Good, Bad of Pat Fitzgerald’s First Portal Class at MSU
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The first transfer portal class for new Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald seems to be complete.
MSU formally announced a class of 30 incoming transfers on Friday, completing a very busy three weeks that began for the Spartans back on Jan. 2. By my own count, the Spartans’ projected 2026 roster includes 105 players, which is the maximum number of players a team can have.
Fitzgerald has indicated he doesn’t want his portal classes to be this large in the future, but this was largely out of necessity. Forty-five different players from the 2025 roster have either transferred to another school or are still in the portal, seeking their next opportunity. The large number of incoming and outgoing players has much to do with the coaching change.
These days, rosters can be flipped and turned around in one offseason (cough, Indiana). Just because Michigan State went 4-8 this past fall doesn’t mean it cannot take a big leap forward in 2026. Almost certainly not a Hoosiers-level leap, but perhaps one that makes MSU competitive again. Let’s take a macro-scale look at Fitzgerald’s first portal class in East Lansing and try to judge how he did.
Where MSU Did Well
Three different positions seem to stand out as strengths for the Spartans right now.
The first one for Michigan State seems to be running back. Starting running back Makhi Frazier transferred to Ole Miss and RB2 Elijah Tau-Tolliver ran out of eligibility, but MSU’s backfield is extremely deep. The Spartans ended up picking up three backs from the portal: UConn transfer Cam Edwards, Iowa transfer Jaziun Patterson, and Western Kentucky transfer Marvis Parrish.
Edwards is likely to be MSU’s RB1 in 2026. His 1,240 rushing yards for the Huskies this past season finished 15th in the FBS, which made him one of the most productive portal running backs available. Parrish also has some real potential; his 779 scrimmage yards as a true freshman got him on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Patterson also adds Big Ten experience, as he’s totaled 858 rushing yards and four touchdowns during his time with the Hawkeyes.
Michigan State also seems to be very deep at linebacker now. It still starts with Jordan Hall, who led the Spartans with 88 tackles in 2025 — no other returner had more than 26. MSU also added three linebackers in the portal this offseason: N.C. State transfer Kenny Soares Jr., Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland, and Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford.
That incoming group of linebackers brings some added versatility to Max Bullough’s group. Wheatland and Crawford have proven histories as pass rushers; Crawford had 12 sacks over the last two seasons at Buffalo, while Wheatland totaled 7.5 sacks across the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Maryland. Soares, interestingly, is actually listed as an EDGE.
Lastly, the projected starting group of corners for MSU seems to be solid. One of the biggest moves the Spartans made was bringing back Charles Brantley, who starred for Michigan State before he transferred to Miami (FL) last offseason. Brantley only appeared in three games for the Hurricanes, allowing him to keep that year of eligibility and go back to East Lansing, where he returns as a sixth-year senior. MSU also added Iowa State transfer Tre Bell, who started the last eight games of the 2025 season for the Cyclones.
Where the Spartans Fell Short
The most concerning part about Michigan State’s roster, at least on paper, is the defensive line. That was an area where MSU wasn’t good enough already in 2025, and then a lot of the best players the Spartans had left in the portal. Michigan State’s replacements have not seemed to match up.
On the interior d-line, the most exciting addition was Illinois transfer Eli Coenen, but he wasn’t a starter for the Fighting Illini this past season. There’s also Toledo transfer Carlos Hazelwood, but Hazelwood played fewer than 100 defensive snaps this season in the MAC. It’s tough to imagine those players being able to fill the hole left behind by Alex VanSumeren, who is now at USC.
It’s a similar story out on the edge. MSU got Anelu Lafaele back, who looked promising early on last year, as well as Isaac Smith, but there isn’t much besides them. Michigan State’s portal adds there were Weber State transfer Keahnist Thompson, who had 4.0 sacks this year at the FCS level, and then Southeast Missouri State transfer Trey Lisle, who seems to be a project addition with his 6-foot-7, 246-pound frame.
Wide receiver is also a bit of a question mark. Nick Marsh is now at Indiana, and Omari Kelly ran out of eligibility. Both of the Spartans’ additions there, Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore and Notre Dame transfer KK Smith, were backups at their previous schools. The two wide receivers have 321 combined career receiving yards between them, while Marsh and Kelly had 1,288 yards in 2025 alone.
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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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