Michigan State football can still bolster RB depth after La’Darius Jefferson transfer

Sophomore running back La’Darius Jefferson has entered the transfer portal which hurts Michigan State football’s depth at the position.

A week after teammates Connor Heyward and Brandon Bouyer-Randle entered the transfer portal, sophomore running back La’Darius Jefferson decided it was in his best interest to do the same.

The former Muskegon (Mich.) High School star was a quarterback at the prep level and led his team to the state title, but Michigan State’s staff saw him more as a running back than a dual-threat passer. He made the transition, added some weight and became a bruising back for the Spartans, flashing some effectiveness at the position as a true freshman.

With Elijah Collins rising as the No. 1 back, Heyward and Jefferson took a back seat and saw their carries essentially wiped away. They were both excellent in pass protection, but they couldn’t seem to find running lanes.

With Jefferson gone, that leaves Collins, Anthony Williams Jr. and Brandon Wright as the only scholarship backs left on the roster with Alante Thomas as a walk-on who has actually scored a touchdown this season versus Western Michigan.

What could possibly bolster the depth with this departure?

Assuming both Collins and Williams stay healthy, the staff could wait until the end of October and allow Brandon Wright to play with four regular season games left so he can retain that redshirt. On top of that, Weston Bridges, who made the move to receiver this offseason, could make the transition back to running back and he could make a difference there.

There’s plenty of depth at receiver right now and the bigger need is in the running back room — this move makes the most sense.

This is the new reality of the transfer portal, folks. Don’t think this has anything to do with locker room separation, but rather realizing playing time was at a premium with no light at the end of the tunnel.