Weekly Michigan State Football Positional Breakdown: Defensive Line Could Set the Tone in 2026

Last week, we went over the big men in the trenches who would be defending their quarterback. This week, we stick to the gritty, nasty and mean trenches, but let's flip on over to the defensive side of things.

This week, we're focusing on a defensive line that will act like rabid-infested animals, getting let off the leash to attack this innocent little bunny — i.e., opposing quarterbacks.

The defensive line. The heartbeat of a team.

Though football is a team game with 11 players on the field per team at a time, when a team finds themselves on defense, it's the line that generates the attitude of the defense.

Linebackers and the secondary are only as good as they can be in the allotted time given. The quicker the ball and rusher are forced to react, the less time linebackers and the secondary are put in vulnerable positions.

If a defensive line can generate instant chaos, rep after rep, the offense loses confidence and starts forcing plays and forcing the ball, causing chaos for the offensive scheme — and music to the defensive players' ears.

Every week, we've been doing a positional breakdown. As we get to the defensive side of things, we find ourselves with just three more weeks after today until the Spartans' first football game.

Thus, three positional groups remain: linebackers, secondary and special teams/coaching.

But before getting into the final three, let's take a look at just how the Spartans will be sending out on the defensive line this year.

My favorite group on the team, this is a group that the staff put a ton of attention on in the portal this year and in recruiting for the future. Pat Fitzgerald and company know that defensive line pressure will be the way to holding these offensive juggernauts in the Big Ten in check.

One note: Kenny Soares Jr., "Mr. Spartan," I have listed as a linebacker. Though he will be playing an Edge/LB hybrid role, it looks like he is not listed as a potential starting Edge. However, he may be considered that when the first game kicks off.

Edge — Isaac Smith / Graduate (2025 transfer from Texas Tech)

Another LB/DL hybrid, Smith returns to Michigan State as a graduate player after spending his senior year in East Lansing last year, where he played in all 12 games, accumulating 26 total tackles with one TFL and one sack.

As a junior at Texas Tech, Smith finished with 3.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks.

Edge — Anelu Lafaele / Sophomore

Now, this could be Kenny Soares' starting spot in some rotations, but not for me.

I fell in love with Lafaele last year and expect a huge jump forward this year. Lafaele played in just five games last year before an injury ended his season early. But in those five games, he amassed seven total tackles, 2.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks.

An animal that knows how to get to quarterbacks, I'd have Lafaele starting every day.

iDL — Eli Coenen / Junior (2026 transfer from Illinois)

One of the top transfer portal recruits by the Spartans, Coenen is a big-bodied player who's looking to come right into East Lansing and assert his dominance in the middle of the trenches.

Coenen played in all 13 games for the Fighting Illini last year, finishing with 12 total tackles, 1.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks.

iDL — Ben Roberts / Senior (2024 transfer from Oregon)

A bowling ball of a man, Roberts has helped shore up the Spartans' defensive line for the last two seasons.

He's tallied 17 total games with Michigan State, where he's made 19 total tackles, 2.0 TFLs and 1.0 sacks. Though last year he was unable to record a single TFL or sack, his experience should help him earn a starting spot.

iDL — Carlos Hazelwood / Sophomore (2026 transfer from Toledo)

Last year for the Rockets, Hazelwood played in eight games, getting seven tackles, 0.5 TFL and forcing a fumble.

He has his revenge game in Week 1 against Toledo.

iDL — Derrick Simmons / Freshman

Simmons was redshirted last year, so he enters as a freshman again. However, Simmons was able to play in four games and recorded two tackles.

Edge — Kekai Burnett / Sophomore

Burnett is now entering his third season with the Spartans. Last year as a redshirt freshman, Burnett played in 10 games and recorded six tackles.

iDL — Mikeshun Beeler / Sophomore

Entering his third year with the Spartans, Beeler has played in one game in each of the past two seasons while recording one total tackle.

Edge — Keahnist Thompson / Senior (2026 transfer from Weber State)

Edge — Trey Lisle / Sophomore (2026 transfer from SEMO)

DL — Cory House / Freshman

DL — Hudson Aultman / Freshman

DL — Cal Thrush / Freshman

The Spartans are going to be relying on a combination of all these guys at one point in the season to deliver painful messages to the rest of the Big Ten.

The staff has spent countless hours getting this positional group ready, and this group might be the key reason for the Spartans' success or failure this year.

If Michigan State can consistently create pressure up front, it could make life much easier for the linebackers and secondary behind them.

And if these defensive linemen can become the gritty, nasty and mean group we expect them to be, opposing quarterbacks across the Big Ten may have a long day ahead of them.