Top Michigan State WR Announces Entry into Transfer Portal

The Spartans suffered a big loss in their effort to retain talent during the coaching change.

Michigan defensive back Zeke Berry (10) tackles Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh (6) during the first half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State suffered a serious loss to the transfer portal on Monday afternoon, as top wide receiver Nick Marsh announced that he is planning to leave the Spartans.

Marsh's decision, of course, comes in the wake of MSU firing Jonathan Smith and promptly hiring former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald. He finished with 59 catches, 662 receiving yards, and six touchdowns this past season for Michigan State. Marsh has two years of eligibility remaining, though there is a good chance he only uses one before heading to the NFL Draft.

Michigan State WR Nick Marsh extends his arms outward during the Spartans' contest against USC on Sept. 20, 2025. | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Spartans and Fitzgerald already are going to have a long road ahead of themselves in rebuilding the current roster, but losing the team's leading receiver is an early gut punch. Top running back Makhi Frazier also announced that he will be entering the transfer portal on Sunday night.

For now, those are the only two current players who have announced their intentions to leave the program. There will probably be more to come in the coming days and weeks, with the portal officially opening on Jan. 2. Marsh will definitely be getting a lot of interest from other programs.

Marsh's Time at Michigan State

Michigan State's Nick Marsh, right, catches a pass as Penn State's Audavion Collins closes in during the third quarter on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In total, Marsh completes his career at MSU with exactly 100 catches, 1,311 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns.

As a four-star recruit coming out of River Rouge High School, Marsh was initially recruited to Michigan State by Mel Tucker, committing to the school in July 2023. He took other official visits to Colorado and Georgia Tech, but Marsh never decommitted, perhaps with the help in that wide receivers coach Courtney Hawkins was retained on Smith's staff.

Marsh's breakout game was in Week 2 of his true freshman season. It was a road game at Maryland, and he hauled in eight passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, one of the best performances by a true freshman in Spartan history. He ended up breaking MSU's single-season receiving record for a true freshman, as well.

It was a season good enough that there were rumors of Marsh leaving at the end of last season, but he ended up sticking around.

Michigan State's Nick Marsh smiles while warming up before the game against Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He didn't have any super massive games as he did against Maryland in 2024, but Marsh found some more consistency as a sophomore, outside of a dip in production towards the end of the year.

He was still definitely the Spartans' top option through the air this past season, and it's going to be difficult for them to go without him next year.

Oct 11, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh (6) runs after catching the ball in the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

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