Michigan State lands former Michigan linebacker Semaj Bridgeman via the transfer portal
Michigan State received a commitment from transfer portal linebacker Semaj Bridgeman on May 14, following a weekend official visit to East Lansing that began on May 10. Bridgeman spent the 2023 season with in-state rival Michigan. He entered the portal after a redshirt season in Ann Arbor.
Bridgeman did not see the field in 2023. He was a four-star recruit out of Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Academy. Bridgeman committed to the Wolverines over offers from Penn State, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Oregon and LSU, among others, out of high school.
The linebacker did not announce his portal offers via social media. His visit to Michigan State was the only reported visit of his portal recruitment. Bridgeman was the No. 382 player and No. 31 linebacker in the 2024 On3 Transfer Portal Rankings.
Bridgeman has four seasons of eligibility remaining. The Spartans needed a young, talented addition to its linebacker room, which is expected to graduate seniors Jordan Turner and Cal Haladay after the 2024 season.
Michigan State also added Miami (FL) linebacker Marcellius Pulliam to their transfer portal class on Friday. Pulliam (6-4, 220) could line up in multiple roles in the defense. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Like Pulliam, Bridgeman is originally a class of 2023 recruit. Current Spartan sophomore Jordan Hall was the lone high school linebacker signee of Michigan State’s 2023 class. Michigan State defensive coordinator Joe Rossi signed just one linebacker – in-state product Brady Pretzlaff – in the class of 2024 as well.
