Cornerback Emerging as MSU Transfer Portal Need
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The secondary is going to look fairly different for Michigan State next season.
Both of MSU's starting corners last year were one-year additions from the transfer portal: Malcolm Bell and Joshua Eaton. There is a chance that new head coach Pat Fitzgerald might deploy a somewhat similar strategy this portal cycle, which officially begins on Jan. 2.
Michigan State still did not do enough to stop the pass. The Spartans allowed 231.3 yards per game through the air, which is 92nd in the FBS, which is second-worst in the Big Ten. This was especially a problem early on in the season.
Let's take a look at the Spartans' secondary, more specifically, those corners, where there are not many snaps from this past season set to return to the team in 2026.
Top Returner: Aydan West
Somebody set to earn a full-time starting role next year is Aydan West, who was a true freshman this year. He started four games and appeared in all 12 this past fall and is somebody defensive coordinator Joe Rossi definitely seems to be high on.
West appeared to indicate that he would be returning to Michigan State next year on a social media post on Tuesday. Nothing necessarily indicated otherwise, but having that security is always important these days, especially after a head coaching change for somebody who was being pursued by Ohio State and Virginia Tech at the tail end of his high school recruitment.
He ended up playing 380 defensive snaps this past season, which was third among MSU's corners and 10th on the team. The two guys ahead of him, Bell and Eaton, are both out of eligibility.
Additionally, Michigan State is losing a fair amount of its depth below West on the depth chart, as slot corners Dontavius Nash and Ade Willie are both departing the Spartans' program. Nash is also out of eligibility, and Willie is planning to enter the transfer portal.
Big Departures
The losses of Bell and Eaton will likely have to be ones that get filled through the portal. Michigan State does appear to have somebody who will help look for those replacements, as one report has indicated that the Spartans are targeting Hank Poteat for a job coaching the defensive backfield. That has not been made official, though, with a lack of an announcement from the school and no changes yet on Poteat's X account.
Those are the big two losses, but so are the departures from Willie and Nash. Some other defensive backs who have made transfer portal announcements are: Jeremiah Hughes, Justin Denson Jr., George Mullins, and Elisha West.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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