Who Will Lead MSU's Pass Rush in 2025?
Having a good pass rush is crucial for any college football team.
The ability to get after the quarterback allows for linebackers to maintain gap integrity and gives defensive backs time to cover receivers downfield.
The Michigan State Spartans struggled with their pass rush in 2024, recording just 19 sacks, which ranked third-to-last in the Big Ten. Jonathan Smith’s team could have played in a bowl game if they had not had a month of failing to record a sack.
MSU is losing their top two sack leaders from 2024, Khris Bogle and Jordan Turner, who are off to the 2025 NFL Draft. With those two departing, someone must step up and lead the Spartans’ pass rush in 2025.
But who could that be?
Behind Bogle and Turner, the next-leading sack artist was defensive end Anthony Jones, who returns for the Spartans in 2025 after transferring in from Indiana. Jones recorded two sacks for MSU last season and should see a larger opportunity with so many defensive linemen on the way out.
Jones has some potential. With a massive frame and good athleticism, he should be firmly in the mix for a starting defensive end spot.
While he did not record a sack in 2024, Jalen Thompson could be the team’s leading pass-rusher in 2025. The junior still had a good season despite not taking down a quarterback, and his work with Rush Ends Coach Chad Wilt will be crucial this offseason.
Thompson will be viewed as a leader for this Spartans team next season, so setting an example by producing more sacks could be a major goal of his.
There are plenty of wild cards who could lead MSU in sacks next season. Could that production come from the interior? If so, Alex VanSumeren and Grady Kelly are prime candidates. VanSumeren had a productive 2024, while Kelly is a transfer from Florida State.
A young player could also enter the fold, including 2025 signee Leonard Ah You or 2024 three-star Kekai Burnett. Both have the tools to become plus pass-rushers for the Spartans.
MSU’s pass rush must improve if the team wants to be a bowl team in 2025. It is up to the coaches to develop the talent on the roster, and that talent must, in turn, produce on the field.
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