Michigan State football loses two players to transfer portal
Two new Michigan State football players have entered the transfer portal in the last 24 hours. Redshirt sophomore Donovan Eaglin announced his intentions to transfer yesterday, April 18th, just hours after fifth-year senior linebacker Ben VanSumeren withdrew his name from the portal and returned to the Spartans.
Then, on the morning of April 19, redshirt freshman cornerback Antoine Booth entered the transfer portal as well. After Michigan State lost 19 players to the portal during 2021, Eaglin and Booth are the first two to depart the program in 2022.
A three-star prospect in the class of 2020, Eaglin redshirted for the 2020 season, and played in all 13 games for the Spartans last year, primarily on special teams. He had six carries for 33 yards in 2021.
Eaglin was listed on Michigan State’s spring roster, but he did not participate in the Spartans’ open practice this past Saturday.
“I would like to thank god for letting me have the opportunity to play at Michigan State,” Eaglin posted on Twitter. “I would like to thank my teammates and coaches for everything.”
As Michigan State searches to replace the production lost in the backfield due to the departure of Kenneth Walker III, Eaglin found himself firmly behind returning veterans Elijah Collins and Jordon Simmons, as well as classmate Davion Primm and incoming transfer Jalen Berger. In addition, the Spartans will add Colorado transfer tailback Jarek Broussard this summer.
There was a similarly uphill battle for Booth to see playing time this fall, as Michigan State returns four cornerbacks that started at least one game last season: Ronald Williams, Chester Kimbrough, Marqui Lowry and Charles Brantley. The Spartans also added Georgia transfer Ameer Speed at cornerback this January.
Booth was a member of head coach Mel Tucker’s first recruiting class in 2021, and he’s the fifth member of that class to enter the transfer portal. Booth was a three-star prospect out of Dematha Catholic High School in Maryland. He did not appear in any games as a true freshman in 2021, taking a redshirt year.
As we’ve seen over the last calendar year, entering the transfer portal does not always result in an immediate departure from Tucker’s program. In addition to VanSumeren, Michigan State also saw linebacker Ma’a Gaoteote and converted tight end Connor Heyward withdraw their names from the portal and return to the team.
While Eaglin and Booth find themselves currently buried on the Spartans’ depth chart, both players are young enough to eventually move their way up the roster should they reconsider their decisions to transfer.