MSU DT Kyle King enters portal, Dowell transfers to Pittsburgh

MSU defensive tackle Kyle King practices his stance during fall practice/ Photo Credit: MSU Athletic Communications

Manit Patel, General Assignment Reporter
January 1, 2022

EAST LANSING, Mich—Michigan State football’s defensive line room saw another depth player enter the transfer portal, this time as reserve defensive tackle lineman Kyle King entered the portal on Friday afternoon.

On the same day, redshirt junior safety Michael Dowell announced that he has transferred to Pittsburgh. Dowell, who compiled 40 tackles in 2021, appeared in 32 games during his time in East Lansing dating back to 2019. He also compiled 83 career tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and five pass deflections.

King, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound redshirt freshman from Greenfield, Indiana, played his high school football at New Palestine High School and was rated by 247Sports as the No. 7 overall recruit in Indiana and the No. 45 strongside defensive end prospect within the 2020 class.

He appeared in MSU’s 31-21 Peach Bowl victory over No. 12 Pittsburgh and appeared in eight games overall in 2021. In his MSU career, King collected four tackles and one tackle for loss, all coming in 2021. He served as a consistent depth option behind the likes of Jacob Slade, Simeon Barrow, Maverick Hansen, Jalen Hunt and Dashaun Mallory.

King received 17 offers during his recruitment, with other notable offers aside from Michigan State including Air Force, Central Michigan, Indiana, Navy, Purdue, and Western Michigan. 

He is the 16th scholarship player to enter the transfer portal and the third defensive lineman after defensive ends Jack Camper and Alex Okelo. Dowell will have two years of eligibility remaining while King will have four.

Dowell is the third Spartan who has entered the portal since September to commit to a new school, after former cornerback Kalon Gervin transferred to Kansas and former linebacker Chase Kline transferred to Eastern Michigan.