Michigan State football: LB Quavian Carter enters the transfer portal

Michigan State football lost linebacker Quavian Carter to the transfer portal on Tuesday night after two years in East Lansing.

On Tuesday night, it was announced that Michigan State football linebacker Quavian Carter had entered the portal. The redshirt freshman will have three seasons of eligibility at his next school, with the potential for a fourth. He missed all of the 2023 season with injury.

This provides a bit of clarity towards the linebacker room, but not much.

Quavian Carter had potential, but never got to show it for Michigan State football

Carter was a member of Mel Tucker’s 2022 class. He came in as the No. 677 overall prospect in the nation, per 247Sports Composite. Originally, Carter was a safety in high school, but the Spartans saw his frame and length (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and elected to move him closer to the line of scrimmage. Carter was a major recruiting win for the Spartans, as, despite his lower ranking, the Lee County prospect held major offers.

Florida State, Ole Miss, Clemson, Michigan, Penn State, and Tennessee all came calling for his services. Ultimately, he chose the Spartans. 

In part due to this position change, Carter sat out all of 2022 while he redshirted. Entering 2023, he looked to put his name into the conversation for playing time. Unfortunately, he never got that chance. Carter was one of the many injuries at the linebacker position. He, along with Jacoby Windmon, Ma’a Gaeoteote, and Darius Snow all missed 8 or more games this season. With Mel Tucker’s firing and Carter’s primary recruiter Ross Els being let go, Carter elected to hit the portal.

With the flipping of Brady Pretzlaff last week on Signing Day, the linebacker room is loaded. Carter leaving provides some clarity, but his lack of playing time makes it hard to gauge where he stacked up. Jordan Hall, Jordan Turner, Cal Haladay, Aaron Alexander, and Snow are all vying for starting positions next year. Additionally, Pretzlaff, Gaoteote, and walk-on Jay Coyne (who saw the field on special teams and a handful on defense last year) all provide depth in Joe Rossi’s system. Jadyn Walker also could join the Spartans in summer camp, if the Spartans succeed in landing the Portage, Mich., native over USC. Also, who said Jonathan Smith and Rossi are done in the portal and recruiting yet?

Portal recap

Carter is the latest Spartan in the portal. He joins 2023 teammates Sebastian Brown, Maliq Carr, Geno VanDeMark, Dre Butler, Derrick Harmon, Khris Bogle, Zion Young, Jacoby Windmon, Charles Brantley, and Michael O’Shaugnassey as players yet to announce their destination in the portal.