Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 30-20vs Toledo | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-7vs Eastern Michigan | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 0 |
#9
Keahnist Thompson
Senior edge rusher for Michigan State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 266 lb · Lakeland, FL · Lakeland
Returning to Michigan State for 2026
The numbers
0.5
sacks · 2026
1 TFL · 4 tackles · 2 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 sacks, 0.5 TFL, 3 tackles, vs Eastern Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 edge rusher for Michigan State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to UCF in 2022.
Keahnist Thompson
The receipt on tape: 1 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Toledo, Week 1, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with UCF3-star out of Lakeland
2023
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Michigan State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
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 (96th 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 2 games: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.2 SACK/g, 0.0 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.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan State | 4 | -- | 1.0 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 4 | -- | 1.0 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 30–20
vs Toledo
1 TOT · 0 TFL
With A. Milivojevic — 247 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 87.3 · -5 rush yds (6 car) · C. Mccray — 4 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Michigan State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Edge · 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
Transfer edge defender from Weber State has one season of eligibility remaining . . . has played in 33 collegiate games (32 at Weber State from 2023-25; one at UCF in 2022) . . . started in 19 games at Weber State . . . has recorded 80 tackles, including 12.5 TFLs (67 yards) and 7.0 sacks (53 yar...
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
- #9Keahnist Thompson2 games · 2026
14 more on the roster · Michigan State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology