GREEN & WHITE FOOTBALL

'Who wore it best' at Michigan State: No. 16

Lansing State Journal

MSU quarterback Bill Burke sets to throw a pass against Michigan. He threw for 400 yards on the day.

Ever see a number on a Michigan State football jersey and think of all the great players to wear it? Me, too. In this daily series, I’ll give you my take on which Spartan football player was the best ever to wear each number. The criteria are simple: How did he perform at MSU? And what kind of impact did he have on the program?

No. 16 – Aaron Burbridge

Wide receiver, 2012-15, Farmington Hills.

Spartan receiver Aaron Burbridge (16) stiff arms Alabama's Eddie Jackson (4) to try and stay in bounds during Alabama's 38-0 win over Michigan State in the 80th Annual Cotton Bowl Classic Thursday, December 30, 2015 in Arlington, Texas.

Résumé

2012: 29 receptions, 364 yards, 12.6 yards per catch, 2 touchdowns

2013: 22 receptions, 194 yards, 8.8 yards per catch

2014: 29 receptions, 358 yards, 12.3 yards per catch, 1 touchdown

2015: 85 receptions, 1,258 yards, 14.8 yards per catch, 7 touchdowns

Total: 165 receptions, 2,174 yards, 13.2 yards per catch, 10 touchdowns

Why Burbridge?

When you think of elite wide receivers who have come out of Michigan State, a few names come to mind: Charles Rogers, Plaxico Burress, Andre Rison, Muhsin Muhammad.

In 2015, Aaron Burbridge was as good or better than all of them.

That season, Connor Cook’s favorite target hauled in a league-leading and school-record 85 receptions for 1,258 yards and seven touchdowns. That performance earned him Big Ten receiver of the year and a first-team all-conference selection. Burbridge became only the third Spartan in program history to lead the conference in receiving yards.

Quarterback Connor Cook smiles as receiver Aaron Burbridge talks about what he thinks of Cook as a quarterback during a Cotton Bowl press conference Monday, December 28, 2015, at the Omni Hotel in Dallas.

Burbridge played in a bowl game all four years at MSU, finishing with 12 catches for 118 yards. He was also a part of arguably the most successful run in program history, helping guide the Spartans to the Cotton Bowl, the Rose Bowl and the College Football Playoff. He also finished 3-1 against Michigan.

Standing 6-foot-1, 208 pounds, Burbridge was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers after capping his collegiate career with 2,174 yards on 165 receptions and 10 touchdowns. He is No. 2 all-time in MSU history in receptions and 2015 still stands as the best single-season mark with 85.

Michigan State quarterback Bill Burke (16) celebrates as he leaves the field after the Spartans defeated number one Ohio State Saturday, Nov. 7, 1998, in Columbus, Ohio.

Who else wore No. 16?

Mark Anderson (DB, 1976-79), Laurence Archer (C, 1917-19), Charles Baggett (QB, 1973-75), Bill Burke (QB, 1996-99, Reuben Dill (T/G, 1928-31), Peter Fornari (HB, 1941-42), Peter Hrisko (QB, 1985-86), David McCormick (QB, 1963-64), Jim Miller (QB, 1990-93), Norman Olman (G, 1936-37), Michael Panitch (QB, 1956-58), Steven Piro (QB, 1969), James Raye (QB, 1965-67), Dave Rayner (K, 2001-04), Archie Ross (N/A, 1934-35), Chris Rucker (WR, 2008-11), Donald Stewart (HB/QB, 1959-61), John Van Dam (QB, 2006), Tommy Vento (QB, 2015), Brandon Sowards (WR, current)

Contact Cody Tucker at (517) 377-1070 or cjtucker@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @CodyTucker_LSJ.

MORE ON AARON BURBRIDGE:
* Couch: MSU, Burbridge find joy after frustrating trek
* Aaron Burbridge turning heads, surprising coaches, NFL scouts
* Burbridge, Cook eyeing all-time MSU records