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Jersey Number 9
Jalen Thompson
- Position:
- DL
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-3 / 260
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Detroit, Mich.
- High School:
- Cass Technical
CAREER NOTES: Lettered three seasons (2023-25) at Michigan State . . . played in 31 games for the Spartans (eight in 2023, 12 in 2024, 11 in 2025) . . . started 26 games (four in 2023, 12 in 2024, 10 in 2025) . . . collected 66 tackles, including 13 TFLs (55 yards) and 4.5 sacks (25 yards) . . . also had four pass break-ups and one forced fumble . . . two-time Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-District selection . . . two-time MSU male campus winner of the Big Ten’s Jackie Robinson Community and Impact Award . . . played more than 1,000 snaps on defense in his Spartan career (211 in 2023, 376 in 2024, 420 in 2025).
2025 SEASON (JUNIOR): Led the Spartans with a career-high 6.5 tackles for loss (44 yards) . . . also tied for the team lead with a career-high 2.5 sacks (20 yards) . . . credited with eight QB hurries, second most on the team . . . recorded a career-high 30 tackles . . . played in 11 games, including 10 starting assignments at defensive end . . . played a total of 420 snaps on defense and 34 on special teams . . . earned Academic All-District honors and was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team for the second year in a row . . . had two QB hurries and one assisted tackle in MSU’s win over Maryland while playing in his hometown of Detroit at Ford Field . . . had two tackles at Iowa . . . started Penn State game and logged four tackles, with 1.0 TFL (4 yards) and 0.5 sack (3 yards), in charting 37 snaps . . . started game at Minnesota and logged one tackle, in charting 46 snaps . . . was one of two Spartan Michiganders on defense to start game against Michigan, registering six stops and two QB hurries, in logging 46 snaps . . . returned to action and the starting lineup in the game at Indiana, tallying one tackle for loss, coming on Indiana’s first offensive play, in charting 24 snaps . . . missed UCLA game with an injury . . . opened game at Nebraska at defensive end and registered a season-high and career-best tying five tackles, posting a season-best and tied his career-high with 2.0 tackles for loss, matching his career-best of 2.0 TFLs for the third time, last doing so in the 2023 meeting vs. Nebraska (11/4/23), and adding 1.0 sack, while recording 27 snaps . . . started game at USC at defensive end, logging one stop, one pass break-up and one QB hurry, while charting 47 snaps, which tied for the lead among defensive linemen and tied for fourth overall on the defense . . . drew start at defensive end in Youngstown State game, notching three tackles, with 1.0 tackle for loss and one QB hurry, posting 28 snaps, which ranked tied for second among defensive linemen and matched jersey number by ranking tied for ninth on defense . . . started Boston College contest and tallied three tackles in charting 42 plays, grading out at 74.2 total defense, according to PFF, which led entire defense, and grading out at 76.6 run defense, which was second among both D-linemen and overall defense . . . tallied three tackles in season opener vs. Western Michigan, including 1.5 tackle for loss and 1.0 sack . . . teamed with fellow junior defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren for a tackle for loss for a safety . . . added 1.0 sack and one QB hurry, in logging 30 snaps, which led the defensive linemen and ranked tied for seventh overall on the defense.
2024 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Started all 12 games . . . tallied 17 tackles with 2.0 TFLs (3 yards) and one pass break-up . . . played a total of 376 snaps, ranking second among defensive linemen and ranking ninth overall on the defense . . . also made 35 appearances on special teams . . . Academic All-Big Ten, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-District honoree . . . credited with three tackles while playing 20 snaps vs. Rutgers . . . opened Purdue game at defensive end, logging one QB hurry in charting 33 snaps . . . drew starting nod at Illinois, recording four tackles with 0.5 tackle for loss, logging 41 snaps . . . started Indiana game and charted 33 snaps . . . tallied two tackles with 0.5 TFL in charting 31 snaps at Michigan . . . started Iowa game and tallied two tackles, with 0.5 TFL (2 yards) in logging 25 defensive plays . . . got starting nod at Oregon, posting one tackle in 30 snaps . . . opened Ohio State game at defensive end and posted 29 snaps . . . started game at Boston College at defensive end, tallying two stops with one QB hurry in playing 34 snaps . . . was starting defensive lineman in Prairie View A&M game, tallying one tackle with 0.5 TFL (1 yard) in posting 17 snaps . . . started in game at Maryland, recording one stop in 41 plays . . . started season opener vs. Florida Atlantic at defensive end and logged one tackle in 40 snaps.
2023 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Played in eight games to earn his first letter . . . started the final four games at defensive end (vs. Nebraska, Ohio State, Indiana and Penn State) . . . collected 19 total tackles (four solo, 15 assists) . . . ranked fifth on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss (20 yards), including 1.5 sacks (5 yards) . . . played a total of 211 snaps on defense . . . credited with a total of 10 QB pressures, according to PFF . . . also had two pass break-ups and one forced fumble . . . had one tackle and one PBU in his hometown of Detroit at Ford Field vs. Penn State . . . tallied two tackles, with 0.5 TFL (1 yard) and one pass break-up in 40 snaps at Indiana . . . drew second straight start and first in a road game at Ohio State, tallying two tackles in posting 25 snaps . . . started Nebraska game, the first of his Spartan career, and responded with five tackles and 2.0 sacks (5 yards), with one forced fumble and one QB hurry in 35 snaps . . . tallied three tackles with 2.0 TFL (2 yards) in Minnesota game, charting 46 snaps . . . logged four tackles in game against Michigan, registering 29 snaps . . . did not see action in four games (Rutgers, Iowa, Maryland, Washington) . . . tallied two tackles in Richmond game, logging defensive and special teams snaps . . . made Spartan debut with limited defensive and special teams action in season opener vs. Central Michigan.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Consensus four-star prospect (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports, On3) . . . consensus No. 1 defensive end prospect in the state of Michigan for the Class of 2023 (Rivals, ESPN, 247, On3) . . . member of the Rivals250 (No. 222) and ESPN300 (No. 170) as one of the best overall players in the country . . . rated the No. 13 overall player in the Midwest by ESPN.com . . . ranked among the best defensive ends in the nation by Rivals (No. 16), ESPN (No. 22), On3 (No. 38) and 247Sports (No. 38) . . . listed as one of the top overall players in Michigan by Rivals (No. 3), 247Sports (No. 4), ESPN (No. 4) and On3 (No. 6) . . . three-year varsity letterwinner at Detroit Cass Tech High School . . . helped lead Cass Tech to a 9-4 record, the Detroit Public School League (PSL) title and a berth in the Michigan Division 1 state semifinals his senior season in 2022 . . . first-team all-state selection by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) and The Associated Press . . . named to the MHSFCA Dream Team, Detroit Free Press Dream Team, The Detroit News Dream Team and the MLive Metro Detroit Dream Team . . . named the winner of the State Champs Player of the Year Award for the state of Michigan . . . also named to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press All-Detroit Team . . . finished the season with 53 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss and 12 sacks . . . had 30 tackles, including 12 TFLs and 10 sacks, as a junior in 2021 while earning MLive Metro Team Dream Team honorable mention . . . recorded eight sacks and two forced fumbles as a sophomore in 2020 as Cass Tech advanced to the Division 1 regional finals Owns a 3.74 grade-point average . . . played for Coach Marvin Rushing at Cass Tech High School . . . son of Kevin and Saquanda Thompson . . . advertising management major . . . organized a youth camp in his hometown of Detroit in 2024 and 2025 that supported anti-gun violence initiatives . . . also hosted a “Cleats 4 Kids” camp in Lansing.
2025 SEASON (JUNIOR): Led the Spartans with a career-high 6.5 tackles for loss (44 yards) . . . also tied for the team lead with a career-high 2.5 sacks (20 yards) . . . credited with eight QB hurries, second most on the team . . . recorded a career-high 30 tackles . . . played in 11 games, including 10 starting assignments at defensive end . . . played a total of 420 snaps on defense and 34 on special teams . . . earned Academic All-District honors and was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team for the second year in a row . . . had two QB hurries and one assisted tackle in MSU’s win over Maryland while playing in his hometown of Detroit at Ford Field . . . had two tackles at Iowa . . . started Penn State game and logged four tackles, with 1.0 TFL (4 yards) and 0.5 sack (3 yards), in charting 37 snaps . . . started game at Minnesota and logged one tackle, in charting 46 snaps . . . was one of two Spartan Michiganders on defense to start game against Michigan, registering six stops and two QB hurries, in logging 46 snaps . . . returned to action and the starting lineup in the game at Indiana, tallying one tackle for loss, coming on Indiana’s first offensive play, in charting 24 snaps . . . missed UCLA game with an injury . . . opened game at Nebraska at defensive end and registered a season-high and career-best tying five tackles, posting a season-best and tied his career-high with 2.0 tackles for loss, matching his career-best of 2.0 TFLs for the third time, last doing so in the 2023 meeting vs. Nebraska (11/4/23), and adding 1.0 sack, while recording 27 snaps . . . started game at USC at defensive end, logging one stop, one pass break-up and one QB hurry, while charting 47 snaps, which tied for the lead among defensive linemen and tied for fourth overall on the defense . . . drew start at defensive end in Youngstown State game, notching three tackles, with 1.0 tackle for loss and one QB hurry, posting 28 snaps, which ranked tied for second among defensive linemen and matched jersey number by ranking tied for ninth on defense . . . started Boston College contest and tallied three tackles in charting 42 plays, grading out at 74.2 total defense, according to PFF, which led entire defense, and grading out at 76.6 run defense, which was second among both D-linemen and overall defense . . . tallied three tackles in season opener vs. Western Michigan, including 1.5 tackle for loss and 1.0 sack . . . teamed with fellow junior defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren for a tackle for loss for a safety . . . added 1.0 sack and one QB hurry, in logging 30 snaps, which led the defensive linemen and ranked tied for seventh overall on the defense.
2024 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Started all 12 games . . . tallied 17 tackles with 2.0 TFLs (3 yards) and one pass break-up . . . played a total of 376 snaps, ranking second among defensive linemen and ranking ninth overall on the defense . . . also made 35 appearances on special teams . . . Academic All-Big Ten, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-District honoree . . . credited with three tackles while playing 20 snaps vs. Rutgers . . . opened Purdue game at defensive end, logging one QB hurry in charting 33 snaps . . . drew starting nod at Illinois, recording four tackles with 0.5 tackle for loss, logging 41 snaps . . . started Indiana game and charted 33 snaps . . . tallied two tackles with 0.5 TFL in charting 31 snaps at Michigan . . . started Iowa game and tallied two tackles, with 0.5 TFL (2 yards) in logging 25 defensive plays . . . got starting nod at Oregon, posting one tackle in 30 snaps . . . opened Ohio State game at defensive end and posted 29 snaps . . . started game at Boston College at defensive end, tallying two stops with one QB hurry in playing 34 snaps . . . was starting defensive lineman in Prairie View A&M game, tallying one tackle with 0.5 TFL (1 yard) in posting 17 snaps . . . started in game at Maryland, recording one stop in 41 plays . . . started season opener vs. Florida Atlantic at defensive end and logged one tackle in 40 snaps.
2023 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Played in eight games to earn his first letter . . . started the final four games at defensive end (vs. Nebraska, Ohio State, Indiana and Penn State) . . . collected 19 total tackles (four solo, 15 assists) . . . ranked fifth on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss (20 yards), including 1.5 sacks (5 yards) . . . played a total of 211 snaps on defense . . . credited with a total of 10 QB pressures, according to PFF . . . also had two pass break-ups and one forced fumble . . . had one tackle and one PBU in his hometown of Detroit at Ford Field vs. Penn State . . . tallied two tackles, with 0.5 TFL (1 yard) and one pass break-up in 40 snaps at Indiana . . . drew second straight start and first in a road game at Ohio State, tallying two tackles in posting 25 snaps . . . started Nebraska game, the first of his Spartan career, and responded with five tackles and 2.0 sacks (5 yards), with one forced fumble and one QB hurry in 35 snaps . . . tallied three tackles with 2.0 TFL (2 yards) in Minnesota game, charting 46 snaps . . . logged four tackles in game against Michigan, registering 29 snaps . . . did not see action in four games (Rutgers, Iowa, Maryland, Washington) . . . tallied two tackles in Richmond game, logging defensive and special teams snaps . . . made Spartan debut with limited defensive and special teams action in season opener vs. Central Michigan.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Consensus four-star prospect (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports, On3) . . . consensus No. 1 defensive end prospect in the state of Michigan for the Class of 2023 (Rivals, ESPN, 247, On3) . . . member of the Rivals250 (No. 222) and ESPN300 (No. 170) as one of the best overall players in the country . . . rated the No. 13 overall player in the Midwest by ESPN.com . . . ranked among the best defensive ends in the nation by Rivals (No. 16), ESPN (No. 22), On3 (No. 38) and 247Sports (No. 38) . . . listed as one of the top overall players in Michigan by Rivals (No. 3), 247Sports (No. 4), ESPN (No. 4) and On3 (No. 6) . . . three-year varsity letterwinner at Detroit Cass Tech High School . . . helped lead Cass Tech to a 9-4 record, the Detroit Public School League (PSL) title and a berth in the Michigan Division 1 state semifinals his senior season in 2022 . . . first-team all-state selection by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) and The Associated Press . . . named to the MHSFCA Dream Team, Detroit Free Press Dream Team, The Detroit News Dream Team and the MLive Metro Detroit Dream Team . . . named the winner of the State Champs Player of the Year Award for the state of Michigan . . . also named to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press All-Detroit Team . . . finished the season with 53 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss and 12 sacks . . . had 30 tackles, including 12 TFLs and 10 sacks, as a junior in 2021 while earning MLive Metro Team Dream Team honorable mention . . . recorded eight sacks and two forced fumbles as a sophomore in 2020 as Cass Tech advanced to the Division 1 regional finals Owns a 3.74 grade-point average . . . played for Coach Marvin Rushing at Cass Tech High School . . . son of Kevin and Saquanda Thompson . . . advertising management major . . . organized a youth camp in his hometown of Detroit in 2024 and 2025 that supported anti-gun violence initiatives . . . also hosted a “Cleats 4 Kids” camp in Lansing.
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