Projecting the post-spring Michigan State football defensive depth chart

Sorry I’m late!! This post was initially meant to be published two weeks ago as a companion piece with the offensive depth chart projection and the soon-to-be-published special teams depth chart projection. Well, a surprise and prolonged hospital visit followed by the birth of a child (everyone is doing well) was set in my lap and here we are; with me two weeks behind on everything.

So I’m not going to waste much more time. Expedition is the mission.

This is a somewhat informed/somewhat blind shot at projection what Michigan State’s depth chart currently looks like. This is based on previous roles and comments from coaches’ press availabilities. That’s the somewhat informed part. The somewhat blind part is that none of the new coaches–including the head one–have led these players in a real, live practice. That makes this difficult. What is clear is that on defense there are a handful of surefire starters and a lot of youth and intrigue behind them.

Let’s get to the defensive depth chart. Later in the week we’ll hit special teams.

Defensive Tackle

1. Jacob Slade, Naquan Jones
2. Jalen Hunt, Deshaun Mallory
3. Maverick Hansen, Evan Brunning

Salde and Jones are the obvious starters. They paired well as a tandem backing up Mike Panasiuk and Raequan Williams in 2019 and have the most experience in the group. Ron Burton has alluded to the fact that they well be counted on to lead the line. Behind them Jalen Hunt is really intriguing. He was supposed to go to Iowa in 2019, but wasn’t going to academically qualify. The Hawkeyes went another direction and then Hunt did end up qualifying and MSU swooped in late to get him. Mallory appeared in a couple games last season and could be used as a backup nose tackle. The interesting thing to watch here is how MUS aligns on defense in 2020. They’ll be slowly transitioning from a base 4-3 to a 3-4/hybrid defense. This means slight position changes for the front seven, which could shake up the depth chart.

Defensive End

1. Jacub Panasiuk, Drew Beesly
2. Jack Camper, Michael Fletcher
3. Zach Slade, Brent Mossburg

The defensive end start across from Panasiuk is a really intuiting position battle. Right now I think Beesly is the guy. He flashed some ability to get to the quarterback and make disruptive plays in 2019. Camper is someone who has always kid of been the next man up or someone who could take a leap and we’ve yet to see it. He’s still got two more years so there’s no saying he won’t do it, we just haven’t seen on-field production from him yet. Mike Fletcher is really intriguing. He’ll be a redshirt freshman and was a pretty highly-touted recruit in the 2019 class. Ron Burton has had some good things to say about him. Zach Slade could also earn some time on the line. He had an impressive spring as a redshirt freshman in 2019, but a torn ACL ended his campaign before it got going.

Linebacker

1. Antjuan Simmons, Noah Harvey, Jeslord Boateng
2. Chase Kline, Luke Fulton, Marcel Lewis
3. Dante Razzano, Tanner Hallock, Terry O’Conner

Antjuan Simmons is the only sure thing about this group. He will be one of the starting outside linebackers and a team captain. Behind him there’s a really intriguing mix of youth and talent. Noah Harvey stepped in for Joe Bachie in 2019 when Bachie got suspended for PED use. Jeslord Boateng nearly missed out on a starting spot in 2019 and looks to be ready for his time this year. Chase Kline is in a similar spot to Boateng and might end up being really great. Luke Fulton and Marcel Lewis are highly-touted redshirt freshmen. It’s a good group.

Cornerback

1. Julian Barnett, Shackur Brown
2. Kalon Gervin, Dominique Long
3. Angelo Grose, Davion Williams

Barnett ending up as the lead corner is one of my BOLD predictions for 2020. (It’s probably not that bold to be honest). Barnett is working full time on defense and that side of the ball is where his future is. He has the length and athleticism to absolutely ball there and he’ll be coached by one of the best in Harlon Barnett. Brown, Gervin and Long–who coaches say will play some corner in 2020–all bring back some experience. Brown played the best in 2019–excluding Long’s amazing special teams play–so he’s got the inside shot to me. Gervin is talented but had a rough transition during his redshirt freshman season. Don’t be surprised if true freshman Angelo Grose gets involved for a starting role. He blew up as a senior and ended up being one of the very best prospects in all of Ohio. He enrolled early and could be poised to leap up the depth chart.

Safety

1. Xavier Henderson, Tre Person
2. Michael Dowell, Tate Hallock
3. Emmanuel Flowers, Darius Snow

Safety is another position group on defense where there is one absolute lock starter and a bunch of cloudiness behind him. Xavier Henderson will be the leader of the safeties and perhaps all of the defensive backs. He was a bit up-and-down as a sophomore, but the talent is there and the coaches are very high on him. He can play. Between fifth-year-senior Person and Dowell it’s pretty much a tossup. There’s going to be a familiarity with both of them for new safeties coach Mike Tressel. Tressel spent the 2019 season as defensive coordinator under Mark Dantonio. Person has the most experience at safety and I presume in the lead for the other starting spot. A redshirt sophomore, Dowell will be in the mix to start and will see a lot of the field regardless. Behind them Flowers has earned some praise from Tressel and Hallock is a redshirt freshman that has the safeties coach intrigued. Darius Snow is certainly a name to keep an eye on. The true freshman was MSU’s highest-rated recruit in this year’s class and an early enrollee.