Third Michigan State Football Starter Enters Transfer Portal
Michigan State Football has now lost three 2022 starters on the final day of the spring transfer portal window.
Hours after quarterback Payton Thorne and wide receiver Keon Coleman made their intentions to depart the program known, junior starting cornerback Charles Brantley's name also appeared in the transfer portal as well.
This is another massive blow to head coach Mel Tucker's program, as Brantley was expected to retain his starting position for the Spartans this fall. While MSU's much-maligned secondary has struggled in pass coverage over the last several seasons, Brantley was one of the Spartans' better players on the back end of the defense.
Brantley appeared in eight games at cornerback for Michigan State during his freshman season in 2021, earning his first start in Week 9 against Purdue. Unfortunately, the then-freshman suffered a season-ending injury against the Boilermakers. Brantley finished his first collegiate season with 18 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception.
The 6-foot, 185-pounder started all 11 games he played as a sophomore last season, missing only the season-finale vs. Penn State due to injury. Brantley led Michigan State in pass breakups with seven, and recorded the only interception by a Spartan defensive back in 2022, which he returned for a touchdown against Ohio State. The sophomore finished seventh on the team with 48 tackles, including one QB sack.
Michigan State's secondary was already thin, primarily at safety, before Brantley entered the transfer portal. Now, new cornerbacks coach Jim Salgado and the Spartans will be seeking for at least one more corner out of the portal as well.
As far as guys currently on the roster who have cornerback experience, MSU returns fifth-year seniors Chester Kimbrough and Justin White, as well as redshirt junior Marqui Lowery and sophomore Dillon Tatum. The Spartans also added Wisconsin transfer Semar Melvin this offseason, who recorded 16 tackles and three pass breakups across 23 appearances with the Badgers.
Redshirt freshman Ade Willie and three-star true freshman Caleb Coley (No. 456 overall player in 2023 class) could factor into Michigan State's cornerback rotation this season as well. Coley enrolled early with the Spartans and went through spring practice with the team.
Brantley is now the fifth Michigan State player to enter the transfer portal since the spring transfer window opened on April 15. He joins Thorne, Coleman, redshirt freshman defensive back A.J. Kirk and redshirt sophomore tight end/quarterback Hampton Fay.
For an updated look at Michigan State's incoming and outgoing transfers, click here.
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