The Michigan State Spartans have a few players going to the Shrine Bowl, but one is looking to make an impact during the bowl game.
This player is linebacker Ben VanSumeren.
VanSumeren has plenty of reasons to prove himself during the Shrine Bowl, as he declared for the NFL Draft back in December.
I could tell them the story, they still won’t know the half ☝🏼 #SD4L pic.twitter.com/zSCuuTkbxt
— Ben VanSumeren (@benvansumeren) December 2, 2022
However, his journey to this position was a long one.
He started his college career in 2019 at Michigan University as a fullback for the team.
They later moved him over to defense as a linebacker, but didn’t give him as much playing time as other players got.
He then took his talents to Michigan State in 2021, where he saw more playing time.
His time with the Spartans saw him play in 18 games, where he recorded 93 total tackles and two sacks.
With 2022 being a solid year for him, he found himself ready for the NFL Draft.
His speed and pursuit helped him to have a team-high 11 tackles during the Spartans home opener against the Western Michigan Broncos in 2022.
Ben VanSumeren (@benvansumeren) quietly put together a very impressive game last night.
The running back turned linebacker had a team-high 11 tackles and showed crazy sideline to sideline speed. pic.twitter.com/shZIzfbhA3
— Ian Kress (@ian_kress) September 3, 2022
However, he had more impressive games following his team’s win against Western Michigan.
A game against the Maryland Terrapins saw him having 14 combined tackles, the highest single-game total for him in 2022.
Later in the 2022 season, he got his first sack of his career against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
His 73 total tackles and two sacks for 2022 shows he’s ready to prove himself to NFL scouts.
With the Shrine Bowl putting him in the spotlight, he has a significant chance to impress these scouts.
In less than one month, fans can see how this Michigan State standout does during the Shrine Bowl.
