Michigan State football: Jaden Mangham disappointingly visiting Michigan

After spending the last couple of seasons with Michigan State football, Jaden Mangham is planning a Michigan visit.

Transferring to your rival is one of the most disappointing things you can do as a college athlete. It just doesn’t happen often and it rarely does between Michigan and Michigan State football. The most recent was linebacker Ben VanSumeren who was buried on the Michigan depth chart and saw hope at Michigan State with his younger brother.

Michigan fans called him a traitor and Michigan State fans loved him for the move.

Well, the reverse may happen in the near future with starting safety Jaden Mangham. The recent transfer portal entrant is taking some interesting visits this upcoming week to Ohio State, Nebraska, and then Michigan — yes, you read that correctly.

Ex-Michigan State standout safety Jaden Mangham is expected to visit Ohio State this weekend, Nebraska starting next Monday and Michigan next weekend, sources tell @247Sports.

The former four-star recruit had 52 tackles and four interceptions as a sophomore last season.… pic.twitter.com/CTmbj5PE78

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) May 7, 2024

After hitting the transfer portal along with his older brother Jaren Mangham (who transferred to Minnesota on Tuesday), Mangham received immediate interest from top programs. The honorable mention All-Big Ten selection was rumored to have garnered interest from Alabama but it looks like there are three Big Ten teams atop his list. And one of them is a huge no-no if you truly consider yourself a Spartan.

Mangham may not end up choosing Michigan but the fact that he has a visit planned to Ann Arbor to check out the Spartans’ most hated rival is just insane to me. That move immediately revokes his Spartan card.

Seeing how Michigan has been in this rivalry both on and off the field and then choosing to give them a shot in your transfer recruitment is some dirty work and it can be only described as snake-like.

If Mangham picks Michigan, you better believe the current Spartans will be putting in a little extra effort with him on the field. If he chooses Ohio State, well, the same can probably be said. But picking Michigan would be an all-time dirty move in the rivalry.

It almost feels like rivalries don’t mean anything to some of these guys in the portal and NIL era.