Michigan State adds Colorado transfer defensive tackle Jalen Sami
Michigan State has struck in the transfer portal once again. The Spartans earned a commitment from Colorado defensive tackle Jalen Sami on Wednesday.
Sami, listed at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, previously played for Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker while Tucker was the head man at Colorado during Sami's redshirt freshman season in 2019.
In 2022, Sami recored 467 defensive snaps. He amassed 28 total tackles, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble last season.
In 2021, Sami earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention accolades from the coaches. He had 27 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
In 40 career games with the Buffaloes, Sami recorded 83 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
He will have one year of eligibility remaining. After redshirting in 2018, Sami started 11 games, playing in 12 total, in 2019. The 2020 season was of course shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he played in all five regular season games with five starts. In 2021, Sami once again played in all 12 games, starting 11 contests. He then played in all 12 of Colorado's games in 2022.
Sami will play under defensive line coach Diron Reynolds at Michigan State and joins fellow offseason defensive line transfer additions Tunmise Adeleye (Texas A&M), Jarrett Jackson (Florida State) and Dre Butler (Liberty).
A two-star recruit out of Vista Ridge High School in the class of 2017, Sami had scholarship offers from Colorado, Mississippi, Northern Colorado, Colorado State-Pueblo and Weber State.
Michigan State has now added 16 transfers since the end of the 2022 season, counting junior college offensive tackle addition Keyshawn Blackstock.
To keep up with all of Michigan State's transfer portal activity, click here.