Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 35-7vs Eastern Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 0 tackles |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#98
Derrick Simmons
Freshman defensive lineman on Michigan State's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 305 lb · Frankenmuth, MI · Frankenmuth (Mich.)
Returning to Michigan State for 2026
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
1 hurries
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: vs Eastern Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 defensive lineman on Michigan State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Michigan State in 2025.
Derrick Simmons
Two seasons at Michigan State, two different head coaches: Jonathan Smith and Pat Fitzgerald.
0 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
His career
2025
- Signed with Michigan State4-star out of Frankenmuth
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Michigan State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Michigan State
Coaching transition mid-career: Jonathan Smith → Pat Fitzgerald. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Michigan State4-8HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced
2026Michigan State2-0HC: Pat Fitzgerald · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 0.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Pat Fitzgerald
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan State | -- | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Michigan State | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Michigan State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Michigan State
Returning around him
- 2 Michigan State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -18 net (28 in / 46 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Michigan State · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #61 · 2026 recruiting class #45
Background
Promising redshirt freshman defensive lineman enters his second season in East Lansing in 2026. 2025 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Played in four games (vs. Western Michigan, Boston College, Youngstown State and Minnesota) to preserve his redshirt season . . . played 44 snaps on defense and made eight appea...
The defensive line · Michigan State
- #23Kenny Soares Jr.4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #11Anelu Lafaele2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Eli Coenen1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #13Isaac Smith1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #98Derrick Simmons0 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Michigan State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology