Michigan State Football: Jacub Panasiuk has stepped out of brother’s shadow

Jacub Panasiuk was known as “Mike’s brother” when he committed to Michigan State football, but after 2018, he’s making a name for himself.

Throughout his entire recruitment, Michigan State fans referred to Jacub Panasiuk as “Mike’s little brother” and, at the time, it made sense.

Jacub had yet to play a single snap of college ball while his brother was a four-star freshman who had earned extensive playing time on a mediocre team looking for defensive line help. His future was incredibly bright, as evidenced by his performance at Nike’s The Opening the previous July.

But his brother was a three-star defensive end recruit without the same accolades and recruiting attention. How could Jacub possibly make a name for himself with his brother becoming one of the best defensive tackles in the Big Ten?

Well, it didn’t take long, but after the 2018 season, the younger Panasiuk looks like one of the best up-and-coming defensive ends in the conference and a kid who looks like an All-Big Ten performer.

As a freshman in 2017, he played in eight games and recorded 17 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack, but smashed those numbers as a sophomore with 30 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He went from “Mike’s little brother” to Michigan State’s starting defensive end opposite All-American Kenny Willekes — not too shabby.

I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t think he would have made a name for himself this quickly, but Jacub has stepped out of his brother’s shadow and earned the respect of anyone who doubted him.

There’s a reason siblings trust Michigan State’s staff and commit, following their brothers’ footsteps, and it’s because they’re never regarded as “so-and-so’s little brother”, but rather their own player with unique skillsets. Jacub Panasiuk is a prime example of that.