← the board · drewhoover.com · 2024–2026
Michigan State's best defenders since 2024
Wayne Matthews III leads with 106 tackles in 21 games at Michigan State; Nikai Martinez had 105.
Every defender with 5 or more games at Michigan State since 2024, ranked by tackles; the lines are each player's tackles game by game, the top 8 drawn. A link opens the player's page, where he has one, or his row on the board.
87 defenders with 5+ games at Michigan Statetackles
| # | player | seasons | games | tackles | sacks | tackles for loss | interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne Matthews III | 2024–2025 | 21 | 106 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 2 | Nikai Martinez | 2024–2026 | 22 | 105 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 3 | Alex VanSumeren | 2024–2025 | 19 | 68 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 4 | Jordan Turner | 2024 | 12 | 66 | 3 | 12 | 2 |
| 5 | Ed Woods | 2024 | 12 | 49 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 6 | Malcolm Bell | 2025 | 12 | 49 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | Devin Vaught | 2026 | 7 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Ben Roberts | 2024–2026 | 18 | 45 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| 9 | Quindarius Dunnigan | 2024–2025 | 19 | 42 | 3.5 | 10 | 0 |
| 10 | Dion Crawford | 2026 | 6 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | Armorion Smith | 2024–2025 | 14 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | Isaac Smith | 2025–2026 | 17 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | Brady Pretzlaff | 2024–2026 | 11 | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | Cam Stodghill | 2026 | 5 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | Anthony Jones Jr. | 2024 | 12 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 16 | Grady Kelly | 2025 | 10 | 25 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 17 | D'Quan Douse | 2024 | 9 | 25 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 18 | David Santiago | 2025 | 12 | 24 | 1.5 | 4 | 0 |
| 19 | Aveon Grose | 2024–2026 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Ru'Quan Buckley | 2024–2025 | 15 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 21 | Kenny Soares Jr. | 2026 | 6 | 22 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 22 | Jalen Satchell | 2024–2025 | 11 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | Joshua Eaton | 2025 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Aydan West | 2025 | 7 | 19 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | Caleb Wheatland | 2026 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Anelu Lafaele | 2025–2026 | 10 | 18 | 4.5 | 5 | 0 |
| 27 | Michael Richard | 2026 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | Jaylen Thompson | 2024 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Eli Coenen | 2026 | 7 | 16 | 3.5 | 5 | 0 |
| 30 | Tre Bell | 2026 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 31 | Justin Denson | 2024–2025 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Keahnist Thompson | 2026 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 33 | Dontavius Nash | 2025 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 34 | Cam Williams | 2025 | 9 | 13 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 35 | Aisea Moa | 2025 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Marcellius Pulliam | 2024–2025 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Mikeshun Beeler | 2024–2026 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 38 | Derrick Simmons | 2025–2026 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Devynn Cromwell | 2025 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Jeremiah Hughes | 2024–2025 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Caleb Gash | 2024–2026 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Jordan Hall | 2023–2026 | 35 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 43 | Malik Spencer | 2023–2025 | 29 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 44 | Cal Haladay | 2021–2024 | 28 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 45 | Darius Snow | 2021–2025 | 26 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 46 | Jalen Thompson | 2023–2025 | 26 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 47 | Angelo Grose | 2021–2024 | 23 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 48 | Khris Bogle | 2023–2024 | 18 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 49 | Maverick Hansen | 2021–2024 | 18 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 50 | Charles Brantley | 2021–2026 | 17 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 51 | Ade Willie | 2023–2025 | 15 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 52 | Brandon Wright | 2019–2023 | 15 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 53 | Chance Rucker | 2023–2025 | 13 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 54 | Kurtis Drummond | 2011–2014 | 12 | — | — | — | 12 |
| 55 | Antjuan Simmons | 2017–2020 | 11 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 56 | Riley Bullough | 2013–2016 | 11 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 57 | Chester Kimbrough | 2021–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 58 | David Dowell | 2016–2019 | 10 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 59 | Julian Barnett | 2019–2020 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 60 | Simeon Barrow Jr. | 2021–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 61 | Aaron Brule | 2022–2023 | 9 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 62 | Derrick Harmon | 2022–2023 | 9 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 63 | Khalil Majeed | 2023–2026 | 9 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 64 | RJ Williamson | 2012–2015 | 9 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 65 | Jaden Mangham | 2023 | 8 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 66 | Joe Bachie | 2017–2019 | 8 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 67 | Josiah Scott | 2017–2019 | 8 | — | — | — | 7 |
| 68 | Sam Edwards | 2023–2025 | 8 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 69 | Jalen Sami | 2023 | 7 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 70 | Shakur Brown | 2018–2020 | 7 | — | — | — | 7 |
| 71 | Aaron Alexander | 2023–2024 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 72 | Avery Dunn | 2023–2024 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 73 | Chris Frey | 2016–2017 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 74 | Dillon Tatum | 2023–2024 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 75 | Jacub Panasiuk | 2017–2021 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 76 | Ken Talley | 2023–2024 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 77 | Khari Willis | 2016–2018 | 6 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 78 | Lawrence Thomas | 2012–2014 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 79 | Montae Nicholson | 2015–2016 | 6 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 80 | Xavier Henderson | 2018–2021 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 81 | Zion Young | 2023 | 6 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 82 | Andrew Dowell | 2016–2018 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 83 | Darian Hicks | 2014–2016 | 5 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 84 | Demetrious Cox | 2015–2016 | 5 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 85 | Drew Beesley | 2018–2021 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 86 | Justin Layne | 2016–2018 | 5 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 87 | Tyriq Thompson | 2018–2019 | 5 | — | — | — | 2 |
Also at Michigan State: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, punters. Every school and conference: schools, conferences. The games are ESPN's box scores since 2004 (the Method says where they fall short); a position is the roster's, else read off the box score, so a tight end from before 2014 may be listed with the wide receivers.