The amount of talent that’s left East Lansing over the past five years truly needs to be studied. Michigan State football has been home to plenty of NFL players since the beginning of the Mel Tucker era in 2000, but way too many have transferred out before getting drafted.
Guys like Derrick Harmon, Keon Coleman, and Zion Young had all transferred out and have since become NFL players. Those are just a few off the top of my head, but there are even more future pros still at the college level like Alex VanSumeren, Sam Leavitt, Makhi Frazier, Katin Houser, and Nick Marsh who all decided to transfer out amid coaching changes.
Unfortunately, that’s the price that Michigan State has paid for changing coaches three times since 2019. Players often transfer out in search of a fresh start elsewhere.
Marsh may be the best player to transfer from Michigan State over the past few years and that includes Leavitt who was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 transfer in the portal. He finished the cycle as the top-ranked transfer and now he’s playing for Lane Kiffin and LSU. Marsh, on the other hand, will be playing for the reigning national champs in Bloomington.
And according to Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports, Marsh is one of the biggest impact transfers in college football ahead of the 2027 season.
This is what he had to say about Marsh as one of his top five most impactful transfers:
"Still, despite Aidan Chiles' struggles with accuracy and decision-making, as well as the inexperience of Alessio Milivojevic (whom I think is poised to make a leap in 2026), Marsh had a very strong season at Michigan State. He led the team with 59 receptions for 662 yards and 6 touchdowns. That production is likely to increase in Indiana's offense, where opponents will be preoccupied with Charlie Becker's vertical threat, opening up a lot of space underneath for Marsh. The Hoosiers have to replace Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr, and Marsh is ready-made to do just that."Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports
Marsh has some big shoes to fill with Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. moving on and Fornelli believes that the former Spartan is going to do so effectively.
It’s definitely a gut-punch seeing Marsh on an exclusive list like this for the most impactful transfers in college football but the Spartans also needed a fresh start. Marsh didn’t give Fitzgerald much of a chance, but who can turn down the opportunity to play for a national title contender?
It’s time for Michigan State to start winning and avoiding these high-profile outgoing transfers.
The transfer portal hasn’t been kind to Michigan State since K9
Kenneth Walker III was the last incoming transfer that really stood out as one of the best players in the country and since then, Michigan State has lost much more talent to the portal than it’s brought in.
The Spartans have had guys like Jacoby Windmon, Jonathan Kim, Nate Carter, Nikai Martinez, Ben Roberts, Luke Newman, Wayne Matthews III, Jack Velling, Jordan Turner, Malcolm Bell, Matt Gulbin, Luka Vincic, and Omari Kelly who have had positive impacts on the program after coming in via the transfer portal since 2021, but that’s not enough to turn a program around.
Those are all solid players, but players like Frazier, Jalen Thompson, VanSumeren, Dillon Tatum, Geno VanDeMark, Bai Jobe, Simeon Barrie Jr., Harmon, Andrew Depaepe, Coleman, Leavitt, Houser, Payton Thorne, Germie Bernard, Ricky White, and Kalon Gervin all transferred out and could have helped build something special in East Lansing. The amount of talent lost has been unreal.
Let’s hope this trend changes under Fitzgerald.
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