Michigan State Interested in Talented Transfer Defensive Lineman

Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith remains aggressive in the transfer portal.

Jan 1, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; A player holds up his Michigan State Spartans helmet during the / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith said earlier this offseason he would not be patient with turning around his football program. While some things haven’t gone his way so far, with many players entering the transfer portal, Coach Smith has remained active in the portal.

Coach Smith and the Spartans have expressed interest in one of the best defensive players remaining in the portal, Wyoming defensive lineman Gavin Meyer, per Pete Nakos of On3. The Spartans have taken two significant losses at the defensive tackle position and could use Meyer’s commitment to rebuild what has gone from being a strength to a weakness.

Over the last few weeks, Michigan State has lost over a dozen players to the transfer portal, putting a significant dent in the Spartans’ roster. Still, Coach Smith keeps Michigan State in the running to secure some of the best talent remaining in the transfer portal. Meyer is another player on the radar of many schools with better current situations than the Spartans, yet Michigan State still has a chance of signing. 

Wyoming defensive tackle Gavin Meyer has received interest from multiple ACC & Big Ten programs, his agent @milesjordan40 tells @On3sports.

The grad transfer has 69 career tackles & 8.5 TFL. He's receiving interest from Duke and Florida State, among others.

Details:… pic.twitter.com/HDxifR5Bzw

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) May 6, 2024

The Spartans will have formidable competition in the recruiting process, as Meyer’s productive time at Wyoming has caught the eye of many schools around the country. Miles Jordan of On3 reports that in addition to Michigan State, Purdue, Florida State, Houston, Cal, Indiana, Minnesota, Duke, BYU, Illinois, West Virginia and San Diego State have been in contact with the talented defensive lineman.

Meyer appeared in 26 games over the last two seasons at Wyoming. In 2022, he registered 40 tackles, five of which were tackles for loss. He also had a forced fumble with four sacks. In 2023, his senior season, he registered 26 tackles. The 6-foot-4, 282-pound defensive lineman would immediately improve the Spartans’ roster, which is currently thin at the defensive tackle position. 

As Coach Smith begins his tenure in East Lansing, he faces an uphill battle, especially in his first few seasons. The one thing that can help with the progression of the football program is signing talent such as Meyer. The defensive lineman won’t singlehandedly turn things around for the Spartans. Still, his commitment could be one of the first dominoes to fall in what Coach Smith hopes will be a successful offseason and first season at Michigan State.

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