The transfer portal is integral for roster building in this era of college sports. Michigan State doesn't have as much roster turnover as most programs, but it's a fact of life now. Since the transfer portal debuted in college basketball following the 2018-19 season, MSU has accepted eight players. Here is every one of them: Joey Hauser (2019) Joey Hauser was the very first portal addition for Tom Izzo and the Spartans in this new era. He is probably one of the final athletes that the NCAA made sit out a year after he transferred from Marquette, missing the 2019-20 season. Hauser played three seasons for Michigan State, averaging 10.5 points per game. He was at his best as a fifth-year senior, averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting 46.1% from behind the arc. He is now a video assistant with the Brooklyn Nets. Tyson Walker (2021) Next up is Tyson Walker, who began his career at Northeastern. Walker averaged 13.7 points across his three years at Michigan State, which includes 18.4 points per game during his fifth-year senior season. Walker is now playing in Australia for Melbourne United. Szymon Zapala (2024) Izzo didn't take any transfers during the 2022 and 2023 offseasons. He finally went back to the well ahead of the 2024-25 season, one of the additions being Szymon Zapala, who had spent time at Utah State and Longwood before joining MSU. Zapala finished with 36 points in his lone season with the Spartans, helping the Spartans win a Big Ten regular-season title and reach the Elite Eight. He averaged 4.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Zapala spent this season with Trefl Sopot in his home country of Poland. Frankie Fidler (2024) The big addition that offseason was Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler. He had averaged 20.1 points per game in the year before his move to Michigan State. Fidler's season with the Spartans didn't go as planned, averaging just 7.0 points per game, but he still had his moments as a high-level scorer. Fidler spent this past season with Rigas Zelli in Latvia. Denham Wojcik (2025) Starting the big, four-person 2025 portal class is Denham Wojcik. The son of associate head coach Doug Wojcik, Denham transferred in from Harvard. His status as Doug's son opened him up to lots of scrutiny, but Wojcik still had to step into a key role down the stretch of the season as the team's primary backup point guard. Trey Fort (2025) Joining the team last season was Samford convert Trey Fort. He ended up having an eventful college career, starting at UT-Martin, then Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Howard College, Mississippi State, Samford, and Michigan State. That's six schools in six years. Fort averaged 4.2 points per game during his lone season with MSU. He peaked at the right time, making some key shots during the Spartans' postseason run, including a 12-point game against Louisville in the second round of March Madness. Divine Ugochukwu (2025) MSU also got Miami (FL) transfer Divine Ugochukwu last offseason. He was supposed to be the Spartans' primary backup point guard for Jeremy Fears Jr., but had a shift to two-guard and suffered a season-ending injury in early February, which forced Wojcik into action. Ugochukwu averaged 5.1 points per game this season, starting 12 of his 22 appearances. Ugochukwu is back in the transfer portal, with two more seasons of eligibility remaining. He's the only player on this list to transfer to Michigan State and to then transfer again. Kaleb Glenn (2025) Set to take on a sizeable role next season is Kaleb Glenn. He transferred in from Florida Atlantic last offseason, but missed the 2025-26 campaign with a knee injury. Glenn, who began at Louisville, averaged 12.6 points and 4.8 rebounds as a sophomore at FAU while shooting 41.0% from deep. His recovery last season went well enough that he was helping run the scout team towards the end of the season. Anton Bonke (2026) The latest name to be added to the list is Charlotte transfer, Anton Bonke. He's still testing the NBA Draft waters, but Bonke is much more incentivized, both on the basketball and financial fronts, to stay in college. He averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks this past season for the 49ers. Standing at 7-foot-2, Bonke will be the tallest player to come through East Lansing in a while.
The Pittsburgh Steelers still don't know if Aaron Rodgers is going to return for another season. However, they won't just sit around and wait for him to make up his mind, and even though they will welcome him with open arms, they need to think about the future. That's why they took Drew Allar in the third round of the draft. He may not play a single snap in 2026, but the Steelers are sending a clear message: They're ready to move on. Steelers take the most intriguing QB prospect in Drew Allar At this same time last season, Allar was one of the consensus top-10 picks and best quarterback prospects for this year. A disappointing season and a season-ending injury took a massive hit on his draft stock, thus leading some to think he would fall to the fourth or fifth round. Clearly, the Steelers didn't want him to be the one who got away, and knowing that they should have at least one year to develop him, this was a solid move by GM Omar Khan. Allar has all the physical tools to be a successful NFL quarterback, even drawing comparisons to Josh Allen at one point. The technique and decision-making need refining, but that's what Mike McCarthy is there for. Rodgers doesn't take these moves lightly. The Jordan Love pick signaled the beginning of the end for him in Green Bay, especially given that they didn't keep him in the loop. Whether he's been in touch with the Steelers is anybody's guess, so it's even harder to know if they gave him a heads-up of some sort. Whatever the case, Allar could be in a great situation in 2027, whether it's taking over Will Howard, Mason Rudolph or — even better for his development — a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Day 2 is officially in the books; all eyes are now on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) of the 2026 NFL Draft, which kicks off on Saturday. It's the final opportunity for teams to find value, depth pieces and potential gems for starting roles. Day 2 was filled with surprising picks, prospects falling and more. For those who fell, some return to the best-player-available board, along with new faces. Here are the best players available heading into Day 3: Jermod McCoy, defensive back, Tennessee McCoy returns to the list after having a drastic slide during days one and two. He has the potential to be an impact starter on Day 1, but his medicals are very concerning to NFL organizations. He's coming off an ACL tear in 2025. Potential landing spot: New Orleans Saints Why: The Saints lost top corner Alontae Taylor in free agency and are still looking for a high-potential replacement. They've been linked to McCoy pre-draft as a potential high-upside addition with his athletic ability and versatility. Skyler Bell, wide receiver, UConn Bell is going to be a great value pick early on day three. He's a vertical threat with 4.4 speed. He displays good route-running with no wasted motion and change-of-direction ability, areas critical for creating separation. Potential landing spot: Las Vegas Raiders Why: The Raiders are still in need of a developmental piece with starter upside. He fits Kubiak's system that favors a YAC threat who can win post-catch and across the middle of the field. Bell thrives as a slot or Z in timing-based systems. Kyle Louis, linebacker, Pittsburgh Kyle Louis has the ability and potential to be an every-down linebacker. He is an ideal roving "big nickel" or hybrid linebacker in a nickel-heavy defense. He was once projected as an early-day two selection. Potential landing spot: Jacksonville Jaguars Why: The Jaguars played nickel at high rates in 2025. Louis would add coverage versatility and playmaking ability to replace Devin Lloyd in sub-packages. He's a great value with their multiple picks on day three. Keionte Scout, defensive back, Miami Despite his age, he's a nickel corner who displays good instincts in both man and zone coverage. He has a good feel for when to drive and anticipate routes. Potential landing spot: Baltimore Ravens Why: Under new head coach Jesse Minter, the Ravens need young, versatile pieces along with a primary nickel defender. Overall, he's the perfect fourth-round selection. Mike Washington Jr., running back, Arkansas Washington Jr. is a physical, two-down running back with good contact balance at the point of attack. He's a patient runner with good burst upfield to separate from the first level. He's likely to set the tone early for NFL teams. Potential landing spot: Carolina Panthers Why: The Panthers need a strong complement to Chuba Hubbard after free agency moves. Washington's power and speed would create a strong 1-2 punch in a physical NFC South run game.
The 2026 NFL Draft is officially in full swing after Thursday night's opening round in Pittsburgh. While the top of the draft order mostly stayed true to form and did not deliver many surprises, there were some first-round picks that stood out more than others and raised some eyebrows. Here are the five most head-scratching picks from the first round: Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (No. 3 overall) Love had been one of the most fascinating players as the draft approached. That was evident by the Cardinals deciding to select him third overall and passing up an opportunity to address needs on the offensive line and at edge-rusher. At that point, linebacker Arvell Reese was still on the board, in addition to several options for an OL upgrade. Instead, the Cardinals focused on a position they did not need to so soon in the draft, especially if you consider the recent history of RBs going in the top three. Love's talent is clear, but if Arizona does not put the pieces around him, this does not look like an immediate fix. Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (No. 12 overall) This not as much to do with Proctor and more about the Dolphins passing up opportunities to draft safety Caleb Downs or local fan-favorite Reuben Bain Jr. The upside is there with Proctor, especially if he is given time to develop. However, the Dolphins let multiple key players go elsewhere and decided to take the chance on Proctor after swapping picks with the Dallas Cowboys. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson (No. 13 overall) Entering the draft, many projections had Simpson either going in the second round or late in the first round, potentially with a team moving up to get him. Neither of those scenarios happened on Thursday when the Rams took him with the 13th overall pick. There is no denying Simpson's athleticism and arm talent, but there were plenty other positions of need that the Rams could have addressed first. For instance, USC wide receiver Makai Lemon was a popular pick to address some depth issues at the WR position. Instead of focusing on other positions and taking a higher projected player, the Rams elected to go with Simpson as a long-term option at QB behind veteran Matthew Stafford. It may work out in the end, but it was a shocking choice by a team with other needs. Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Caleb Banks (No. 18 overall) The Vikings had many areas of need entering Thursday, including at DT. That alone makes their decision to draft the Florida DT at No. 18 one that makes sense in that regard. With that said, he was widely projected to be mid-to-late second-round pick. Banks boasted the longest recorded wingspan at the combine since 1999 and adds a lot of power to the defensive line at 6-foot-6, 327 pounds. A left foot fracture prior to the combine, though, raises some doubts and makes this a risky pick at the moment. Dallas Cowboys edge Malachi Lawrence (No. 23 overall) What makes this selection at No. 23 interesting is the fact that Dallas inherited the pick after its NFC East-rival Philadelphia Eagles swapped picks and drafted Lemon at No. 20 to bolster its WR room. Additionally, the Cowboys selected a player who was projected to go in the second round and has trouble turning the corner consistently against tackles. There is certainly some upside there for a rebuilding defense, but also a low floor for a first-round pick.
