Michigan State gets transfer commitment from Iowa State defensive back Tre Bell
Bell will follow newly-hired cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat
Coach Pat Fitzgerald continued his rebuild of the Michigan State Spartans by securing the commitment of Iowa State cornerback Tre Bell from the transfer portal. Bell is following newly-hired cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat who was his position coach in Ames last year. Bell decided to commit to the Spartans after visiting East Lansing on Jan. 3.
Bell will have one year of eligibility remaining.
As a member of the Cyclones secondary, Bell played in all 12 games and started in eight. He played a total of 638 snaps, the fourth highest total on the team, and recorded 36 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, four passes defended and a forced fumble.
Prior to his time at Iowa State, Bell spent three years at Lindenwood University in the FCS which is located in St. Charles, Missouri near St. Louis. He redshirted his first year at Lindenwood, but played in all 10 games in both 2023 and 2024. Over two years, Bell made 48 tackles, broke up 11 passes, recovered a fumble and made one interception against Kansas.
As a high school prospect from Parkway West High School in Ballwin, Missouri, Bell was unranked. He originally committed to Lindenwood with the intention of playing both football and basketball, but he never wound up focusing solely on football.
After putting his name into the transfer portal, Bell is ranked as the No. 154 overall prospect and the No. 9 cornerback.
Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Tre Bell (7) takes down Kansas Jayhawks wide receiver Cam Pickett (7) after making a catch during the third quarter in the senior day on Nov. 22, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa (Photo credit: Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Bell is likely to compete immediate for playing time at the cornerback position. Cornerbacks Malcolm Bell, Josh Eaton, and Dontavius Nash have all completed their eligibility. In addition, rising sophomore Aydan West, senior Ade Willie, rising senior Jeremiah Hughes, and rising redshirt junior Chance Rucker have all entered their names into the transfer portal.
The only returning Spartans who took snaps at the cornerback position in 2025 are rising 5th-year senior NiJhay Burt (11 snaps), rising redshirt senior Anthony Pinnace III (10 snaps), and rising redshirt senior Dorian Davis (seven snaps).