Someone who was playing FCS football is now set to be a key component of a Power Four defense.
One of the mild surprises of the spring at Michigan State was the spot on the depth chart for Houston Christian cornerback transfer Tyran Chappell. He seems to be the No. 3 corner on the roster right now, likely behind Charles Brantley and Tre Bell.
Role for Chappell this Season
The reason why Chappell seems to be in that CB3 spot was his inclusion on the first team during spring. He and Bell were on opposite sides of the field, defending their respective receivers, during April’s “Spring Showcase” in Spartan Stadium. Brantley was unavailable that day and for pretty much the whole spring, which is why Chappell probably goes down to that third spot.
Being the third cornerback should mean that there will be competitive snaps for Chappell, though. Corners need the occasional snap off because they have to run so much and keep up with other wideouts. He’d also be just one injury away from joining the starting lineup. Chappell will absolutely have his opportunities.
That primary backup role will fit Chappell’s timeline pretty well. He’s just a redshirt sophomore, while Brantley and Bell will be sixth- and fifth-year seniors on their final seasons of eligibility, respectively.
Chappell’s extended timeline is a reason why he’s here, though. He’s No. 24 on my list for this season, but his ranking will rise quickly if he keeps climbing.
Chappell’s Time at Houston Christian
Three years of eligibility is a long way to go in a college career. Chappell was ranked 1,699th overall on On3’s transfer portal rankings and was 2,175th on 247Sports. That may be partially due to the lack of a flashy school or logo by Chappell’s name. “Michigan State lands transfer from Houston Christian” isn’t the most exciting headline, admittedly.
Chappell should’ve been ranked higher than that, though. He was one of the best corners the FCS level had to offer, especially when you filter it down to only freshmen. His 84.8 defensive grade on PFF was No. 27 among all corners in the lower half of Division I, and he was second among freshmen corners.
One of the biggest reasons for that is that Chappell is adept at taking the ball away from the other team. He racked up four interceptions during the 2025 season. That was tied for the most in the Southland Conference last year, also helping earn Chappell first-team all-conference recognition.
Chappell also totaled 11 pass defenses, seven pass breakups, 27 total tackles, and a pair of TFLs. The highlight of Chappell’s year was an 82-yard pick-6 against Northern Colorado on Sept. 20, 2025.
HCU had a pretty miserable season otherwise, finishing 2-10. Chappell was the only defensive player on the team to get first-team All-Southland honors. He was also the only freshman (or sophomore) to get first-team defensive honors, too.
The year before that, Chappell redshirted. He appeared in three total games and had half a tackle for loss during his collegiate debut at SMU.
As his starting spot of Houston Christian might also suggest, Chappell wasn’t the biggest recruit coming out of high school. He attended Ryan High School in Denton, Texas, the same place that former MSU cornerback Chance Rucker played (Rucker is now at Arizona State).
Things changed when Chappell hit the portal. He also had reported visits set up with Mississippi State and Arkansas, but Michigan State didn’t let him leave campus without committing.
More Reasons Why Chappell’s Future is Optimistic
MSU cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat also has a good history of finding and developing talent from hard-to-reach places or lower levels. Bell wasn’t even a starter when he was at Lindenwood, another FCS program. He wound up starting the final eight games of the Cyclones’ 2025 season and did pretty well.
Chappell is really more proven already from his time at Houston Christian than Bell was at Lindenwood. Coming into a situation where Chappell can get regular snaps, but not the pressure of being a true, full-time starter can be beneficial for him. He’s good enough to see the field, but getting that year to adjust from the leap from the Southland to the Big Ten is huge.
Brantley and Bell won’t be in the picture next season. If Chappell plays like somebody who can take on a true starting role in 2027, that role will go to him. Heck, position battles are never truly over. If somebody ahead of him underperforms or if Chappell exceeds expectations, he could just take over as a starting corner right away.
Another part that makes Chappell an interesting part of the Spartans’ future is his height at 6’3”. That makes him the tallest defensive back on the roster. Most guys that height or taller are told to swing on over to wide receiver or bulk up and play something else, because players that tall usually aren’t quicker players.
The advantage, though, is that it can better position Chappell for breakups or takeaways. Someone his height is a lot more likely to stretch out and get a hand on or intercept a 50/50 ball downfield than somebody who is 5’10” or 5’11”.
Chappell’s eagerness to join the Spartans also shouldn’t be ignored. He spurned visits to two SEC programs to commit to Michigan State on the spot, after all. He also was the second publicly announced transfer portal commitment, doing so on Jan. 4, hours after UConn offensive tackle Ben Murawski became the first.
Overall, Chappell isn’t a totally finished product yet, but he’s still already shown enough from his time at the FCS level that he gets a spot here. Players have successfully made jumps from the FCS or below to the Power Four before. It probably will not be one big leap for Chappell, but he was doing enough during the spring that he’s commanding snaps already.
That’s why Chappell is here at 24th overall. If he’s still here at this point in 2027, I expect him to be higher than that.
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