Pat Fitzgerald is not messing around in the transfer portal. The first-year Michigan State football coach has picked up a handful of commitments since the portal opened on Jan. 2, and he’s nowhere near done.
Official visits are being scheduled left and right, and commitments are starting to roll in after the first weekend of hosting transfers.
Michigan State had already landed guys like Tyran Chappell, Ben Murawski, Rhys Dakin, and Devin Vaught, but there are sure to be more commitments in the coming days as Fitzgerald teased at least 3-4 more on his official X account.
Well, one of them has become public.
On Monday afternoon, Michigan State officially signed former Maryland starting linebacker Caleb Wheatland who transferred to Auburn for the 2025 season.
Michigan State has signed Auburn linebacker transfer Caleb Wheatland, @chris_hummer and I have learned.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 5, 2026
Before Auburn, was a starter at Maryland and posted 83 combined tackles in 2023 and ‘24. pic.twitter.com/dGWJfuVxp0
In his final two seasons at Maryland, he had 83 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and three pass deflections. He only played in three games at Auburn under Hugh Freeze who was fired in early October. By playing in just three games, he was able to retain a redshirt and one more year of eligibility.
Wheatland will now be headed back to the Big Ten to provide some linebacker depth in East Lansing, and potentially fight for a starting spot alongside Jordan Hall.
Caleb Wheatland provides valuable experience
Michigan State is returning Hall and rising underclassman linebacker Brady Pretzlaff along with DeJae White for 2026. The linebacking corps will be one of the top units on the team, and adding an experienced player like Wheatland is only going to help matters.
Max Bullough is the co-defensive coordinator as well as the linebackers coach, and after missing out on Notre Dame transfer Josh Burnham, it makes sense that he wanted to find another experienced backer who could cut it in the Big Ten.
Enter, Wheatland.
After being incredibly productive in his final two seasons at Maryland, he became a coveted transfer in the 2025 portal before committing to Auburn. Unfortunately, his one year at Auburn was turbulent and he was buried in a loaded linebacker room under a head coach who was on the hot seat.
Now, he’s getting one final chance back in the Big Ten where he has proven to be a solid pass-rushing linebacker. His 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks while at Maryland proves that he can hang at this level, and will be a valuable addition.
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker from Virginia is rated an 85 on 247Sports.
Bullough will have some nice pieces to work with in 2026.