Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 6 | L 27-38@ Nebraska | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 9 | L 20-31vs Michigan | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 10 | L 20-23@ Minnesota | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#35
Sam Edwards
Senior linebacker for Michigan State. 2025: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 227 lb · Williamston, MI
Returning to Michigan State for 2026
The numbers
3
tackles · 2025
3 games into 2025 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Michigan State. 2025: 3 games with a box-score line.
His career, year by yearSam Edwards
Sam Edwards has been at Michigan State through two head coaches in three seasons. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Minnesota, Week 10, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Michigan State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2025
2 coaches2023
Michigan State
Coaching transition mid-career: Mel Tucker → Jonathan Smith. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Michigan State4-8HC: Mel Tucker · Balanced
2024Michigan State5-7HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Michigan State4-8HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: forced fumbles (97th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-71g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 1.0 | 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 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2024 | Michigan State | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Michigan State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Michigan State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · 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
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology