel said. "You got to be top six. The top six guys know they're going to play a lot. When you start saying seventh and eighth, that could be garbage time.

"(They bring to the room) eagerness. They want to play."

White (6-3, 206 pounds) hasn't played a single game snap, yet he has one of the longest biographies in MSU's preseason media guide. That's because of how fantastic he was at Walled Lake Western.

The Warriors lost their starting quarterback before the 2016 season started. On about a week's notice, White shifted from receiver to QB, and led his team to the Division 1 state championship. He was an all-state player and finished with 3,200 all-purpose yards in his career.

"For him to be able to go play quarterback on a week's notice and go out there and sling it and have a sense of coverage and timing, that's still helming him here running his routes," said Samuel, who hasn't ruled out using White as a wildcat QB or thrower on reverse plays.

White's father, Sheldon, played six seasons as a defensive back in the NFL and worked in the Detroit Lions' front office for 19 years.

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Rison, who is 5-11, 200 pounds and had 35 receptions for 645 yards and nine TDs at Ann Arbor Skyline in 2016, is the son of former NFL great Andre Rison.

Andre played receiver for seven NFL teams over 12 seasons, finishing his career in 2000 with 10,205 yards and 84 TDs. He also played at MSU from 1985-88 and was All-Big Ten twice.

"When you grow up in those environments, showtime is important," Samuel said. "It's important to be out there playing. Both of those guys know how to prepare. They know what they see. They know what a Cover 2  is, they know what Cover 3  is, they know what Cover 1  is. They're looking for me to give them (advice, like), 'OK, why are we running this vs. Cover 1? Why are we running this against Cover 2?'

"Their experience of being surrounded by the NFL and football helps them because their learning process is so much more sped up. We're excited because their ability to help now is easy for those guys. They've just been immersed in football for so much longer than the average individual."

Sophomore Trishton Jackson had flashes of brilliance for the Spartans in 2016, including a big game against Rutgers (two catches, 67 yards). He had an even bigger performance in April's spring game with  about 200 all-purpose yards.

The West Bloomfield native said both White and Rison could have a better debut season than he did.

"I see them doing better things than I did," Jackson said. "For example, Cody can play more physical, play bigger. He can catch everything. Hunter (runs) great routes, (uses) his hands, his quickness. It's just their heart. They want to be football players and fall in love with the game and get better every day."

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Jackson said he loved how active the freshmen have been in camp. He appreciated how much they wanted to improve.

"They're eagerness to get better (makes them so good)," Jackson said. "They're coming out every day, seeing us working out, watching us — and not just watching us, but watching us and asking us questions — looking at film late at night and early morning. They just want to be good, want to be better. I've seen that from Hunter since the spring."

Jackson said White could be the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart and that "he looks like the guy right now. He's been doing really, really good, and I hope he continues to be good."

Even the veteran some Spartans expect to be the No. 1, junior Felton Davis III, thought White has looked special in camp. Davis also appreciated how much Rison has been learning since the spring.

"Cody is making a lot of plays in this fall camp," Davis said. "He's making a lot of explosive plays. Hunter has been here since the spring, so Hunter knows everything just about. He's been making a lot of plays, too."

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