One Portal RB Michigan State Could Target After Spalding Hire
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Running back is a position of need for Michigan State in the transfer portal.
Spartan Nation reported that MSU would be hiring Devon Spalding as the team's running backs coach on Monday night. Spalding was previously at Wisconsin, but will now take over a Spartan running back room that is losing their top two backs from this past season.
Starting running back Makhi Frazier is planning to enter the transfer portal after running for 520 yards and two touchdowns in nine games this year. RB2 Elijah Tau-Tolliver is also out of eligibility after rushing for 428 yards and two scores this past fall. Michigan State's top returning back is Brandon Tullis, who totaled 301 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in 2025.
The hiring of Spalding means there is one name in the transfer portal that would make a ton of sense. That player is Dilin Jones, who just spent two seasons under Spalding's tutelage.
Dilin Jones' Career
Jones would be an addition with a fair amount of upside for the Spartans. He began this fall as the Badgers' top running back, carrying the ball 79 times for 300 yards and two touchdowns. What increases that upside is Jones' youth; he was only a redshirt freshman this year and has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
The stats this year would have been a lot better if he had remained healthy. Jones missed Wisconsin's final five games due to a reported turf toe injury. He also played in three games during the 2024 season, where he rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries.
As of Tuesday evening, On3 ranks Jones 150th overall in the transfer portal and 16th among running backs. Those numbers might dip in the coming days, since the portal officially opens on Friday.
Jones was also a very highly touted high school recruit. Coming out of Laurel, Md., he was ranked 146th overall, 13th among running backs, and third among prospects from Maryland in the class of 2024 on the 247Sports Composite rankings. He had been recruited by former Michigan State RBs coach Effrem Reed, but also boasted offers from Oregon, Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Ole Miss, and several other Power Four schools.
One problem is that Jones and Tullis would not necessarily be complementary running backs if they were to become MSU's duo. Both of them are known more as physical backs who can more reliably be used in short-yardage situations.
Frazier and Tau-Tolliver provided some elusiveness and home-run ability; their longest runs were 49 and 85 yards, respectively. Jones' longest run this season was 16 yards. Tullis' was 35.
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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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