5 Spartans named Preseason All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports
College football season is still a little over three months away, but it won't be long before preview magazines will begin hitting the shelves.
While the preseason is all about projections and predictions, its still fun to see which players are on the radar for an upcoming season, and Athlon Sports recently gave us a look at who they'll be keeping an eye on in the Big Ten with their first through fourth team All-Conference selections.
Michigan State landed five players on the lists, led by preseason first team linebacker Cal Haladay. The redshirt junior has had a decorated career with the Spartans already, earning a second team All-Big Ten selection in 2022 after leading the conference in tackles per game (10). He was also named a Freshman All-American in 2021.
Haladay is one of the most experienced players on Michigan State's roster, having made 29 career appearances with 23 starts. Last season, the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder finished second in the Big Ten with 120 tackles, including the sixth-most tackles for loss (11) in the league. Haladay added 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
For his career, Haladay has compiled 216 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, four pass break ups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns. The redshirt junior is expected to lead a deep and talented linebacker room for the Spartans in 2023.
Michigan State's two most experienced offensive linemen, center Nick Samac and left guard J.D. Duplain, were each named third team All-Big Ten selections by Athlon. The pair of redshirt seniors are expected to be the anchors to what MSU hopes will be an improved front in 2023.
Duplain has made a whopping 42 career appearances and 35 starts for Michigan State, including each of the last 30 games. Samac is close behind in terms of experience, having played in 38 career games with 22 starts at center. Both Duplain and Samac were All-Big Ten honorable mention selections a year ago.
Moving back to the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Jacoby Windmon and defensive tackle Simeon Barrow were both named third team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports.
Windmon was likely on his way to a first team All-Big Ten selection in 2022, before his season came to an abrupt end after he was suspended for his involvement in the Michigan Stadium tunnel incident at the conclusion of last year's rivalry game against the Wolverines. In just eight weeks last season, Windmon racked up 49 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, with 5.5 sacks, a nation-leading six forced fumbles, three pass breakups, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Windmon was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week three times in 2022, the first Spartan and just the sixth player in conference history to accomplish the feat. Windmon was named National Defensive Player of the Week by both the Walter Camp Foundation and the Senior Bowl for a standout performance in Week 1 against Western Michigan, and also earned National Defensive Player of the Week recognition from the Bronko Narguski Foundation in Week 7 against Wisconsin.
After splitting duties at defensive end and linebacker for the Spartans last season, Windmon is expected to exclusively play linebacker for MSU in 2023.
Finally, while Michigan State is expected to rotate a lot of bodies along its defensive line next season, Barrow is one of the most experienced options at D-tackle for the Spartans. The redshirt junior has made 21 starts in 22 career appearances at MSU, recording 74 tackles, including 13 for loss, with seven sacks, a force fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break up.
Michigan State has a lot of unproven, young talent on its roster heading into 2023. That doesn't doesn't often lend itself to preseason accolades like the ones earned by the players above, but it could mean a handful of breakout candidates could make names for themselves this fall in East Lansing.
For a full look at Athlon Sports' preseason All-Big Ten teams, click here. For more coverage of Michigan State Athletics:
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