Michigan State Football: Ranking all transfers for the 2021 season

Michigan State football will have many new faces and a good portion of them may start for the Spartans this upcoming season.

Mel Tucker is in his second season (technically) and first full year as the head coach of the Spartans and he will look to transfers to help Michigan State rebound from a losing effort last year.

Let’s rank Michigan State’s 15 transfers ahead of the 2021 season.

Honorable Mention

Info: Player profile
Former team: Mississippi State
Eligibility: Two years with possibly a third as he did not play in 2020
Position: Tight end
High school recruiting rating: 2-star
Expected role: Reserve and special teams player and he is a preferred walk-on for this upcoming season.

Info: Player profile
Former team: North Greenville
Eligibility: Two years with possibly a third as he sat out in 2020
Position: Cornerback
High school recruiting rating: N/R
Expected role: Reserve and special teams player

A transfer from Divison II North Greenville, Kendall Brooks is entering his junior year. As a cornerback who sat out last season, he looks to add depth at the defensive back position. He played the two previous seasons at the Division II level. He and Spencer Rowland, who is a grad transfer and a Division III first-team All-American from Wheaton College, will look to contribute possibly on special teams this upcoming season.

Info: Player profile
Former team: Louisville
Eligibility: Four years
Position: Cornerback
High school recruiting rating: 3-star
Expected role: Compete for playing time at one of the cornerback positions and to possibly start and contribute on special teams

It’s no secret that the Spartans went into the transfer portal looking for cornerbacks. Marqui Lowery does not have much experience in college, but he is talented and has four years to develop under Mel Tucker and the Spartans’ system. This season as he learns the Michigan State defense, he looks to add much-needed depth to the Spartan secondary and possibly contribute heavily on special teams.

Info: Player profile
Former team: Arizona
Eligibility: Four years
Position: Cornerback
High school recruiting rating: 3-star
Expected role: May push for a starting position and compete for playing time at one of the cornerback positions

Under Mark Dantonio, Michigan State ran a run-preventing 4-3 defensive scheme. Mel Tucker runs a 4-2-5 defense with an emphasis on stopping the opposing team’s passing game. In Tucker’s defense, an extra defensive back is used as a nickel corner. Crump and possibly Lowery could play and even start at the nickel corner this upcoming season. Crump, like Lowery, has limited experience playing in college but both are defensive backs which is an area of need for the Spartans this season and both are young and looking to prove themselves in hopes of getting playing time.

Info: Player profile
Former team: Louisville
Eligibility: Four years
Position: Wide receiver
High school recruiting rating: 3-star
Expected role: Backup at the receiver position and a contributor on special teams

Christian Fitzpatrick played in one game last season earning a start in Louisville’s regular-season finale against Wake Forest. He was hampered by injuries last season and he will be a good addition to the Spartans’ receiving corps. Fitzpatrick looks to get playing time this season with the expectations that he will start at one of the wide receiver positions in 2022. He played high school football in Southfield, Mich., and coming back to his home state to play for the Spartans could be a perfect change of scenery.

Info: Player profile
Former team: Duke
Eligibility: One year
Position: Defensive end
High school recruiting rating: 4-star
Expected role: Compete for a starting defensive end position and at worst a backup role with plenty of action

Having started for the majority of his time playing at Duke from his time as a sophomore to senior year in Durham, Drew Jordan is looking to contribute a lot for the Spartans this season in East Lansing. Having so many players transfer out, there were certain position groups that the Spartans looked at in the portal when trying to convince players to transfer in.

However, the defensive line is not the most concerning position of need on Michigan State’s defense. But he is a proven leader on and off of the field and he is an experienced player. He also can be named as the starter at one of the defensive end positions in week one and he is a very positive addition to a potentially solid Spartan defense this season.