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Michigan State Football: 3 defensive breakout candidates for spring 2022

By Connor Muldowney

Michigan State cornerback Justin White celebrates a play with defensive end Brandon Wright during the second half of the 31-21 win over Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.
Michigan State cornerback Justin White celebrates a play with defensive end Brandon Wright during the second half of the 31-21 win over Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021. /
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Michigan State’s Jacub Panasiuk, right, and Itayvion Brown pressure Maryland’s quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.211113 Msu Maryland 178a
Michigan State’s Jacub Panasiuk, right, and Itayvion Brown pressure Maryland’s quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.211113 Msu Maryland 178a /

I’ve been touting Tank Brown as a breakout candidate for Michigan State since he committed to the Spartans last year. He entered the transfer portal after a season with Minnesota and I felt as if the talented linebacker would become an immediate star for the Spartans.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and it had a lot to do with injuries.

Brown only appeared in six games for Michigan State in 2021 as he was trying to rehab an injury and he seems to have the talent necessary to become an elite contributor.

The Spartans added some linebackers from the portal in Aaron Brule and Jacoby Windmon and Ma’a Gaotoeoe entered the portal and then decided to return. Cal Haladay and Quavaris Crouch will also be back which means the linebacker room will be loaded. Will it be too crowded for Brown? I think this spring is a huge test for him and I see him passing with flying colors.

Brown has the size, at 6-4 and 230 pounds, and the athleticism to be one of the best blitzing linebackers in the Big Ten. We’ll see him used in plenty of blitz packages.

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