Former Michigan State left guard Luke Newman was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.
Newman, selected in the sixth round and 195th overall, spent just one season in East Lansing, but still made a positive impact for the Green and White.
The transfer from Holy Cross played 739 offensive snaps last season, leading the team. Newman also received a 71.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the fourth-best mark on the offense behind running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, quarterback Aidan Chiles and center Tanner Miller.
Newman also received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media this past season at MSU.
“I feel like Michigan State did a very good job preparing me for that level,” Newman said after MSU's pro day last month, via MSU Athletics. “I’ve gotten able to learn a lot (throughout this draft process), I’ve gotten to showcase who I am as a person, and not just a player. It’s really been challenging but very rewarding.”
While at Holy Cross, he became an FCS All-American in 2023 and was a first-team All-Patriot League selection three times.
One part of the reason Newman — who is from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan — received a good grade from PFF is his pass blocking, which he got a mark of 76.9 on. On the season, Newman pass blocked 417 times. Throughout all those snaps, PFF' data says he did not allow one sack and only allowed nine pressures. With his career at Holy Cross included, Newman only allowed seven sacks and 36 pressures on 1,474 pass plays.
Another reason Newman became worthy of a draft pick despite not being invited to the NFL Combine is how he did at Michigan State’s pro day. Back on March 12, Newman recorded a 35-inch vertical jump, which would have been the second-highest mark among offensive linemen at the combine, and 29 bench press reps, which would have ranked sixth among all players. Newman also impressed during the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Now, he becomes the first NFL draft pick for Michigan State in the Jonathan Smith era. This is also the second-straight year that MSU has seen one of its former interior offensive lineman get chosen — center Nick Samac was selected 228th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round last April.
The last time a guard from Michigan State got selected was Donavon Clark to the then-San Diego Chargers at 224th overall in the seventh round back in 2016.
- TE
- QB
- OT
- TE
