Spartan punter Ryan Eckley shines at the Senior Bowl, showcasing his talent for NFL scouts. Will he punt his way to the pros?
The college football all-star games—if that’s what you want to call them—have become a pivotal moment in my life on a yearly basis.
Every year I pack up my bags and head down to Mobile, Alabama to watch some of the best college football players battle it out in practices all week long, culminating in the National vs. American Senior Bowl. The week before is filled with watching as much of the East-West Shrine Bowl as I can.
These two bowls have become hugely impactful for the careers of so many talented young men trying to enter the league. There are countless Pro Bowlers, All-Pros, and Super Bowl winners who have participated in these games, and they provide an incredible opportunity for front offices and media members to get up-close, in-person looks and interviews with players they’ve previously only evaluated on film.
The East-West Shrine Bowl lived most of its life as essentially a minor-league bowl game that would send a few of its top performers on to the Senior Bowl. Now, it has truly become a great all-star game in its own right.
Unfortunately, while both bowls feature stacked rosters this year, only one includes a Spartan—and just barely.
The lone Michigan State alum participating is punter Ryan Eckley, who will take part in the Senior Bowl in Mobile. Eckley will be the sole punter for the National Team.
In 2023, Eckley’s first season as the Spartans’ starting punter, he was named a Freshman All-American and finished the season averaging 46.8 yards per punt. In 2024, Eckley earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors, finishing the season with a 47.9 yards-per-punt average—the best mark in the conference that year.
Eckley followed that up by being named Big Ten Punter of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten in 2025. He was also named Ray Guy Punter of the Week in Week Two of the season.
Now, Eckley will have the chance to put his punting skills in front of the NFL’s top brass—something not unfamiliar for Spartan punters. In 2023, Bryce Baringer showcased his talent at the Senior Bowl, was drafted 192nd overall in the sixth round by New England, and this season punted 51 times for the Patriots. He now sits just one win away from reaching the Super Bowl.
For a tumultuous 2025 Michigan State season, Eckley stands as one of the lone bright spots. He now has a chance to earn his stripes, push his draft stock, and maybe even hear his name scroll across the ticker—or get a Rich Eisen shoutout—on Draft Day.
Sadly, Eckley is the only Spartan heading to the Senior Bowl, and not a single Michigan State player will make the trip to Texas for the East-West Shrine Bowl.
With injuries still lingering and some players having just finished their seasons on Monday, there remains a slim chance another Spartan receives a late invite to either game. For now, though, Spartans fans will be cheering on the National Team and their beloved punter as he dons the Green and White one final time.