Grading MSU's Defensive Position Groups Post-Portal
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Michigan State football’s defense is going to be pretty interesting next fall.
The Spartans are going to have an interesting blend of both newcomers and returners. It’s not much more of a hard reset compared to the offense, where almost everything looks different from this point last year.
Pat Fitzgerald’s decision to retain defensive coordinator Joe Rossi is a reason for this. Rossi fits Fitzgerald’s blueprint of a blue-collar guy with lots of experience coaching and recruiting in the Midwest and within the Big Ten. Keeping linebacker Jordan Hall was also a massive, massive retention as well.
There is lots to go through on the defense. Let’s grade out where MSU stands at each defensive position group, starting from the interior and moving outwards.
Defensive Line: D+
The biggest concern on the roster right now is the team’s defensive line, coached by Winston DeLattiboudere III. This already was a weakness of the 2025 version of the Spartans, and the haul Michigan State ended up getting in the transfer portal is a little underwhelming.
Out on the edges, MSU added Weber State transfer Keahnist Thompson and SEMO transfer Trey Lisle. Both of those schools are at the FCS level. Thompson had 4.0 sacks in nine games this past year, which includes a 1.5-sack at Arizona, with him also getting a tackle for loss against James Madison.
Lisle is more of a project piece with three years of eligibility left and a massive 6-foot-7, 246-pound frame. He had 4.5 TFLs and half a sack last season.
Michigan State’s interior took a bigger hit. The departure of Alex VanSumeren to USC in the portal was one of the biggest losses for MSU this offseason. The Spartans also lost Grady Kelly, Jalen Satchell, and Ru’Quan Buckley to the exhaustion of their eligibility. Ben Roberts is the biggest returning piece.
There were just two portal additions to buff the interior d-line. Michigan State added Illinois transfer Eli Coenen and Toledo transfer Carlos Hazelwood. Coenen was a backup for the Fighting Illini, but still a part of the regular playing rotation. Hazelwood played fewer than 100 defensive snaps in 2025 at Toledo.
Something else to keep an eye on for the future here is N.C. State transfer Kenny Soares Jr. He played linebacker at his previous stop and hasn’t rushed the passer a ton during his career, but he is listed as an EDGE on the team’s spring roster.
Linebackers: A-
Perhaps the best position group on MSU’s roster is the linebackers. Coached by program legend Max Bullough, the Spartans will have no shortage of quality options on their defense’s second level.
Of course, it still starts with Hall. If there was one player from last season’s defense to bring back, it was him. Hall already stuck with Michigan State through one coaching change despite the option of being a coveted portal prospect when MSU went from Mel Tucker to Jonathan Smith. Now, he’s sticking through the switch from Smith to Fitzgerald to play for his third non-interim head coach in four seasons.
There are other quality guys around him, too. Michigan State went and got a blend of players who have a history of production and can rush the quarterback.
Auburn transfer Caleb Wheatland had 83 tackles and 7.5 sacks across his 2023 and 2024 seasons at Maryland. Buffalo transfer Dion Crawford racked up 140 total tackles, 20 TFLs, and 12.0 sacks across his last two seasons.
Cornerbacks: B+
Charles Brantley’s return to the green and white elevates the ceiling of this group greatly. He was perhaps the best individual player the Spartans had in 2024, intercepting three passes while allowing no touchdowns and a completion percentage under 40%, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s like his transfer decision to Miami (FL) never happened and he just took a gap year.
On the other side of the field will likely be Iowa State transfer Tre Bell, who followed new cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat over from Ames. Bell, who started his career at FCS Lindenwood, started the final eight games of the Cyclones’ games this season. On3 ranks Bell 398th overall and 36th among corners in the portal, making him one of the team’s top gets.
Safeties: B
Another “gap year” kind of situation is the return of Nikai Martinez. He never transferred out, but the 2025 season was supposed to be it for him at the collegiate level. After injuries kept him to just four appearances, Martinez was able to redshirt and opt to stay in East Lansing for another season.
Martinez was pretty impressive during his 2024 season. He ended up playing 99 more defensive snaps than anyone else, for one, but he also only allowed one touchdown to two interceptions, according to PFF. His presence out there was definitely missed a fair bit out there during the ‘25 campaign.
While Martinez roams the free safety position, there is likely to be one of three people next to him at strong safety. One candidate is Louisiana Tech transfer Michael Richard, who has had a productive career at the Group of Five level that includes three picks last season. There is a chance that Richard gets used as a nickelback, though.
Another transfer it could be is Maine import Devin Vaught. He’s had six interceptions in two years of college football and was a second-team All-CAA honoree this past season, often playing strong safety. It could also be returnee Aveon Grose, who started the 2025 season finale against Maryland.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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