Michigan State adds CB transfer from Miami who spent five seasons at Iowa

A week ago, Michigan State coach Mel Tucker said the team could add a cornerback transfer soon.

That’s exactly what happened as former Miami and Iowa cornerback Terry Roberts has joined the program, a team spokesman confirmed on Thursday. Roberts was seen and tagged in a program Instagram video earlier in the day.

It is the second time Roberts, 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, transferred this offseason. After spending five years at Iowa, he transferred to Miami in the winter but entered the portal again last week with one season of eligibility remaining.

A former three-star prospect from Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pa., Roberts signed with Iowa’s 2018 recruiting class and didn’t play while taking a redshirt as a true freshman. He had 47 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries over in 33 games with four starts over the last four seasons.

Michigan State CB Charles Brantley made ‘mature decision’ removing name from transfer portal

The addition of Roberts comes after the Spartans picked up a trio of transfer commitments in the spring in Cincinnati safety Armorion Smith, Colorado defensive tackle Jalen Sami and Nebraska receiver Alante Brown. TCU cornerback Kee’yon Stewart committed to the Spartans on May 6 and less than two weeks later flipped to Arkansas.

Roberts will bring experience at a position Michigan State doesn’t return much of and to a pass defense that finished last in the nation in passing yards allowed per game (324.8) in 2021 and last in interceptions (two) in 2022. Starting cornerback Charles Brantley removed his name after a brief stint in the portal following spring practice and that was following the loss of two veterans at the position.

Ameer Speed was picked by the Patriots in the sixth round of the NFL draft in April and Ronald Williams also used his final season of eligibility in 2022. Marqui Lowery battled injuries over the last two seasons after transferring from Louisville and there’s youth in the mix.

Dillon Tatum played different positions as a true freshman last season before starting at cornerback in the finale against Penn State and spent the spring settling in at that spot. Caleb Coley, Ade Willie and Malcolm Jones also played as true freshmen last season, Wisconsin transfer Semar Melvin joined the team in the winter and the Spartans signed defensive backs Chance Rucker, Eddie Pleasant III, Sean Brown and Philipp Davis to their 2023 recruiting class.

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