Michigan State gets commitment from Weber State transfer DE Keahnist Thompson
Weber State transfer Keahnist Thompson has committed to MSU as a veteran defensive end with one year of eligibility left to play. More here.
New Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald has been on a transfer portal tear, with a double-digit number of posts with a specific graphic on X (formerly Twitter), alluding to new transfer portal commitments. Following a visit on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, Weber State transfer defensive end Keahnist Thompson is the latest portal prospect to commit to the Spartans.
With the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Thompson now in the fold, MSU will add another veteran presence to its defensive front. Thompson has now elected to spend his final year of eligibility with the Spartans, bringing a sense of maturity and experience to MSU.
Now under the tutelage of the brand new Michigan State staff, Thompson will play for head coach Pat Fitzgerald, defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III as he finishes his career with the Spartans.
The native of Lakeland, Florida, started his collegiate career at Central Florida in 2022, but only played in one game with the Knights, allowing him to redshirt before emerging as a reliable contributor for Weber State for the past three seasons.
In three years at Weber State, Thompson played in 28 games for the Wildcats and totaled 63 tackles with 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and one pass defended. In his most recent season in 2025, as a redshirt junior, he recorded 27 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and four sacks for Weber State in just nine games, demonstrating his impact along the edge.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2024, Thompson appeared in all 12 games for the Wildcats. He totaled 23 tackles, including 11 solo stops and 12 assisted tackles, while logging three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. Some notable big games that year included WSU’s win over Portland State, where Thompson picked up 1.5 tackles for loss, and the matchups against Lamar and Northern Colorado, where he recorded four tackles.
After transferring from Central Florida, Thompson made an immediate impact in his redshirt freshman year i n2023 as well, playing in all 11 games and helping Weber State to a ninth-straight winning season. He has 29 total tackles on the year, 12 solo and 17 assisted, with six tackles coming from the win over Northern Colorado and four at Utah.
For MSU, its pass rush has faced scrutiny in the last few seasons, and Thompson represents a valuable addition to the roster as a veteran and mature defender who understands the pace of college football, having completed multiple meaningful snaps. Thompson’s addition continues the busy stretch in the transfer portal for Fitzgerald, who has been hosting many defensive players to East Lansing looking to take a forward lunge with this defensive unit.