As if the instability of the NCAA’s transfer portal era hasn’t already overtaken college sports, particularly football, Friday night it reached a new level.
Michigan State football and Michigan made a virtual trade.
Shortly after losing starting safety Jaden Mangham to the rival Wolverines, the Spartans picked up a commitment from U-M transfer linebacker Semaj Bridgeman.
The 6-foot-2, 246-pound native of Philadelphia has all four years of eligibilty remaining after taking a redshirt during the Wolverines’ College Football Playoff championship season last fall. Bridgeman was a four-star recruit and the nation’s No. 300 overall player and No. 23 linebacker in the 2023 class, according to 247 Sports’ composite ratings.
OFFSEASON CHEAT SHEET:Can’t keep up with Michigan State football roster moves?
MSU faces U-M on Oct. 26 in Ann Arbor.
Bridgeman is new Spartans coach Jonathan Smith’s 24th incoming transfer since being hired in late November and 12th addition since spring practice ended April 20. He was the third player Friday to pledge to play this fall in East Lansing, along with safety Nikai Martinez (Central Florida) and cornerback Jeremiah Hughes (LSU).
With the Spartans, Bridgeman joins a linebacker room that continues to stockpile depth and talent under new defensive coordinator Joe Rossi.
Jordan Turner (Wisconsin) and Wayne Matthews III (Old Dominion) arrived in January as transfers, joining senior stalwart Cal Haladay, rising sophomore Jordan Hall, veteran Darius Snow and true freshman early enrollee Brady Pretzlaff during spring practice. MSU also picked up pledges in the past month from Marcellius Pulliam of Miami (Florida) and landed commitments from two of the state’s best linebackers for 2025 in Charles “DJ” White from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and DiMari Malone from Macomb Dakota.
Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
Subscribe to the “Spartan Speak” podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
