Candidates to Lead MSU in Tackles
The Michigan State Spartans are aiming for a bounce-back season in 2025, seeking to qualify for a bowl game under Jonathan Smith.
MSU did some good things on defense last season, but a late-year collapse caused them to sputter down the stretch and miss a bowl for the third consecutive season.
It takes time for coaches to build programs – in most cases – so Smith and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi could turn things around this season. Making a bowl game would show significant improvement and encouraging development from the program.
MSU’s leading tackler from last season, Jordan Turner, is off to the NFL, so Rossi is looking for someone to step up and make plays on the ball.
Which Spartans have the best shot at leading the team in tackles in 2025?
Let’s identify three defenders who could do it.
Linebacker Jordan Hall - Hall is the most obvious candidate to lead the team in tackles.
Taking over as the middle linebacker, Hall will be in the middle of almost every defensive play. He is instinctual and should be a high-level run defender next season.
Hall was 13th on the team in tackles last season, which should increase as his role grows. Don’t be surprised to see Hall have his name atop the leaderboard.
Safety Malik Spencer - The senior was second on the team in tackles in 2023, but that number dropped in 2024 after missing three games.
Spencer had only 44 tackles last season, but 73 in 2023. Getting back healthy on the field will allow Spencer to boost his numbers again and possibly make his way to the NFL. He is a solid run defender and will make lots of tackles in the passing game.
MSU will lean on Spencer as a leader on defense, so they expect him to be one of their top playmakers. That should lead to a high number of tackles.
Safety Nikai Martinez - Another defensive back candidate, Martinez finished third in tackles last season with 51.
Martinez played in 11 games, missing only the Prairie View A&M game. If he can appear in all 12 games, he could add a solid number of tackles to his stat sheet.
Martinez is a high-IQ defensive back who was a consistent playmaker on that side of the ball last season. Another year of that could be just what this team needs.
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