After a third consecutive season of missing out on a bowl game, Michigan State will hit the transfer portal to retool the roster.
The NCAA transfer portal, since its inception in 2018, has become a new way of acquiring players in college football. According to rule changes, there are now two transfer portal windows in place. The NCAA also shrinked the total number of days that the transfer portal will be open from 45 days to 30 days.
The first window is a 20-day period after College Football Playoff and bowl game selections are made (this will be Dec. 9 through Dec. 28) and the second window is a 10-day period in the spring (April 16, 2025 through April 25, 2025).
Players are only allowed to enter the portal during these two windows, but can commit to a new school or withdraw their name at any point. Graduate transfers are allowed to enter the portal whenever they want.
In the previous transfer portal cycle, Michigan State added 28 players from the transfer portal and lost 44 players. Some notable players that MSU landed from the portal cycle included quarterback Aidan Chiles, tight end Jack Velling, linebacker Jordan Turner, defensive back Nikai Martinez and more.
Keep up with all the latest Michigan State transfer portal news here:
-Dec. 3: Defensive end Ken Talley announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 5: Wide receiver Jaron Glover announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 6: Long snapper Jack Carson Wentz announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 6: Wide receiver Aziah Johnson announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 6: Defensive back Jaylen Thompson announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 6: Wide receiver Jaelen Smith announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 6: Defensive back Brandon Lewis announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 7: Wide receiver Antonio Gates Jr. announces intentions to enter transfer portal.
-Dec. 9: Offensive lineman Dallas Fincher enters the transfer portal.
-Dec. 9: Defensive lineman Avery Dunn enters the transfer portal.
-Dec. 9: Tight end Ademola Faleye enters the transfer portal.
-Dec. 9: Defensive back Philipp Davis enters the transfer portal.
-Dec. 9: Linebacker Aaron Alexander enters the transfer portal.
-Dec. 10: Cornerback Charles Brantley enters the transfer portal.
-Dec. 15: Middle Tennessee transfer wide receiver Omari Kelly commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 15: Oregon State transfer interior offensive lineman Luka Vincic commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 16: Kent State transfer wide receiver Chrishon McCray commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 16: Texas State transfer cornerback Joshua Eaton commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 17: Sacramento State transfer running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 17: Western Carolina transfer offensive lineman Caleb Carter commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 19: Florida state transfer defensive lineman Grady Kelly commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 20: Eastern Illinois transfer defensive back NiJhay Burt commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 22: Wake Forest transfer interior offensive lineman Matt Gulbin commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 22: UConn transfer cornerback Malcolm Bell commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 22: Wisconsin transfer outside linebacker/edge rusher Anelu Lafaele commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 23: Air Force transfer outside linebacker/edge rusher David Santiago commits to Michigan State.
-Dec. 23: Running back Joseph Martinez enters the transfer portal.
-Jan. 4, 2025: Central Michigan transfer wide receiver Evan Boyd commits to Michigan State.
-Jan. 6: BYU transfer linebacker Aisea Moa commits to Michigan State.
-Jan. 9: Valdosta State transfer wide receiver Rodney Bullard commits to Michigan State.
-Jan. 11: Montana State transfer offensive tackle Conner Moore commits to Michigan State.
Note: Idaho transfer tight end Mason Mini committed to Michigan State on Jan. 6, but he flipped his commitment to California on Jan. 8.
Michigan State Transfer Portal Acquisitions (16):
Running back, Sacramento State, Elijah Tau-Tolliver - career stats: 41 games played, 275 carries for 1,538 yards (5.6 YPC) and 14 touchdowns. He also had 48 receptions for 389 yards and two more touchdowns. Tau-Tolliver committed to Michigan State on Dec. 17.
Wide receiver, Middle Tennessee, Omari Kelly - career stats: 30 games played, 58 receptions, 970 yards, four receiving touchdowns, eight punt returns, 83 punt return yards, one punt return touchdown. Kelly committed to Michigan State on Dec. 15.
Wide receiver, Kent State, Chrishon McCray - career stats: 21 games played, 81 catches, 1,315 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns. He had 705 yards and nine touchdowns this past year. McCray committed to Michigan State on Dec. 16.
Wide receiver, Central Michigan, Evan Boyd - career stats: 12 games played, 21 catches, 302 receiving yards, two touchdowns. He has three years of eligibility remaining. Boyd committed to Michigan State on Jan. 4, 2025.
Wide receiver, Valdosta State, Rodney Bullard - career stats: 28 games played, 85 receptions, 1,567 receiving yards, 19 touchdowns, 17 kick returns, 433 kick return yards. Bullard committed to Michigan State on Jan. 9.
Offensive tackle, Montana State, Conner Moore - career stats: 31 games played, 27 starts. He was a AFCA second team All-American in 2024. Moore committed to Michigan State on Jan. 11.
Offensive lineman, Western Carolina, Caleb Carter - career stats: 34 total games played, 15 starts (12 in 2024). Carter committed to Michigan State on Dec. 17.
Interior offensive lineman, Wake Forest, Matt Gulbin - career stats: 40 games played, 22 starts. Gulbin committed to Michigan State on Dec. 22.
Interior offensive lineman, Oregon State, Luka Vincic - career stats: 22 games played, two starts at center in 2024. Vincic committed to Michigan State on Dec. 15.
Defensive lineman, Florida State, Grady Kelly - career stats: 38 games played, 98 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks. Kelly spent three seasons at Colorado State and one season at FSU. He committed to Michigan State on Dec. 19.
Outside linebacker/edge rusher, Wisconsin, Anelu Lafaele - career stats: no stats recorded. Lafaele was a former high-three-star in the class of 2024. He committed to Michigan State on Dec. 22.
Outside linebacker/edge rusher, Air Force, David Santiago - career stats: 10 games played, 38 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two quarterback hurries, three pass break-ups. Santiago committed to Michigan State on Dec. 23.
Linebacker, BYU, Aisea Moa - career stats: 17 games played, 17 total tackles, one forced fumble, 0.5 tackle for loss. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Moa committed to Michigan State on Jan. 6, 2025.
Nickelback/cornerback, Eastern Illinois, NiJhay Burt - career stats: 31 games played, 83 tackles, four tackles for loss, nine pass break-ups, six interceptions, one forced fumble. Burt committed to Michigan State on Dec. 20.
Cornerback, UConn, Malcolm Bell - career stats: 33 games played, 20 starts, 93 total tackles, 13 pass break-ups, one forced fumble. Bell committed to Michigan State on Dec. 22.
Cornerback, Texas State, Joshua Eaton - career stats: 43 games played, 56 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, 13 pass breakups. He spent three seasons at Oklahoma and two seasons at Texas State. Eaton committed to Michigan State on Dec. 16.
Michigan State Transfer Portal Entries (15):
Running back, Joseph Martinez - career stats: 11 games played, six carries, seven rushing yards. Martinez entered the transfer portal on Dec. 23.
Wide receiver, Antonio Gates Jr. - career stats: 14 games played, nine receptions, 131 receiving yards, one touchdown. Gates Jr. announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 7. Gates Jr. has not been on Michigan State's roster since October. He committed to FCS Delaware State on Dec. 31.
Wide receiver, Jaron Glover - career stats: 18 games played, 30 receptions, 455 receiving yards, two touchdowns, two rushing attempts, 20 rushing yards. Glover announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 5. He committed to Mississippi State on Dec. 13.
Wide receiver, Aziah Johnson - career stats: 15 games played, 16 receptions, 276 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns, one rushing attempt, 15 rushing yards, two kick returns, 32 kick return yards. Johnson announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 6. He committed to North Carolina on Dec. 20.
Wide receiver, Jaelen Smith - career stats: seven games played, one reception, 16 receiving yards. Smith announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 6 and committed to UTSA on Dec. 18.
Tight end, Ademola Faleye - career stats (at MSU): 11 games, two receptions, 18 yards. Faleye also played special teams. Faleye entered the transfer portal on Dec. 9. He committed to Washington State on Jan. 9.
Offensive lineman, Dallas Fincher - career stats: 32 career games played, two starts at center in 2023. Fincher entered the transfer portal on Dec. 9. He committed to San Diego State on Dec. 13.
Defensive lineman, Avery Dunn - career stats: 21 career games played, 41 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks. Dunn entered the transfer portal on Dec. 9. He committed to Toledo on Jan. 8, 2025.
Defensive end, Ken Talley - career stats: 15 games played, 11 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks. Talley announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 3. Talley committed to Arkansas on Dec. 16.
Linebacker, Aaron Alexander - career stats (at MSU): 24 games played, 12 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss. Alexander entered the transfer portal on Dec. 9. He committed to Arkansas State on Dec. 19.
Defensive back, Charles Brantley - career stats: 30 games played, 103 tackles, five interception, two pick-sixes, 18 PBUs, five tackles for loss, one sack. Brantley entered the transfer portal on Dec. 10. He committed to Miami on Dec. 21.
Defensive back, Philipp Davis - career stats: N/A. He did not appear in either the 2023 or 2024 seasons. Davis entered the transfer portal on Dec. 9. He committed to Marshall on Jan. 9.
Defensive back, Brandon Lewis - career stats: six games played, one tackle. Lewis announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 6. He committed to Saginaw Valley State on Jan. 1.
Defensive back, Jaylen Thompson - career stats: six games played, 17 total tackles, one pass defended. Thompson announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 6. Thompson committed to Memphis on Dec. 21.
Long snapper, Jack Carson Wentz - career stats (at MSU): six games played, 23 special teams snaps played. Wentz announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 6.
