Mel Tucker to lose MSU defensive assistant to NFL opening, per report

Mel Tucker is reportedly losing one piece of his defensive coaching staff to an opening in the NFL.

According to Jordan Schultz with The Score, pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan is leaving East Lansing to fill the same role on Pete Carroll’s staff with the Seattle Seahawks. Brandon Jordan was hired by Tucker and the Spartans last offseason after building his body of work as a private pass rush coach with a litany of NFL stars.

#Seahawks are hiring Brandon Jordan as their new pass rush specialist coach, sources tell @theScore.

Jordon most recently had the same role at Michigan State. He’s worked with the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Cam Heyward, Chandler Jones, Von Miller, T.J. Watt and Maliek Collins.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 4, 2023

Though Michigan State’s defense struggled in a number of areas, Jacoby Windmon shined with 10.5 TFL and team-high marks in sacks (5.5) and forced fumbles (6). Simeon Barrow also posted career-high numbers across the board, including TFL (9) and sacks (4).

Impact of losing Jordan

With just one season of Jordan on staff, the Spartans will not get the maximum benefit of having Jordan’s insight on the defensive ball. He remains a highly regarded voice in the realm of pass-rushing, so his departure is not a small thing.

Mel Tucker did hire Diron Reynolds as the program’s new DL coach in January and DC Scottie Hazelton returns to coach the linebackers. Regardless of how Michigan State fills Jordan’s post for 2023, all that really matters is turning around a defense that has been among the worst in the country each of the past two seasons.