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PORTAL UPDATE: Michigan State lands former Florida State DT Grady Kelly

On3 imageby: Jason Killop12/20/24KillopOn3
Florida State DL Grady Kelly
(Ben Spicer | Warchant)

Michigan State received a transfer commitment from former Colorado State/Florida State defensive tackle Grady Kelly on Thursday. He announced his commitment via social media.

Kelly (6-2, 295) just completed his redshirt junior season this fall. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Kelly three seasons at Colorado State before transferring to Florida State, where he played one season. The Navarre, Fla., native appeared in 38 games in his time the two programs, including 12 this season for the Seminoles.

Kelly has posted 98 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three pass break-ups over his four-year career. Most of that production came at Colorado State, where he logged 79 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pair of pass break-ups. He recorded 19 tackles, one sack and one pass break-up in his lone season in Tallahassee.

Kelly earned Freshman All-American at Colorado State in 2022. In 2023, he was the second highest-graded player on the Rams’ defense, finishing with a final grade of 74.6, per Pro Football Focus.

Kelly is a three-star transfer prospect, per the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings. He was the No. 28 defensive lineman in the portal, according to On3.

A former three-star prep prospect out of Navarre (Fla.) High School, Kelly was the No. 1,659 player in the 2021 class, per the On3 Industry Rankings. He was also the No. 124 defensive lineman and No. 214 player from Florida in his class.

Kelly will provide experienced depth in Michigan State’s defensive tackle room. The Spartans are set to graduate starters Maverick Hansen and D’Quan Douse at the position.

Michigan State is expected to return redshirt sophomores Alex VanSumeren and Ben Roberts and redshirt juniors Ru’Quan Buckley and Jalen Satchell. Mikeshun Beeler will enter his second year with the program after taking a redshirt in 2024.

The Spartans also signed three-star Frankenmuth (Mich.) defensive tackle Derrick Simmons on Dec. 4.

Kelly represents Michigan State’s seventh transfer portal commitment of the cycle. He joins a pair of offensive line commitments in Caleb Carter (Western Carolina) and Luka Vincic (Oregon State), former Kent State speed receiver Chrishon McCoy, former Middle Tennessee State deep threat receiver Omari Kelly, former Sacramento State running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver and former Oklahoma/Texas State cornerback Joshua Eaton.

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