Defensive Tackle Room Preview (2026)

Departures: Experience and Volume Out, Not Elite Production

Michigan State loses five defensive tackles from last season, creating a noticeable turnover in snaps and experience—but not necessarily elite-level production.

Departing DTs

• Alex VanSumeren – 52 tackles, 1.5 sacks

  • 2025 PFF: 66.9 overall (backup-level)

  • Strength: Tackling (78.9)

  • Limitation: Pass rush (61.2)

• Quindarius Dunnigan – 25 tackles, 2.5 sacks

  • Flashed high-end games (85.7 PFF late Nov) but inconsistent week-to-week

• Grady Kelly – 25 tackles, 1 sack

  • Extremely volatile: 92.4 PFF in Week 1, multiple sub-50 grades late

• Jalen Satchell – 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks

• RoQuan Buckley – 12 tackles, 2 sacks

What’s really leaving:

• ~129 combined tackles

• ~7.5 total sacks

• A lot of rotational snaps, not a true anchor DT

Importantly, none of the departing players graded as consistent “starter-level” DTs across the full season. VanSumeren showed steady improvement, but even his best year topped out just below that threshold.

Additions: Betting on Traits, Youth, and Pass-Rush Efficiency

Hazelwood (6’4”, 270) – The Most Intriguing Piece

Hazelwood immediately becomes the most interesting projection in the room.

• RS Sophomore, 3 years of eligibility

• Played 10 games across two seasons

• Career stats: 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL

• 2025 PFF Pass Rush Grade: 84.3

  • 12th-best among FBS interior defenders

  • 49 pass-rush snaps

  • 6 QB hurries, 2 QB hits

This is a classic low-volume / high-efficiency profile. The question isn’t whether Hazelwood can rush the passer—it’s whether he can:

1. Hold up vs the run

2. Handle a larger snap load

3. Translate situational success into a real role

If MSU can keep him in favorable alignments early, Hazelwood offers legitimate upside the room lacked last year.

Coenen (6’7”, 290) – Developmental Size with a Floor

Coenen brings length, size, and gradual usage growth.

• 2025: 12 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks

• 222 total snaps (usage increased late season)

• PFF Overall: 63.6

• Tackling Grade: 80.2

He profiles as a functional rotational DT right away. Not flashy, but at 6’7”, 290, he gives MSU:

• Interior length

• Red-zone utility

• A higher floor than some of last year’s depth pieces

Returning: Known Roles, Limited Ceiling

Roberts – Senior Run Stuffer

• 6’2”, 335

• 17 career games

• 11 tackles in 2025

• Clear role: early-down, gap-eating DT

Roberts isn’t here to create plays—he’s here to prevent disasters. The encouraging sign: multiple 70+ PFF games (Boston College, Youngstown, Indiana) suggest he can be competent when deployed correctly.

Simmons & Beeler – Depth and Development

• Simmons: Limited snaps as RS Freshman, enters 2026 as RS Sophomore

• Beeler: Redshirted in 2025, RS Freshman in 2026

These two are developmental pieces, not players MSU wants to rely on heavily this season.

Volume In vs. Out: The Real Story

What MSU loses

• Significant snap volume

• Moderate production

• Inconsistent but experienced rotation

What MSU replaces it with

• Younger players

• Less proven snap-to-snap

• Better pass-rush upside

• Comparable run-defense potential

This isn’t a clear upgrade—but it’s also not a collapse.

Bottom Line: Still a Concern, But a Manageable One

Defensive tackle wasn’t a strength in 2025, and it likely won’t be in 2026. But the outlook shifts from “thin and limited” to “young, volatile, but with upside.”

The optimism hinges on:

• Hazelwood becoming a real rotational disruptor

• Coenen holding steady against the run

• Roberts anchoring early downs

• Scheme and edge play preventing DTs from being exposed

If everything breaks right, DT won’t win games—but it doesn’t have to lose them, either.