Complete Tracker of Michigan State's Transfer Portal Visitors
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Transfer portal season is here.
Michigan State is going to be very, very busy as new head coach Pat Fitzgerald tries to quickly rebuild the Spartans back up. As of Jan. 2, 40 players have already decided to leave MSU via the portal. Don't be surprised if the number of incoming transfers is close to that.
Recruitments in the transfer portal are much faster than in high school. School starts back up in a few weeks, so there is no time to waste to get the players enrolled in classes and on the official 2026 roster. We're here to help fans keep track. Our official tracker of players coming in and out is RIGHT HERE.
There is still time for players to go on visits, though. Here is a full list of visits that have been reported. It will continue to be updated throughout the offseason as more names pour in.
Reported Visitors
Date | Player | Previous School | Year(s) Remaining | Notes | Final Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 3 | DB Tre Bell | Iowa State | 1 | Played for MSU CB coach Hank Poteat, 2 INTs in 2025 | |
Jan. 3 | CB Tyran Chappell | FCS Houston Christian | 3 | 4 INTs as a R-Fr., one pick-six | |
Jan. 3 | DB Michael Richard | Louisiana Tech | 1 | 2023 CUSA Freshman of the Year, 2024 Second-Team All-CUSA | |
Jan. 3 | LB Caleb Wheatland | Auburn | 1 | Began at Maryland, led Terrapins in sacks (4.0) in '24 | |
Jan. 3-4 | WR Corey Scott | D-II West Florida | 2 | 1,018 yards, 4 TDs this year | |
Jan. 4 | RB Trequan Jones | Old Dominion | 1 | Averaged 7.5 YPC in 2025, 2nd in FBS | |
Jan. 6 | Western Kentucky | 3 | 2025 CUSA All-Freshman Team, 779 scrimmage yards | ||
Jan. 6-7 | EDGE DJ Jackson Jr. | Troy | 1 (did play JUCO, though) | 22 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks this year | |
Jan. 9 | DL MJ Stroud | Georgia Southern | 1 | Led Sun Belt w/ 15.5 TFL, finished 6th w/ 6.5 sacks | |
TBD | RB Kam Davis | Florida State | 3 | Former four-star recruit, 224 career rushing yards, 1 TD |
Necessity of the Portal for Michigan State
Michigan State needs a successful run in the transfer portal if it hopes to have any success in 2026. The Spartans are thin at nearly every spot on the field, with so many players either running out of eligibility or leaving voluntarily.
Whether one likes the old way more or not, this is how it is now. The number of new players on next year's roster is going to be huge. MSU took 28 transfers during Jonathan Smith's first offseason; Fitzgerald is probably going to take more than that. How Michigan State ends up doing these next few weeks and months will largely determine how well next season goes.
Let's face it: portal recruiting is just as important as recruiting high schools now. Seven of the last 10 Heisman Trophy winners transferred at some point during their college careers, including the last four. All four of the sport's semifinalists (Indiana, Oregon, Ole Miss, Miami) are programs that are considered among the best at utilizing the transfer portal.
It's still important to try and retain talent while maintaining a program image, but the days when you could stash someone on the bench for two or three years are virtually over. Players want to play. Additionally, players who are on the bench aren't getting paid as much. It's a bit of a balancing act. You cannot become overreliant on it, but you cannot be a college football dinosaur and either not use it or barely use it (look at Clemson now).
Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on the transfer portal when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
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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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