MSU's Alex VanSumeren Taking Freshman Standout Under His Wing
In this story:
Every athlete needs a mentor, no matter what level of competition they're starting out at.
And it's all a cycle. They learn from those before them and then mentor the next wave of youth. It's one of the many great things about sports.
It wasn't long ago that Michigan State redshirt junior defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren was just coming in as a freshman looking to make his mark on the program, as his older brother, Ben, would by the time he left East Lansing and moved on to the NFL.
Now, VanSumeren is a veteran on the Spartans' defensive line, and while he's working to take the next step in his own career, he's making sure to be the leader and guide the freshmen the way several others had once guided him.
Derrick Simmons is a freshman defensive tackle who has been standing out this preseason, and with VanSumeren's help, he's only going to continue to develop after already showing he's ahead of most freshmen at his position.
"When I was a freshman, I had so many people take me under their wing," VanSumeren said. "I had Jacob Slade, Simeon Barrow, Derrick Harmon. I was able to learn from them. Maverick Hansen. And I got to pay it forward.
"I feel like it's my duty to pay it forward now to take him (Simmons) under my wing and teach him the stuff that I didn't know as a freshman. So, that's definitely been one of my points of emphasis -- trying to get him, as well as Mikeshun Beeler, give them all the information I can to make them the best players possible."
Derrick Simmons has impressed this preseason
The coaching staff has been impressed with Simmons so far. He's certainly a player who could be in the mix for impactful reps on the defensive side of the trenches this season.
"I think Derrick Simmons is not your normal freshman," said defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa. "Does that mean that he's better than the guys we have in our system now? No, that just means that he's a freshman that's come here, he's got a college-ready body. Physically, he's able to do the things that we can get done, which is different than most freshmen. So, yeah, he's different in that way."
Stay up to date with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on VanSumeren mentoring Simmons when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
