Michigan State football: Standout WR transfer expected to visit Spartans

Michigan State football will be getting a major visit from Troy standout receiver Jabre Barber. This would be a game-changer.

Transfer season is in full swing, and Michigan State football has made a lot of noise so far. The Spartans are far from done working the transfer portal, and they have their eyes set on their next target.

Jabre Barber plans to visit MSU

Standout wide receiver Jabre Barber announced he is entering the transfer portal today, and it already sounds like Michigan State is one school who will get a visit from him.

Kansas State, Michigan State and Mississippi State are early teams expected to get visits from Troy standout wide receiver Jabre Barber, a source tells @247sports.

Barber, who entered the portal today, posted 75 catches, 999 yards and five TDs this year.https://t.co/RiaHirhoSK pic.twitter.com/Fim6lapymc

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 27, 2023

Barber has spent the last three seasons at Troy. He had a slow start to his career as a freshman and sophomore, but he took a massive leap forward this past season as a junior. This year, Barber caught 75 passes for 999 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran the ball three times for 16 yards, showing his potential as a running threat as well.

Barber helped lead Troy to an 11-3 record this season and an 8-1 finish in the Sun Belt. His team won the Sun Belt championship game against Appalachian State where Barber caught five passes for 37 yards. Troy lost their bowl game to Duke a few days ago 17-10. But that didn’t stop Jabre from having an outstanding game with 10 catches for 107 yards.

As the post above shows, Kansas State and Mississippi State also expect to get a visit from Barber, too. As with any solid transfer, it will be tough to win this recruitment as many programs want to grab a seasoned receiver to help improve their roster.

Barber’s fit at MSU

I think Barber would be a fantastic fit in East Lansing. MSU has playmakers at wide receiver already on the roster, but there isn’t much proven talent quite yet. Barber would be able to come in and compete for a starting spot immediately, which I’m sure is a requirement for him.

He would also be a perfect fit to add to the wide receiver room from MSU’s perspective as well. Any new coach and first-time starter at quarterback need a reliable receiver they can depend on. And that’s exactly who he can be for Jonathan Smith and Aidan Chiles. Barber has already proven he can be a productive receiver in college, so pairing him with a legit quarterback in Chiles could be a perfect fit.

There is no timeline yet for a decision from Barber, but I do expect it to take some time. As I mentioned, he just announced he is transferring today and plans to make at least three visits to schools. So we will have to be patient as this recruitment develops, but he is definitely a name Spartan fans will want to keep an eye on.