Former Michigan State Linebacker Enters Transfer Portal

After sitting out of spring practice, a former Spartan linebacker has officially entered the transfer portal...

The spring transfer portal window opens on Tuesday (April 16) for 15 days, and one Michigan State player who was not listed on the Spartans' spring roster has officially entered.

On Monday, redshirt sophomore Ma'a Gaoteote announced via social media that his name was in the transfer portal, as the three-year Spartan will look to continue his collegiate career elsewhere.

Officially in the Transfer Portal!! pic.twitter.com/AhOTnlJmFW

— Maa Gaoteote (@MaaGaoteote) April 15, 2024

This is the second time Gaoteote has entered the portal, having done so the first time in January 2022 following his true freshman season at MSU. However, Gaoteote withdrew his name just two weeks later to remain with the Spartans. During his first two seasons at Michigan State, the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder played 119 snaps on defense and 105 on special teams. He totaled 15 tackles, with one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in 20 games played. Gaoteote missed the entirety of the 2023 season after suffering an upper body injury during spring practice last year.

Geoteote was a four-star prospect and ranked in the Top 175 in the class of 2021, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He was the first four-star that former head coach Mel Tucker landed at Michigan State, having flipped the Las Vegas, Nev. product from a prior commitment to USC.

However, Gaoteote was never able to break through and become a regular part of the Spartans' linebacker rotation. Much of that was due to the depth MSU has enjoyed at the position over the last several years. This offseason, Michigan State added two veteran transfer linebackers in Wayne Matthews III from Old Dominion and Jordan Turner from Wisconsin. The Spartans also return redshirt senior Cal Haladay and sophomore sensation Jordan Hall at the position.

The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spring Showcase) will be held at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 p.m.

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