Michigan State football: Jonathan Smith hints at another transfer addition

First-year Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith has heavily utilized the portal and he just hinted at another transfer addition.

Jonathan Smith has been absolutely killing it in the transfer portal this offseason. The first-year Michigan State football coach has landed about two-dozen transfers and a good chunk of them figure to have major impacts in 2024.

But Smith might not be done just yet.

While it is June already and the portal closed a month ago for new entrants, Smith hinted at potentially another transfer addition over the weekend after speaking at Wayne State.

Another portal addition? 👀 pic.twitter.com/UM6lwjFv7B

— John (@FromEastLansing) June 2, 2024

Smith was asked if everything was settled down now that the roster is set and he said, “Pretty close. Potential addition – maybe one.”

It’s obviously not a 2024 class recruit so it would have to be someone from the portal. And given Michigan State’s needs currently, my guess is that it would be a receiver. The Spartans’ receiving corps could use another weapon, especially after losing TJ Sheffield this offseason — he committed to transfer from Purdue and then reopened his recruitment.

There aren’t a lot of receiver transfers left, per 247Sports. Kentucky’s Raymond Cottrell Jr. is the top available receiver in the portal after playing his freshman season at Texas A&M in 2023 and transferring to the Wildcats in December. The former four-star hit the portal again after spring ball.

Michigan’s Karmello English, Colorado’s Tar’Varish Dawson, UCF’s Goldie Lawrence, and Ole Miss’ Zakhari Franklin are also top options at the position currently in the portal. All rank near the top 20 in available transfers.

Or maybe Smith is looking at the defensive line for someone like former four-star and top-200 recruit Johnny Bowens III from Oregon. Demetrice Martin has already helped the Spartans land Ben Roberts from the Ducks, so why not his defensive line mate Bowens? He appeared in three games on the defensive line with the Ducks in 2023 so he’d have four years of eligibility remaining. This would be an ideal addition.

It’ll be interesting to see who Michigan State football adds from the portal in the coming weeks.