The second defender to hit the transfer portal became public on Friday evening. Just hours after Nate Carter announced that he would be entering the NFL draft, freshman defensive back Jaylen Thompson revealed his intentions of leaving Michigan State football.
The news was rather shocking seeing as he started the final three games of the season and showed plenty of promise. But with the news of his departure came the reason for it.
Unfortunately, it has to do with ailing family members.
Thompson reportedly told Ryan O'Bleness of SpartansIllustrated that he loves Michigan State but he needs to move closer to home due to health issues with his family.
Michigan State freshman DB Jaylen Thompson (@JaylenT06) tells @SpartansRivals he intends to enter the transfer portal.
— Ryan O'Bleness (@ryanobleness) December 6, 2024
Due to health issues within his family, he needs to return closer to home in Tennessee.
"I love Michigan State but I need to be closer to home."@RivalsPortal
The "I love Michigan State but I need to be closer to home" quote makes sense. You can't blame a kid from Tennessee for wanting to move back home to be close to his family so they can see him play football. The idea of being closer to a sick family member is a common one and Thompson is just doing something that most people in his situation would do.
Sure, he loves Michigan State and has a bright future where he'd likely be a key figure on the Spartans' defense, but he wants to head home to take care of family.
Two programs immediately stick out to me for Thompson and they are Tennessee and Vanderbilt but the latter is much closer to his hometown of Murfreesboro, Tenn. I wouldn't be shocked to see him suit up for the up-and-coming Commodores next season.
Thompson didn't want to enter the transfer portal and he loves Michigan State, but some things are bigger than football.