Coach Smith and the Spartans Hope Woods' Commitment Opens the Recruiting Floodgates

With the number of players entering the transfer portal, Michigan State and Coach Jonathan Smith are already facing their first crisis together.

Smith has been tasked with turning things around for the Spartans but will have to find a way to overcome their issues on the recruiting trail. Michigan State plans to use the transfer portal to help with this.

Smith and the Spartans were recently able to secure the commitment of one of the best defensive backs available in the transfer portal. Ed Woods, a cornerback in the transfer portal after spending time at Arizona State, recently committed to Michigan State after strongly considering Alabama.

According to 247Sports, “Woods was one of the top players in the NCAA Transfer Portal, as he was Arizona State’s best-returning defender and one of the top corners in the PAC-12 in 2023, per Pro Football Focus. He was the 4th-best uncommitted corner in the spring window.”

Woods is only a three-star athlete. The chances of him singlehandedly changing the Spartans’ recent luck on the field are pretty slim. However, the fact that he chose Michigan State over a football powerhouse like Alabama could make him the poster child for Smith’s recruiting efforts and his efforts in the transfer portal.

Smith and his coaching staff already had an uphill battle this offseason when it came to finding and securing talent to come to East Lansing. The Spartans had issues retaining the players on the roster when Smith arrived in town. As Smith aims to turn Michigan State’s recent luck around, he will undoubtedly have to do so by having a productive recruiting class and finding a way to lure talent from the transfer portal. 

Michigan State will regularly go up against the top schools like Alabama for commitments from the best recruits. Up until the Woods commitment, it was unreasonable to think many, if any, players at all would choose Michigan State over Alabama. Still, Woods’ commitment could be the one that changes that for the Spartans.

All it takes is one player to start a trend. Smith and his coaching staff hope Woods’ commitment to Michigan State boosts their recruiting efforts. The number of Spartans players entering the portal is a boost that Smith and the Spartans desperately need.

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