Michigan State University Athletics
2026 Spring Football Roster
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Jersey Number 1
Nikai Martinez
- Position:
- DB
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-11 / 195
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Apopka, Fla.
- High School:
- Apopka
- Prev School:
- UCF
Fifth-year safety enters his third season with the Spartans in 2026 . . . has played in 43 collegiate games the past four seasons (27 at UCF in 2022-23; 12 at MSU in 2024; four at MSU in 2025) . . . has collected 150 tackles in his career, including 5.5 tackles for loss (18 yards) and 1.0 sack (7 yards), with the 150 tackles evenly split of 75 tackles at UCF and 75 at MSU . . . has five career pass break-ups and five interceptions (156 yards) . . . has started 29 games the past three seasons (13 at UCF in 2023; 12 at MSU in 2024; four at MSU in 2025) . . . had 75 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, three interceptions and three pass break-ups at UCF in 2022-23, has 75 tackles with 2.5 TFLs and two pass break-ups at MSU in 2024-25 . . . has played in nearly 2,000 snaps on defense at safety (1,971), with 911 at MSU and 1,050 in his two seasons at UCF (319 in 2022; 731 in 2023) . . . transferred to MSU in 2024 and joined the program over the summer.
2025 SEASON (SENIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE): Played in only four games (vs. Youngstown State, USC, Michigan, Minnesota)Â due to injury and preserved his redshirt season . . . finished the season with 24 tackles . . . after missing first two games due to injury, returned to starting lineup at safety in game three vs. Youngstown State (9/13) and game four at USC (9/20), but then was sidelined with an injury and did not play in next three games (at Indiana, vs. UCLA and at Nebraska), before returning to action in Michigan game, also playing in game at Minnesota, before missing last two games (Iowa and Penn State) due to injury . . . played a total of 197 snaps on defense and 17 on special teams . . . posted a career-high 10 tackles in game at Minnesota (11/1) after starting at safety and charting 62 snaps, ranking tied for tops among defensive backs and tied for second overall on the defense . . . returned to action in Michigan contest (10/25), notching five tackles and doubled snap total, with 67 defensive snaps . . . missed game at Indiana, home game vs. UCLA and game at Nebraska due to an injury . . . started game at USC (9/20) and posted seven stops, sharing team lead, in playing 36 snaps, which ranked tied for third among defensive backs and tied for ninth overall on defense . . . returned to action and starting role by tallying two tackles in the Youngstown State game (9/13), logging 31 snaps, ranking fifth among defensive backs and seventh overall on the defense . . . missed Boston College game and season-opener vs. Western Michigan . . . began the season on the Shrine Bowl Preseason 1000 List.
2024 SEASON (JUNIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE): Started all 12 games at safety . . . ranked third on the team with 51 tackles (30 solo, 21 assists) . . . tied for second on the team with two interceptions (62 yards) . . . also had a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss (3 yards) and two pass break-ups . . . played a team-high 724 snaps on defense at safety . . . also made 71 appearances on special teams . . . ranked 11th in the Big Ten with 62 interception return yards . . . started against Rutgers and posted four tackles while breaking up a pass . . . recorded a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss and had five stops overall with one pass break-up in playing all 68 snaps in win over Purdue . . . started game at Illinois and played in all 64 defensive snaps, tallying three tackles . . . drew ninth straight start by opening Indiana game in defensive backfield and logged five tackles in playing 56 of the 63 defensive snaps . . . opened game at Michigan at safety and tallied three tackles, including first TFL as a Spartan, in logging 51 snaps . . . started Iowa game and snared second interception of season, snagging the ball at the MSU 49 in the fourth quarter and returned it 21 yards to the Iowa 30, setting up MSU for field goal; finished with six stops against the Hawkeyes in playing all 48 defensive snaps . . . was starting safety at Oregon, registering season-high seven stops in logging 68 snaps, ranking tied for second both among defensive backs and overall on defense . . . started Ohio State game and registered five tackles, while logging 65 snaps to lead the defense . . . drew start at safety in game at Boston College, tallying three tackles, in playing 56 of the 60 defensive snaps . . . started game vs. Prairie View A&M and notched 40 snaps . . . started game at Maryland and posted four tackles in charting 62 snaps out of the 68 defensive plays . . . made Spartan debut in starting Florida Atlantic game, and was the lone MSU player to play all 74 defensive snaps, and posted then-career-high tying six tackles and an interception, snaring the second pick of back-to-back Spartan defensive series with interceptions in the second quarter on the following series after teammate Angelo Grose’s INT . . . returned the pick 41 yards, setting up MSU at the FAU 18-yard line and the Spartans punched it in from there for their first TD of the night . . . the 41-yard return was 1 yard shy of his collegiate career long, as he had a 42-yard return at UCF in a game vs. Villanova in 2023.
2023 SEASON (SOPHOMORE AT UCF): Started all 13 games at safety and played 731 snaps on defense for the Golden Knights . . . tied for the team lead with three interceptions (94 return yards) . . . his 94 interception return yards ranked second most in the Big 12 and tied for 21st in the FBS . . . ranked fifth on the team with 54 tackles (40 solo, 14 assists) . . . had 1.5 TFLs for 6 yards . . . posted four stops and a half tackle for loss in the Gasparilla Bowl vs. Georgia Tech (12/22) . . . tied his season high with six tackles and returned an interception 28 yards against Texas Tech (11/18) . . . had four tackles and a 28-yard INT return in win over Cincinnati (11/4) . . . tallied five stops vs. West Virginia (10/28) . . . recorded season-high tying six tackles vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (10/21) . . . credited with five tackles vs. Baylor (9/30) . . . tied his season high with six tackles at Kansas State (9/23) . . . had a career-long 42-yard interception return along with two tackles in victory over Villanova (9/16) . . . had three tackles, including a 5-yard loss, in win over Boise State (9/9) . . . broke up a pass and collected two tackles in season-opening win against Kent State.
2022 SEASON (FRESHMAN AT UCF): Played in all 14 games, with 319 snaps on defense and 146 on special teams . . . recorded 21 tackles (17 solo, four assists), including 1.5 TFLs (9 yards) and two pass break-ups . . . named to the AAC All-Academic Team . . . collected two tackles and played a season-high 47 snaps in the Military Bowl vs. Duke (10/28) . . . had three tackles in a win over USF (11/26) . . . posted three stops in victory over Temple (10/13) . . . had a career-best two pass break-ups and an assisted tackle in win over SMU (10/5) . . . recorded two tackles, including 1.5 for losses (9 yards) and a 7-yard sack, in his collegiate debut vs. South Carolina State (9/1) . . . enrolled at UCF in January 2022 and competed in spring practice.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN.com . . . ranked one of the top cornerbacks in the nation in the Class of 2022 by Rivals (No. 33), 247Sports (No. 40) and ESPN.com (No. 44) . . . listed among the best overall players in the state of Florida in the Class of 2022 by Rivals (No. 42), 247Sports (No. 46) and ESPN.com (No. 59) . . . helped lead Apopka High School to 12-2 record and championship game of 2021 Florida 8A playoffs (Dec. 18 vs. Venice) . . . helped Apopka to final 2021 regular-season rankings of sixth in Class 8A by FloridaHSFootball.com . . . missed most of 2021 regular season but returned in Florida 8A playoffs to make two interceptions for touchdowns on 154 return yards . . . rated 41st on MaxPreps 2021 preseason list of top Florida players in class of 2022 . . . second-team 8A all-state section as junior in 2020 by FloridaHSFootball.com . . . finished with 47 tackles as junior in 2020, while adding four interceptions, two sacks, a fumble recovery and two blocked field goals . . . rated No. 17 on Orlando Sentinel 2022 Central Florida Super60 list . . . credited with 56 tackles, one fumble recovery and four interceptions as sophomore in 2019 . . . helped lead Blue Darters to 13-2 mark and Florida 8A state title game in 2019 (losing 21-20 to Miami Columbus) and helped team to 9-3 record and 8A semifinals in 2020 before 28-24 loss to eventual state champion Seminole . . . high school career numbers include 116 tackles and 10 interceptions . . . played for coach Jeff Rolson at Apopka High School . . . also played basketball for Blue Darters . . . communication major . . . his younger brother, Trevaughn, joined the Spartans in January 2026.
2025 SEASON (SENIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE): Played in only four games (vs. Youngstown State, USC, Michigan, Minnesota)Â due to injury and preserved his redshirt season . . . finished the season with 24 tackles . . . after missing first two games due to injury, returned to starting lineup at safety in game three vs. Youngstown State (9/13) and game four at USC (9/20), but then was sidelined with an injury and did not play in next three games (at Indiana, vs. UCLA and at Nebraska), before returning to action in Michigan game, also playing in game at Minnesota, before missing last two games (Iowa and Penn State) due to injury . . . played a total of 197 snaps on defense and 17 on special teams . . . posted a career-high 10 tackles in game at Minnesota (11/1) after starting at safety and charting 62 snaps, ranking tied for tops among defensive backs and tied for second overall on the defense . . . returned to action in Michigan contest (10/25), notching five tackles and doubled snap total, with 67 defensive snaps . . . missed game at Indiana, home game vs. UCLA and game at Nebraska due to an injury . . . started game at USC (9/20) and posted seven stops, sharing team lead, in playing 36 snaps, which ranked tied for third among defensive backs and tied for ninth overall on defense . . . returned to action and starting role by tallying two tackles in the Youngstown State game (9/13), logging 31 snaps, ranking fifth among defensive backs and seventh overall on the defense . . . missed Boston College game and season-opener vs. Western Michigan . . . began the season on the Shrine Bowl Preseason 1000 List.
2024 SEASON (JUNIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE): Started all 12 games at safety . . . ranked third on the team with 51 tackles (30 solo, 21 assists) . . . tied for second on the team with two interceptions (62 yards) . . . also had a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss (3 yards) and two pass break-ups . . . played a team-high 724 snaps on defense at safety . . . also made 71 appearances on special teams . . . ranked 11th in the Big Ten with 62 interception return yards . . . started against Rutgers and posted four tackles while breaking up a pass . . . recorded a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss and had five stops overall with one pass break-up in playing all 68 snaps in win over Purdue . . . started game at Illinois and played in all 64 defensive snaps, tallying three tackles . . . drew ninth straight start by opening Indiana game in defensive backfield and logged five tackles in playing 56 of the 63 defensive snaps . . . opened game at Michigan at safety and tallied three tackles, including first TFL as a Spartan, in logging 51 snaps . . . started Iowa game and snared second interception of season, snagging the ball at the MSU 49 in the fourth quarter and returned it 21 yards to the Iowa 30, setting up MSU for field goal; finished with six stops against the Hawkeyes in playing all 48 defensive snaps . . . was starting safety at Oregon, registering season-high seven stops in logging 68 snaps, ranking tied for second both among defensive backs and overall on defense . . . started Ohio State game and registered five tackles, while logging 65 snaps to lead the defense . . . drew start at safety in game at Boston College, tallying three tackles, in playing 56 of the 60 defensive snaps . . . started game vs. Prairie View A&M and notched 40 snaps . . . started game at Maryland and posted four tackles in charting 62 snaps out of the 68 defensive plays . . . made Spartan debut in starting Florida Atlantic game, and was the lone MSU player to play all 74 defensive snaps, and posted then-career-high tying six tackles and an interception, snaring the second pick of back-to-back Spartan defensive series with interceptions in the second quarter on the following series after teammate Angelo Grose’s INT . . . returned the pick 41 yards, setting up MSU at the FAU 18-yard line and the Spartans punched it in from there for their first TD of the night . . . the 41-yard return was 1 yard shy of his collegiate career long, as he had a 42-yard return at UCF in a game vs. Villanova in 2023.
2023 SEASON (SOPHOMORE AT UCF): Started all 13 games at safety and played 731 snaps on defense for the Golden Knights . . . tied for the team lead with three interceptions (94 return yards) . . . his 94 interception return yards ranked second most in the Big 12 and tied for 21st in the FBS . . . ranked fifth on the team with 54 tackles (40 solo, 14 assists) . . . had 1.5 TFLs for 6 yards . . . posted four stops and a half tackle for loss in the Gasparilla Bowl vs. Georgia Tech (12/22) . . . tied his season high with six tackles and returned an interception 28 yards against Texas Tech (11/18) . . . had four tackles and a 28-yard INT return in win over Cincinnati (11/4) . . . tallied five stops vs. West Virginia (10/28) . . . recorded season-high tying six tackles vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (10/21) . . . credited with five tackles vs. Baylor (9/30) . . . tied his season high with six tackles at Kansas State (9/23) . . . had a career-long 42-yard interception return along with two tackles in victory over Villanova (9/16) . . . had three tackles, including a 5-yard loss, in win over Boise State (9/9) . . . broke up a pass and collected two tackles in season-opening win against Kent State.
2022 SEASON (FRESHMAN AT UCF): Played in all 14 games, with 319 snaps on defense and 146 on special teams . . . recorded 21 tackles (17 solo, four assists), including 1.5 TFLs (9 yards) and two pass break-ups . . . named to the AAC All-Academic Team . . . collected two tackles and played a season-high 47 snaps in the Military Bowl vs. Duke (10/28) . . . had three tackles in a win over USF (11/26) . . . posted three stops in victory over Temple (10/13) . . . had a career-best two pass break-ups and an assisted tackle in win over SMU (10/5) . . . recorded two tackles, including 1.5 for losses (9 yards) and a 7-yard sack, in his collegiate debut vs. South Carolina State (9/1) . . . enrolled at UCF in January 2022 and competed in spring practice.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN.com . . . ranked one of the top cornerbacks in the nation in the Class of 2022 by Rivals (No. 33), 247Sports (No. 40) and ESPN.com (No. 44) . . . listed among the best overall players in the state of Florida in the Class of 2022 by Rivals (No. 42), 247Sports (No. 46) and ESPN.com (No. 59) . . . helped lead Apopka High School to 12-2 record and championship game of 2021 Florida 8A playoffs (Dec. 18 vs. Venice) . . . helped Apopka to final 2021 regular-season rankings of sixth in Class 8A by FloridaHSFootball.com . . . missed most of 2021 regular season but returned in Florida 8A playoffs to make two interceptions for touchdowns on 154 return yards . . . rated 41st on MaxPreps 2021 preseason list of top Florida players in class of 2022 . . . second-team 8A all-state section as junior in 2020 by FloridaHSFootball.com . . . finished with 47 tackles as junior in 2020, while adding four interceptions, two sacks, a fumble recovery and two blocked field goals . . . rated No. 17 on Orlando Sentinel 2022 Central Florida Super60 list . . . credited with 56 tackles, one fumble recovery and four interceptions as sophomore in 2019 . . . helped lead Blue Darters to 13-2 mark and Florida 8A state title game in 2019 (losing 21-20 to Miami Columbus) and helped team to 9-3 record and 8A semifinals in 2020 before 28-24 loss to eventual state champion Seminole . . . high school career numbers include 116 tackles and 10 interceptions . . . played for coach Jeff Rolson at Apopka High School . . . also played basketball for Blue Darters . . . communication major . . . his younger brother, Trevaughn, joined the Spartans in January 2026.
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