Torey Krug, Defenseman, 5-7 168 lbs., Indiana(USHL)

Role he'll likely play: Michigan State's defense was a disaster last season. Players like Matt Crandell, Tim Buttery, Justin Johnston, and Brock Shelgren all struggled with the speed of the college game. That leaves a big opening for Krug, who may be small, but is very quick, and plays with great hockey sense to get a lot of ice time. Krug can be a puck-moving defenseman that will play his position well and help MSU's transition game.

Why he is ranked here: Krug was a talented player in the Detroit AAA ranks, but there was some skepticism about him due to his lack of size. Some of those concerns were alleviated last winter when he put up 47 points in 59 games in the USHL and proved he could play against bigger, faster competition.

Why he'll be great: Krug understands the game very well and finds ways to make himself effective without being a physical force.

Why he might not: Not only is Krug small, he's also very young and likely not as physically developed as the player's he'll be playing against.

Contrived Rivals-style star ranking: 3 stars