Michigan State's defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa works with players during the first day of football camp on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

How Deep is This Michigan State Defensive Line?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are looking for improved trench play entering the 2025 season.

MSU failed to get after the quarterback or stop the best running backs it played last season, leading to multiple losses.

Jonathan Smith and his staff do not want to see more losses on the schedule, and trench play will matter tremendously.

So, Smith and his staff sought help along the defensive line this offseason. They came away with a few impressive players to pair with the promising young linemen already on the roster.

Which begs the question: How deep is this Spartan defensive line?

MSU has always prided itself on having strong defensive line play, which has not been the case in the last few seasons.

The Spartan defensive line

It especially didn’t help Smith when Derrick Harmon and Simeon Barrow Jr. departed at the end of the spring transfer window.

Smith and defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa found solid talent through the transfer portal last season, and those players should help improve where the team was last season.

At the top of that list is Florida State transfer Grady Kelly. The former Colorado State star offers experience for a team that needs help on the interior.

The Spartans are leaning on Kelly as a major factor up the middle.

Returning defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren is ready to play a major role for this MSU team. He had the best season of his career in 2024, and he wants to build on that season in a winning way.

VanSumeren, the former four-star player out of Bay City, Michigan, struggled with injuries before finding his footing. His talent should shine through in a starting role in 2025.

MSU has several talented defensive linemen who should help in depth roles, including four-star freshman Derrick Simmons. The staff has raved about Simmons since he arrived on campus, so it will be interesting to see what kind of role he plays during his freshman season.

The Spartans have an under-the-radar player in Mikeshun Beeler, who this staff loved last season. Could we see a new and improved Beeler as he enters his sophomore season?

This MSU group has many contributors who should help a defensive line that needs as many reinforcements as possible. Will this group be a strength for the Spartans in 2025?

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