EAST LANSING, Mich—Less than 48 hours removed from the completion of the regular season, Mel Tucker and the Michigan State Spartans returned to the transfer portal, receiving a commitment from former Wisconsin Badger running back Jalen Berger. 

As a recruit, Berger was a highly coveted player receiving offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, and Penn State, before ultimately committing to Wisconsin. 

Let’s work🟢⚪️ Where my spartan fans at?👀 @PeaglerWilliam pic.twitter.com/bV37ZAu0Pl

— Jalen Berger (@JalenBerger) November 29, 2021

He was a four-star rated prospect out of national power Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) according to 247Sports, and the No. 136 ranked player in the country within the 2020 recruiting class. Berger was also rated as the No. 15 ranked running back in the country. 

Berger, a 6-foot, 205-pound back, entered the transfer portal on Oct. 14th, following his dismissal from the Badger football team on Oct. 12th. The dismissal was a surprise to some of his Badger teammates and Badger fans after Berger was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list to start the season; he lost the starting job to Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi. 

In 2020, Berger led the Badgers in rushing with 301 yards on 60 carries, to go along with two rushing scores in four games. Before leaving the program, he ran for 88 yards and one score on 24 carries in three games against Eastern Michigan, Michigan and Notre Dame.

Berger will be the youngest Spartan in the backfield next year with any college ball experience with Kenneth Walker’s draft decision looming, and the possibility of some of Walker’s fellow backfield teammates entering the transfer portal.