Michigan State football adds Florida CB Chester Kimbrough via transfer portal
Mel Tucker hinted that the passage of signing day would not stop his reworking of Michigan State football's roster.
Cornerback Chester Kimbrough, a Florida sophomore in the NCAA transfer portal, announced Friday night on Instagram he plans to transfer to MSU and play for the Spartans.
"I plan on taking my talent to Michigan State," Kimbrough said on a video. "They got a good program over there, they produce a lot of DBs, a lot of athletes period. I like competition period, so Michigan State's where it's at."
The 5-foot-11, 167-pound sophomore from New Orleans played in 17 games the past two seasons for the Gators, logging 15 tackles and three pass deflections. He entered the transfer portal in late December before Florida's appearance in the Cotton Bowl and will be immediately eligible and have three years remaining, thanks to the NCAA's blanket waivers that do not count the 2020 season.
Kimbrough was a three-star recruit out of Warren (Louisiana) Easton High, ranked as the No. 45 cornerback in the nation in the in the 2019 class, according to 247Sports.com's composite rankings. He picked Florida over Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan and Texas among his 23 offers.
PANDEMIC PLANNING: New Michigan State football players on how COVID-19 changed their recruitment
COACH WATCH: Why Cass Tech's Thomas Wilcher, one of state's top coaches, is ready to make college leap
RECRUITING: Full list: Michigan State football and basketball recruits (with highlights)
The Spartans have an opening at cornerback with the departure of Shakur Brown to the NFL draft. Sophomore Kalon Gervin started six of MSU's seven games this fall at the other cornerback spot.
Kimbrough becomes the seventh scholarship transfer added by Tucker since the 2020 season ended. Five of them — QB Anthony Russo (Temple, one year), RB Kenneth Williams III (Wake Forest, three years), OL Jarrett Horst (Arkansas State, “at least” two years), DE Drew Jordan (Duke, one year), and CB Kendall Brooks (Division II North Greenville, S.C., “at least” two years) — enrolled at MSU in January along with Division III walk-on transfer DB Spencer Rowland. The Spartans also have a transfer commitment from former Auburn RB Harold Joiner III, who is expected to join the program in the summer.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football adds Florida CB Chester Kimbrough via transfer
