Michigan State football to host one of best transfer portal RBs

Michigan State football is looking for help at the running back position after losing its top two rushers this offseason.

Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams was a breath of fresh air as a bruising running back this season but the UMass transfer exhausted his eligibility and will be looking to make a name for himself at the next level. Also this past week, Nate Carter decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to enter his name into the NFL draft after a two-year Spartan career.

That leaves Michigan State with no experienced running backs. Makhi Frazier and Brandon Tullis are returning for their second seasons and Jace Clarizio and Zion Gist will be joining the roster this offseason as freshmen.

So Jonathan Smith knows he needs to hit the portal to address the running back spot.

And he’s already working on that.

According to a report from Justin Thind, Michigan State will be hosting New Mexico running back transfer Eli Sanders on Monday after he rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2024 with the Lobos. Not only did he rush for over 1,000 yards but he averaged 7.2 yards per carry.

NEWS: #MichiganState will host transfer RB Eli Sanders on December 9th, he tells me.

The #NewMexico transfer rushed for 1,063 yards & 9 TDs in 2024 – good for 7.2 YPC. The Spartans just offered him moments ago.

One of the best RBs in the transfer portal. pic.twitter.com/PNJIlJtrpa

— Justin Thind (@JustinThind) December 7, 2024

That yards-per-carry average is more than intriguing. Anything over 5.0 yards per touch for a running back is good, in my opinion, but over 7.0 is otherworldly. You don’t often see an average like that.

But Sanders’ final four games of the season were dominant, to say the least. He rushed for 607 yards and five touchdowns in his final four games, breaking the 100-yard mark in each contest. On top of his 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground this year, he caught 15 passes for 134 yards, showing he can also be a threat in the passing game.

Sanders will have plenty of interest in the portal, but you have to love seeing Smith being proactive here. He can sell a starting job to Sanders and also promise an improved offensive line.