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Freshman wide receiver Hunter Rison announced his decision to transfer from Michigan State to Kansas State over the weekend. He’ll play under Hall of Fame football coach Bill Snyder.
Blessed to say I will be furthering my athletic and academic career at Kansas State University! #EMAW pic.twitter.com/5AmjdgM3ky
— Hunter Rison (@hunterrison) January 20, 2018
The move is not all that surprising, as Rison’s visit to Kansas State was expected this weekend. His father, former Michigan State wide receiver Andre Rison, seemed to think it was the perfect fit.
"So, hopefully we go and he doesn't come back. It's his decision but in my eyes it's a perfect fit." - Andre Rison on son/MSU transfer Hunter Rison visiting Kansas State this weekendhttps://t.co/X8o7WcUzFe
— Matt Wenzel (@mwenzel2) January 18, 2018
Rison is the second former Spartan wide receiver to choose a transfer school in the past week, as Trishton Jackson recently announced he’ll be continuing his college career at Syracuse. Attrition has already hit Michigan State’s depth pretty hard so far in the early offseason.
Rison played in 12 games for the Spartans as a true freshman. He caught 19 passes for 224 yards and zero touchdowns in 2017, while adding 11 rushing yards on three carries.
The emergence of fellow freshman Cody White likely had something to do with Rison’s decision to leave. Rison was the higher-ranked recruit, but White outplayed Rison throughout the season, and set the Michigan State true freshman receiving record with 490 yards.
MSU also returns its top receiving duo from this past season — Felton Davis III and Darrell Stewart. So both Rison and Jackson figured to be down on the depth chart, but would have seen action in four or five-receiver sets.
Per NCAA rules, Rison will have to sit out the 2018 season, but will still have a full three years of eligibility left afterward.
Rison was a higher-rated recruit than any of Kansas State’s 2017 or 2018 recruits, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. While the talent level between Michigan State and Kansas State is quite lopsided in favor of the Spartans, Rison will surely see more playing time at K-State, and has a real chance to be a star for the Wildcats.
There is a connection for the Risons there as well. Andre played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1997 through 1999. Kansas City, Missouri is less than a two-hour drive from Manhattan, Kansas, where KSU is located.
I hate to see such a talented player leave Michigan State, but I’m sure it was the right decision for him. Best of luck, Hunter.