Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 4 | L 31-45@ USC | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 7 | L 13-38vs UCLA | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 13-38@ Indiana | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#51
Kekai Burnett
Sophomore defensive lineman on Michigan State's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 262 lb · Honolulu, HI · Punahou
Returning to Michigan State for 2026
The numbers
0
sacks · 2025
6 tackles
3 games into 2025 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, at Indiana
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 defensive lineman on Michigan State's 2025 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Michigan State in 2024.
Kekai Burnett
One game to point at: 2 tackles against Indiana — Week 8, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Michigan State3-star out of Punahou
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Michigan State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Michigan State4-8HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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
2025 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-72g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
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 · 2025
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Michigan State | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
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
CAREER NOTES: Has played in 11 games (one in 2024, 10 in 2025) during his first two seasons with the Spartans. 2025 SEASON (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Played in 10 games to earn his first Spartan letter . . . logged six tackles in charting 70 defensive snaps and 21 special teams plays . . . tallied seas...
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
- #51Kekai Burnett0 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