Ranking Michigan State football's defensive position groups for 2024

Michigan State's defensive coordinator Joe Rossi works with the linebackers during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
Michigan State's defensive coordinator Joe Rossi works with the linebackers during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA
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After ranking the Michigan State football offensive position groups, we move on to defense which was a better unit than the offense but that doesn't mean they were good last year.

The defense was put in about a thousand bad spots by the offense and had stretches where they could not get off the field on third down or fourth down, allowing their opponent to move the chains on 71 percent of their fourth-down chances.

Yikes.

It was no secret that fans wanted ex-defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton gone for a long time, and with Joe Rossi taking over, the Spartans will get a newer, and hopefully better, scheme after being infamous for having such a wretched secondary multiple years over.

Rossi is known for showing one defensive look before the snap and playing a completely different look once the ball is snapped, confusing the offense. While they didn't look great last year, the returning defensive players look to improve with another year of experience under their belt and an upgraded coaching staff.

But let's check out which unit is the weakest and which will be the strength of the defense in the 2024 season.