Michigan State running back Jaren Mangham enters transfer portal: What it means & what’s next
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State running back Jaren Mangham has entered the transfer portal, per On3 national reporter Pete Nakos. Mangham entered as a graduate transfer. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Mangham (6-2, 241) spent the spring with the Spartans. He was in pads for Michigan State’s Spring Showcase on April 20, but he did not participate in contact drills or the scrimmaging portion of the event. It’s unclear whether he was dealing with any physical ailments.
Mangham, a sixth-year senior, spent one season at Michigan State. He missed the first six games of the 2023 season due to injury, but earned 105 snaps over the last six games. Mangham finished the season with 30 carries for 81 yards. He also caught seven passes for 37 yards.
The Detroit native spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons at South Florida. He played in four games in 2022 to preserve his redshirt. The year before, Mangham led the Bulls with 671 yards and 15 touchdowns on 160 carries. He played in all 12 games that season and started eight of them.
Mangham began his career playing for former Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker at Colorado. Mangham spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Boulder. He played in just four games during the COVID-altered 2020 campaign. The year prior, as a true freshman, Mangham carried the ball 107 times for 441 yards and three touchdowns.
Overall, Mangham has totaled 344 carries for 1,322 yards and 23 touchdowns over the course of his 38-game, five-year career.
A former three-star recruit out of Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech High School, Mangham was the No. 470 player in the 2019 class, per the On3 Industry Rankings. He was also the No. 39 running back and No. 11 player from Michigan in his class.
What it means for Michigan State’s running back room
Including Mangham, four Michigan State running backs have entered the portal this spring. Redshirt senior Jalen Berger, redshirt junior Davion Primm and redshirt freshman Jaelon Barbarin are the others.
But Michigan State has added to its running back room as well. The Spartans landed a transfer commitment from former UMass running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams on April 23. Lynch-Adams, a redshirt senior, ran for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns on 236 carries last season. He also caught 20 passes for 118 yards.
Michigan State was once in the mix for former Georgia running back Andrew Paul, but talks between the two parties cooled following Lynch-Adams’ commitment.
Between Lynch-Adams and starter Nathan Carter, Michigan State has two experienced running backs on its roster. True freshman Brandon Tullis, who received extended reps during the Spring Showcase, is also in the room, along with walk-ons Joseph Martinez and Chris Williams. True freshman Makhi Frazier will join the team this summer.
Mangham joins offensive guard Geno VanDeMark, offensive tackle Ethan Boyd, offensive guard Andy Hartman, defensive back Marqui Lowery, defensive back Eddie Pleasant, defensive back Sean Brown, defensive end Bai Jobe, defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, defensive end Andrew Depaepe, defensive tackle Simeon Barrow, kicker Stephen Rusnak, long snapper Drew Wilson, running back Jalen Berger, tight end Jack Nickel, running back Davion Primm, running back Jaelon Barbarin and linebacker Ma’a Gaoteote as Michigan State players who are currently in the transfer portal.
The spring transfer portal window closes at the end of the day Tuesday.
Michigan State’s Jaren Mangham (1) runs during the second half of the Indiana versus Michigan State football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. – Rich Janzaruk, USA TODAY Sports
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