East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State has received a commitment from transfer portal defensive lineman Ru’Quan Buckley, sources tell SpartanMag. The former Nebraska letter-winner committed to the Spartans on Monday.
Buckley has two years of eligibility left. He earned his first letter last fall, playing in eight games for Nebraska.
At 6-5, 295, Buckley fills a critical need for physically-mature interior defensive linemen at Michigan State following the departure of Simeon Barrow (Miami) and Derrick Harmon (Oregon). While Buckley, who played just nine games in two seasons at Nebraska, is unlikely to fill a starting role at defensive tackle for Michigan State this season, he does provide much-needed depth, and should have an opportunity to compete for spot in the two-deep.
Buckley – who grew up in Wyoming, Mich., a suburb of Grand Rapids – had an offer from Michigan State, as well as offers from Michigan, Florida State, Oregon and TCU out of high school. He chose the Cornhuskers among his 20+ offers. Now he has a chance to wrap up his college career close to home after graduating from Nebraska with honors in just three years.
Buckley made a trip to Michigan State on Saturday morning. He left impressed with the direction the new staff has the program headed.
Buckley was viewed as a developmental piece out of high school with raw traits and athleticism. After redshirting in 2021, he did not play in 2022, although he did make the travel roster for the Huskers. In 2023, he appeared in eight games on the defensive line before making a switch to offensive line late in the season. The plan is for him to play defensive tackle at Michigan State.
Buckley recorded one tackle in 2023 in a loss against Michigan. He was credited with a quarterback hurry in a non-conference game against Louisiana Tech.
Buckley was Academic All-Big Ten in 2022, 2023. He was awarded the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award in 2022 and 2023 as well as the Broook Berringer Citizenship Team and Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2023.
This spring, Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule was complimentary of Buckley.
“Ru’Quan’s one of those guys on the team that whatever room he’s in is a better room,” Rhule said this spring according to huskercorner.com. “He’s one of those fundamental leaders that raises the standard of everyone in the room. When he speaks, everyone listens; when he speaks, I listen.”
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