Michigan State Loses 2nd Player To Spring Transfer Portal Window
Michigan State suffered another loss to its spring roster on Thursday when redshirt sophomore defensive back A.J. Kirk entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.
While he was listed on MSU's spring roster, Kirk did not participate in the 'Spartan Football Kickoff' open practice which occurred this past Saturday.
Kirk, a former three-star recruit out of Columbus, Ohio in the 2021 recruiting class, did not appear in a game for the Spartans during his two seasons in East Lansing. Nine out of the 18 players that Michigan State signed in the '21 class, head coach Mel Tucker's first with the program, have now departed the program via a transfer.
The Spartans' 2021 class was put together primary viz Zoom calls and virtual visits due to the COVID-19 restrictions on recruiting. While half of the class has now transferred out of the program, it did produce several prominent contributors such as wide receiver Keon Coleman, offensive lineman Geno VanDeMark, cornerback Charles Brantley and defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.
Ranked No. 583 overall and the No. 47 safety prospect in his class, according to 247Sports' Composite rankings, Kirk was MSU's fifth-highest ranked prospect of the 2021 recruiting cycle.
Kirk's submission to the portal comes just two days after quarterback-turned-tight end Hamp Fay also decided to transfer from Michigan State. Like Fay, the path for Kirk to get on the field for the Spartans this season was murky, at best.
Sophomore DBs Jaden Mangham and Malik Spencer, each of whom are younger than Kirk, are the current suspected favorites to start at safety for MSU in 2023. There's a chance the Spartans could turn to the portal themselves to add more depth at the safety spot this spring ahead of summer conditioning.
The spring transfer portal window opened on April 15 and will remain until the 30th. Former Michigan State defensive end Itayvion Brown, who was dismissed from the team after being charged with felony gun charges in March, entered the portal this past Saturday. Michigan State has lost 12 players to the transfer portal since the end of the 2022 season.
“I’m not sure how much attrition we’ll have,” Tucker said after the Spartans' final spring practice. “We’ll see how things go. We may be able to add a couple players. These next couple of weeks will be critically important for that. The portal can be somewhat unpredictable so we’ll keep a close eye on it.”
For the latest updates on Michigan State's transfer additions and losses, click here.
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