Michigan State football is gearing up for the first season of play under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Going through their first fall camp under Fitzgerald's regime, the Spartans are going to be shifting their focus to the season opener against Toledo in just a few short days.
With the conclusion of fall camp growing near, questions about the roster are being answered, and the Spartans depth chart is falling into form. While there is no official depth chart being released, yet, there has been enough information out there to gather who might be leading at each position.
Addressing the defense first, the Spartans have a good flare of returning veterans and incoming transfers that are both old and young. Check out how we believe the defensive two-deep depth chart is sorting out:
Defensive Line- DT1: Ben Roberts (R-SR)
- Backup: Carlos Hazelwood (R-SO)
- DT2: Eli Coenen (R-JR)
- Backup: Derrick Simmons (R-FR)
- DE: Keahnirst Thomphson (R-SR)
- Backup: Kekai Burnett (R-SO) OR Cal Thrush (R-FR)
- RE: Kenny Soares Jr. (R-SR)
- Anelu Lafaele (R-SO)
Adding three transfers into the mix as starters, the Spartans coaching staff hit this position group hard, and added some key veteran players. Trotting out three redshirt seniors, and another redshirt junior, the Spartans starting defensive line has a ton of experience. This group lacks depth, though, and the two deep is about as deep as it goes until things get worrisome.
Linebacker- MLB: Jordan Hall (SR)
- Backup: Dion Crawford (SR)
- WLB: Caleb Wheatland (R-SR)
- Backup: Brady Pretzlaff (R-SO)
- SLB: Dion Crawford (SR)
- Backup: Cam Stodghill (SR)
By far the deepest group the Spartans defense has, there is a solid mix of veteran experience with some young gunners that will be looking to earn their way onto the field. Led by captain Jordan Hall, transfers Caleb Wheatland and Dion Crawford are expected to play significant roles alongside the MSU leader.
Defensive Back- CB1: Tre Bell (R-SR)
- Backup: Tyran Chappell (R-SO)
- CB2: Charles Brantley (R-SR)
- Backup: Keshawn Williams (R-SO)
- NB: Michael Richard (SR)
- Backup: NiJhay Burt (R-SR)
- S: Nikai Martinez (R-SR)
- Backup: Aveon Grose (R-SR)
- S: Devin Vaught (R-JR)
- Backup: Evan Young (SO)
Another remodeled room via the transfer portal, the starting unit in the defensive backfield will have a ton of experience and is led by senior captain Nikai Martinez. Similarly to the defensive line, though, depth is a concern in the defensive backfield and staying healthy is of the upmost importance this fall.
Overall ThoughtsThe Michigan State staff did an outstanding job rebuilding the starting unit on defense, bringing in a ton of veteran leadership into the group with a ton of college game experience. Unfortunately, the depth is just not there with this group, and in the game of football, injuries are going to happen, and the Spartans do not appear to be equipped enough to deal with them.
If it is a clean year for the Spartans, and injuries stay limited, this could be a sneaky good group in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Projecting Michigan State football's defensive depth chart
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