MSU's Best Defensive Players at 2025 Season's End
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Michigan State did not have its best season on the defensive side of the football in 2025.
The Spartans were 104th in total defense, struggling to stop teams from running the football or having success through the air.
Despite the poor showing, new head coach Pat Fitzgerald brought back defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, believing he could turn things around defensively with better talent. Rossi’s defense played better when he moved from the booth to the sideline at the end of the season.
MSU’s defense was poor, but it was not all bad. The Spartans did some good things on that side of the ball, and several of those players will return in 2026.
Who were MSU’s defensive leaders last season, and how can Fitzgerald utilize them in 2026?
Let’s break down the Spartans’ top performers on defense.
Leading tackler - Jordan Hall (88)
The junior linebacker shattered a career-high in tackles and became one of the top players in the conference at his position.
Hall was constantly around the football in 2025, bouncing back after a down 2024 season that saw him only total 24 tackles all season. After taking his demotion in stride and stepping up as a leader in 2025, Hall managed four and a half tackles for loss as well.
Fitzgerald should love Hall’s leadership, tenacity, and toughness, and he should be a pillar of MSU’s defense in 2026. Expect Hall to take another step forward in his final season in East Lansing.
Sack leader - three players tied (Hall, Jalen Thompson, Quindarius Dunningan: 2.5)
Since we already talked about Hall and Dunnigan being out of eligibility, let’s focus on the bounce-back season Thompson had off the edge.
The soon-to-be senior defensive end did not have a sack in 2024, but he totaled two and a half this season, which was a career-high. The Spartans did not rush the passer effectively enough last season, but Thompson showed flashes of consistency from that spot.
MSU needs more players getting after the quarterback next season, and Fitzgerald and Rossi expect Thompson to be a part of that group. He must finish his Spartan career strong.
Interception leader - five players tied (Hall, Malik Spencer, Armorion Smith, Aveon Grose, Wayne Matthews III)
Hall really was Michigan State’s best player, huh?
He picked off Dylan Raiola in a game MSU should have won, while the other four feasted on bad quarterbacks.
Spencer got his second career interception against Iowa’s Mark Gronowski, Smith picked off YSU’s quarterback Beau Brungard, Grose picked off Maryland’s Malik Washington, and Matthews intercepted WMU’s backup Brady Jones.
Fitzgerald and Rossi should prioritize defensive takeaways next season, or this Spartan defense will continue to struggle.
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Carter Landis studied journalism at Michigan State University, where I graduated in May of 2022. He is currently a sports reporter for a local television station and is a writer covering the Michigan State Spartans