Former Michigan State Defensive Back Headed to Kalamazoo

The Spartans lost another player to the transfer portal.

Michigan State's Bai Jobe, left, tackles Brandon Tullis during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

A Michigan State player recruited in Mel Tucker’s first recruiting class has found a new home. After joining the Spartans in East Lansing but not seeing the field, former Spartans defensive back Michael Gravely has again found a new home. 

Gravely, a three-star cornerback from Ohio, left the Spartans in 2021 after an off-the-field issue. The Cleveland native will join another school and hopes to get on the field this time.
After leaving Michigan State, Gravely attended DuPage College and is heading to Kalamazoo to play for Western Michigan.

According to Michigan State, Gravely was a first-team Division I All-State selection by MaxPreps and the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association.

Entering his senior season in high school, he was named a Sports Illustrated All-American candidate and a first-team Greater Cleveland Conference honoree. His success in high school led to his being named to the Cleveland.com All-Area Team.

Coming out of high school, Rivals.com ranked him as the third-best safety prospect from Ohio. Rivals.com listed him as one of the best players in Ohio. Rivals.com, ESPN.com, and 247Sports ranked him among the top players in his recruiting class. Gravely announced the decision to join Western Michigan on Instagram.

Although Michigan State lost many players for various reasons, sometimes it is addition by subtraction, and Gravely Jr. parted ways years ago. Gravely could represent a more significant issue with many of Tucker’s recruits. It could also speak to the differences in recruiting tendencies between Tucker and the new Spartans coach, Jonathan Smith.

Coach Smith and the Spartans look to turn the page from the Tucker era as quickly as possible. It will take time, and some housekeeping will need to be done. 

While Coach Smith and Gravely never encountered each other at Michigan State, Coach Smith is still battling the ghosts of the previous coaching staff in many ways. Finding the right players with the character that fit Coach Smith’s visions for the football program's future will be one of the first steps in moving on from the previous coaching staff. For Coach Smith, recruiting continues to be critical.

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