MSU Football Offers Intriguing DL Prospect
Michigan State defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa has a prototypical defensive lineman -- it hasn't been clarified to me, but a rough sketch can be pieced together by looking at who he has been offering.
Suiaunoa has offered a wide range of athletes. He tends to like his defensive lineman anywhere from 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-5. High schoolers won't have college weight, most of the time at least, so it is more about the body type and frame.
He seems to prefer athletic, bendable defensive linemen who are versatile and have good hands. Another noticeable trait is that most of his front-line offers can play interior or on the outside of the defensive line, anywhere from a nose tackle to a 5-technique.
For example, look at four-star in-state commit Derrick Simmons, whom 247Sports has rated as the No. 29 defensive lineman in the entire 2025 class. Simmons is 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds.
One of Suiaunoa's most recent commits, three-star Alexander Haskell of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, fits the bill. Haskell is the No. 60 defensive lineman of the 2026 class with a 6-foot-3 and 230-pound frame. Don't let the 86 player grade fool you. Haskell has plenty of intrigue.
Look to the offers. He has offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Duke, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Perhaps no program is a better evaluator and developer of talent than Penn State. Right off the bat, that is a good sign. Michigan and Ohio State will bring curiosity, too.
Haskell is a top priority of Penn State's Deion Barnes, considered one of the best position coaches in the country. He recently sent Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson to the NFL as early round draft picks.
"Coach Barnes, I feel like me and him have a really strong bond," Haskell told 247Sports' Tyler Calvaruso. "It just depends on on where I'm feeling the best and what I want to do in the future. I love putting on for my hometown, so whenever I have the chance to rep Pennsylvania or Philly, even my neighborhood, I really want to rep it."
Expect the Nittany Lions to be the favorite or at least among the top choices for Haskell going forward.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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