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Michigan State Football: Could Jackson Cravens be an option again?

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - AUGUST 31: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans looks on while playing the Utah State Aggies at Spartan Stadium on August 31, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 38-31. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - AUGUST 31: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans looks on while playing the Utah State Aggies at Spartan Stadium on August 31, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 38-31. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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After entering his name in the transfer portal, could Michigan State football recruit Utah defensive tackle Jackson Cravens again?

Mufi Hill-Hunt was Michigan State’s main recruiter in the case of three-star defensive tackle Jackson Cravens from Provo, Utah, in the 2018 class.

The cousins had a strong relationship and if Cravens did pick the green and white, it likely would have been due to the fact that Hill-Hunt, a familiar face, was already in East Lansing — but he picked Utah in the end. But Cravens is looking for a new home after entering his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal on Monday.

Going back to those recruiting days, Cravens was high on the Spartans along with Oregon, Arizona and Boise State while holding over a dozen other offers.

Will that list stay the same following his decision to transfer? It’s possible, especially since the Spartans will need some defensive tackle depth over the next couple of seasons. Sure, Cravens would likely be forced to sit out during the 2019 season due to transfer rules — pending some sort of waiver — but with Raequan Williams and Mike Panasiuk both graduating following the season, there will be two big voids in the middle.

Naquan Jones is expected to take a starting spot when those two are gone, but there will be an opening beside him up for grabs. Cravens could be the perfect replacement for Williams and Panasiuk.

Will the Spartans go after him? That’s the biggest question mark here, along with his interest in the program still. Would he want to move further away from home to play for a program that no longer has his cousin who, too, announced his intention to transfer this offseason?

If he’s as high on the Spartans now as he was in the recruiting process, this fit would be a no-brainer. However, things change. Don’t be surprised, though, if the coaching staff reaches out, or vice versa.

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This fit makes sense for both sides given the need at the position in a year, but the Spartans have to hope the interest level is still high from Cravens.

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