Michigan State Football: 5 most irreplaceable defensive players for 2017
One guy who I’ve been high on in the green and white over the past calendar year has been Raequan Williams. The sophomore defensive tackle nearly avoided the redshirt as a true freshman in 2015, but Dantonio decided not to waste a year of eligibility as he would be buried on a loaded depth chart.
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With one season under his belt and 10 game appearances, Williams will be looked at as another veteran on the defensive line. It’s crazy to think that a guy who has just one year of college eligibility behind him will be one of the most veteran guys on the line.
Moreover, his 6-foot-4, 300-pound frame will cause some serious damage in the middle of the defense. He’s a projected starter and it would take an injury for him to miss any games this season. He needs to build on a strong redshirt freshman performance on 28 total tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass deflection and a forced fumble.
This kid has all the talent in the world and he hasn’t even scratched the surface. For Michigan State’s defensive line to avoid another nightmare season, Williams needs to dominate the interior while Cooper leads the way on the edge.