Michigan State football overcame a very tough season in 2025, but got to end the 2025 season inside of Ford Field with a 38-28 victory over Maryland.

In the win, the defense had an up and down performance, but when the chips were down and it mattered the most, the defense made plays.

After looking at the film, and evaluating the game, Pro Football Focus (Subscription Required) gave out their grades for the Spartans in the game.

Check out the top five defensive players for the Spartans, according to PFF:

CB Malcolm Bell – 74.5

The final game in the green and white, Bell excelled once again and shined for the Spartans in the win.

DT Alex VanSumeren – 71.6

The leader in the middle of the MSU defense, VanSumeren was an anchor in run defense for the Spartans.

DE Isaac Smith – 68.8

The Texas Tech transfer had a strong performance in his last game with MSU inside of Ford Field.

DL Quindarius Dunnigan – 68.8

Finishing his second season in East Lansing, Dunnigan played in over half of the snaps on defense on Saturday.

S Malik Spencer – 68.6

Wrapping up a four year career, with a lot of snaps in the green and white, Spencer shined against Maryland inside of Ford Field.

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State football’s top five defenders in win over MD per PFF