
CMU’s young DL Joey VanWetzinga brings size, family ties, and starter upside
Joey VanWetzinga is a 6-foot-2, 260-pound defensive lineman for Central Michigan who arrived in June 2025 after transferring from Iowa, and he made an early impact in 2025 with 8 games played and 8 tackles on the season, including 1 solo stop and 7 assists. He stands out more as a sturdy, assignment-sound piece than a flashy stat-chaser, and the family connection is real: he joined CMU to play alongside his brother, Rusty. The big concern is availability, though — reports in April 2026 said he tore his Achilles in spring practice and would miss the season.





