Coach's son Reid Burton enters the mix at FB for MSU

EAST LANSING – Michigan State’s 2016 offense must replace quarterback Connor Cook, receivers Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings Jr., offensive linemen Jack Conklin, Jack Allen and Donavon Clark, and a physical blocking tight end in Paul Lang.

Oh, and then there’s Trevon Pendleton, the best fullback of the Mark Dantonio era and one of the underrated factors of the Spartans’ past three seasons.

Going by the 2015 roster and depth chart, the top candidates to take that important spot in MSU’s offense would be senior David Fennell, redshirt freshman walk-on Collin Lucas, and tight ends Matt Sokol and Dylan Chmura. Defensive lineman Gerald Owens and running back Delton Williams make sense as considerations.

And another candidate was introduced Wednesday when Mark Dantonio announced the addition of Reid Burton of East Lansing High. The 6-foot-1, 227-pound Burton is the son of MSU defensive line coach Ron Burton and will start out at fullback.

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“Big body, athletic guy, great lineage, OK?” Dantonio said of Reid Burton. “Big-body guy that we'll find a position for him. He'll probably start as a fullback … like Pendleton was, but could obviously go over to the defensive side of the ball, play linebacker or defensive end. But he's proven to be a great athlete.”

Ron Burton said his son had other walk-on opportunities, including at some of the service academies, but his recruitment was limited by injury. He tore the meniscus in one of his knees the summer before his senior season and wasn’t able to play.

As a junior, Burton got 44 carries for 175 yards and four touchdowns, and he also had 34 tackles and three sacks on the defensive line.

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Ron Burton said his son “has some upside with his strength, great lower body, we’ll see what he does.”

“This is something money can’t buy, the opportunity to be around your kid a little bit,” Ron Burton said. “And that’s a part of it, too, but that’s on him. We create independence in our house, and his opportunity comes from him, not from me. What he does going forward will be all for Reid Burton. But it’s a great opportunity and I know he’ll take advantage of it.”