Michigan State needs a more effective pass rush next season.The Spartans finished 14th in the Big Ten with just 1.83 sacks per game in 2025. Causing more stress on opposing quarterbacks will be major for MSU's hopes of reaching a bowl game. These three players in particular will play important roles in doing that.Anelu LafaeleMichigan State's Anelu Lafaele celebrates after a defensive stop against Boston College during the third quarter on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesOne promising young player is rising redshirt sophomore Anelu Lafaele. The former Wisconsin transfer joined the program last season and performed pretty well in the early portions of the 2025 season before suffering a season-ending injury.Lafaele should be coming back and getting a real role next season. He's especially the person defensive coordinator Joe Rossi wants out there during more obvious passing situations at rush end. If Lafaele stays healthy and continues his development, he'll have the chance to be one of the top players on the entire defense. Keahnist ThompsonSep 6, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Weber State Wildcats defensive end Keahnist Thompson (1) sacks Arizona Wildcats quarterback Braedyn Locke (8) during the fourth quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. | Aryanna Frank-Imagn ImagesMichigan State is also going to be asking for some production from Weber State transfer Keahnist Thompson. He's a redshirt senior who began at UCF before spending the previous three seasons with the Wildcats. Thompson produced 4.0 sacks last season and 7.0 tackles for loss. He also had a 1.5-sack game during an early-season matchup against Big 12 foe Arizona. Thompson was also one of Weber State's team captains.Thompson also had all those sacks and TFLs last season in just nine games. It is against FCS competition, though. Either way, MSU will need Thompson to play a role in the defense this coming fall.Kenny Soares Jr.Michigan State's Kenny Soares Jr. prepares for a play during the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesAnother interesting piece of the puzzle is N.C. State transfer Kenny Soares Jr. He's played linebacker during his career at Northwestern and with the Wolfpack, but the Spartans also seem to be moving Soares to their rush end position, where he's also been forging out a leadership role.Soares hasn't been known as a huge pass-rusher in the past. He has totaled only 3.0 sacks in his career, and he had 0.5 last season at NCSU. A big part of his role will be to harden Michigan State's run defense, drawing on his previous experience as a linebacker. Being able to rush the passer is still a big part of the job, though, and Soares will probably get more snaps at rush end than anybody else. He has graded well as a pass-rusher on PFF, also credited with nine QB hits and 21 hurries during his career. April 18, 2026; East Lansing, Mich.; Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald watches the action going on during MSU's "Spring Showcase" at Spartan Stadium. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SIAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow