Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith holds a football as the team warms up before the game against Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

3 Top-Performing Transfer Portal Adds for MSU Football

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Finding quality players in the transfer portal is one of the most important responsibilities college football coaches have now. Thousands of players enter the portal every year now, and it's up to Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith and his staff to try and get as many good ones to East Lansing as possible.

Now, not every addition can be like what former Wake Forest running back Kenneth Walker III was to the Spartans, but Smith's team has a few difference-makers that were competing at other schools one year ago.

Here are some of the best gets for MSU from the transfer portal from this past offseason:

WR Omari Kelly (Middle Tennessee State)

Not only has former Middle Tennessee State wide receiver Omari Kelly been solid in his return to the Power Four level (he began at Auburn), but he's been the best pass catcher that the Spartans have got, at least statistically.

Kelly is first on the team in receiving yards (317) and receptions (21) through four games, even ahead of Nick Marsh.

In Michigan State's loss to USC, Kelly was one of the bright spots from the game, catching seven passes for 133 yards, which includes a 75-yard touchdown. He's also provided the biggest play of the season so far, catching the walk-off two-point conversion against Boston College.

It'll be his only season in East Lansing, but Kelly certainly appears to be making the most of it.

C Matt Gulbin (Wake Forest)

One of the big additions to Michigan State's offensive line has come in redshirt senior Matt Gulbin, who was previously at Wake Forest. He mostly played left guard during his time in the ACC, but MSU moved him to center, and he's done just fine.

What has made Gulbin so valuable is just how durable he's been so far. The Spartans have run 263 offensive plays this year; Gulbin's been in the middle of the o-line for every single snap, according to Pro Football Focus. He's the only one who has done that for Michigan State through four games --- even starting quarterback Aidan Chiles has gotten a couple of snaps off.

He's also been great. PFF gives him an overall grade on the season so far of 84.3, which is the second-best mark on the entire team (tight end Michael Masunas, 84.4).

CB Malcolm Bell (UConn)

So far this season, Michigan State's top cornerback has been UConn transfer Malcolm Bell.

According to PFF, Bell has only been targeted seven times and has only allowed 64 yards across 126 coverage snaps this year. In MSU's last two games combined, he's only allowed one catch for 10 yards.

He's also been involved in 10 total tackles and has a share of a tackle for loss. The Montreal, Quebec native also broke up a pass against Youngstown State.