EAST LANSING — Michigan State redshirt sophomore linebacker Jeslord Boateng has entered the transfer portal, the third Spartan to do so on Friday. 

Boateng joins Devontae Dobbs and Davion Williams in looking for a new place to play next season. Boateng was unable to break into the starting linebacker lineup for coach Mel Tucker and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton, and was left in a reserve role behind Antjuan Simmons, Noah Harvey and Chase Kline. 

Boateng played 59 snaps for Michigan State in 2019, mostly as a reserve and on special teams, and was looking for an increased role in 2020. However, that role never came. The implementation of a new defensive system that has less linebackers on the field and the emergence of Harvey and Kline at linebacker pushed Boateng down the depth chart once again.

Boateng recorded only 10 tackles in his Michigan State career, but was positioned to compete for Simmons’ starting job next season. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Boateng is the type of long, quick linebacker that Tucker wanted in his 4-2-5 defensive system.

Boateng was ranked the No. 5 outside linebacker in Ohio by 247sports and was the No. 37 outside linebacker nationally in the 2018 class. Boateng was a three-star linebacker that held offers from Indiana, Kentucky, Iowa, Cincinnati and others. Boateng will presumably get another chance to play at the highest level in college.

Jared Ramsey is a football beat reporter for WDBM Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jared_ramsey22.