Michigan State football: Charles Brantley withdraws name from transfer portal

After being in the portal for a couple of weeks, Charles Brantley has decided to return to Michigan State football.

This seems to be a recent trend with Michigan State football. Players enter the transfer portal, weigh their options, and still decide to come back to the Spartans. This trend does happen elsewhere, but not nearly as frequently as we’re experiencing in East Lansing.

This time, it’s cornerback Charles Brantley who is withdrawing his name from the transfer portal and coming back to MSU.

Michigan State starting cornerback Charles Brantley has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal, @chris_hummer and I have learned for @247Sports.

Brantley has been a starter for the Spartans the last two years.https://t.co/j5boVOJvcT pic.twitter.com/KKFNuUMv7X

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 29, 2023

Charles Brantley MSU career

Brantley suffered an injury early this past season and only appeared in the Spartans first three games. In those games, he accounted for 10 tackles including four in both the Washington and Central Michigan games.

Brantley’s best statistical season by far was 2022. During that season, he racked up 48 tackles, a sack, and an interception that was returned for a touchdown. His freshman season in 2021, however, was when Brantley had the biggest play of his career. He caught the game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter that sealed Michigan State’s 37-33 comeback victory over Michigan.

Significance of Brantley’s return

Charles Brantley’s return is massive for two reasons.

First, he brings back a lot of experience. Brantley may not be the best defensive back on the Michigan State football roster, but he has played in East Lansing for three years and that experience is crucial. As a two-year starter, he also knows how to prepare and get ready for games week after week. This knowledge and experience is huge, especially for underclassmen. So Brantley can definitely be a leader for the team this year.

Brantley coming back also says a lot about Jonathan Smith and the coaching staff. As I mentioned, players enter the portal and still choose to return to their former school everywhere. But the frequency we are seeing it happen at MSU is special. The one thing this tells me that excites me the most is that the culture is changing.

The culture at Michigan State was in question after what happened last season. But Coach Smith has seemingly changed that immediately and has all his new players and former Spartans buying in.

Welcome back, Charles Brantley.