Michigan State Football: Midseason awards for 2021 Spartans

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Michigan State’s Xavier Henderson intercepts the ball intended for Youngstown State’s Samuel St. Surin during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.210911 Msu Youngstown Fb 171a /

Top defensive player: Xavier Henderson

Cal Haladay and Jacub Panasiuk have been really good this year, but I have to give the nod to Xavier Henderson who has been the saving grace in a struggling secondary.

Without a leader and top performer like Henderson, how mediocre would the Spartans’ secondary truly be? We may never know (thankfully), but the Spartans have to feel fortunate to have a veteran like him leading the way back there.

Henderson was the highest-graded safety in the country at the beginning of the year and he’s been solid since, leading the team with 52 tackles and two sacks to go along with a pass deflection, an interception, and a forced fumble. He has been the Spartans’ top player in the secondary and arguably the most consistent overall defensive player.

Haladay and Panasiuk are right behind and Quavaris Crouch has been solid while Drew Beesley would be in the running if he was still healthy.

The defense needs improvement, but Henderson is not an issue.

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