2020 Defensive Linemen

[Red Raider]

George Karlaftis (SO) 6’4” 265lbs Purdue
Karlaftis could very well be a top 5 pick in a couple years and he already has NFL size. He shined as a true freshman while earning 1st Team Freshman All-American honors and 2nd Team All-Big 10. He finished his first season with 54 tackles, 17 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, and 2 FR.


Wyatt Hubert (JR) 6’3” 258lbs Kansas State
Hubert earned 1st team All-Big 12 honors in 2019 and Freshman All-American honors in 2018. In his two seasons he has racked up 67 tackles, 20 TFL, 11.5 sacks, 1 INT, and a FF. He’s only a junior, I think he’ll be a draft pick at some point.


Eli Howard (SR) 6’4” 275lbs Texas Tech
Howard will finish his career as a 4 year starter for TTU. In his first 3 seasons he has recorded 82 tackles, 17 TFL, 12 sacks, 7 pass deflections, 2 FF, and 2 FR. He has been on the brink of stardom and I’m expecting his best season yet this season.


Nick Heninger (SR) 6’2” 225lbs Utah State
Heninger started his career off at Utah before moving onto Utah State. He has been a fumble machine in his career even though he only became a starter last season. Last year he was listed at 245lbs but apparently has dropped down to 225lbs. He has 45 tackles, 10.5 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 FF, and 5 FR’s.


Jacub Panasiuk (SR) 6’3” 245lbs Michigan State
Jacub is the younger brother of Raiders UDFA DT Mike Panasiuk. Jacub has had a nice career recording 80 tackles, 18.5 TFL, 8 sacks, 4 FF, and a blocked kick.


Jack Heflin (SR) 6’4” 319lbs Iowa
Heflin is a giant playmaking DT who I’m excited to see at Iowa this upcoming season. In 3 seasons at NIU he recorded 72 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 9 sacks, 3 FF, and a blocked kick.


Cameron Thomas (SO) 6’5” 260lbs San Diego State
Thomas shined as a freshman earning 1st Team All-Mountain West honors. He recorded 49 tackles, 9 TFL, and 5.5 sacks.

 

[Bucky]

Nice list Red! Two Super Sophomores in Karlaftis and Thomas along with solid upperclassmen. Hubert and Howard will be fun to watch in Big12. Big fan of the Pansiuks. Heflin to Big Ten and Iowa is awesome!

Matt Henningsen (RJR.) 6'3 285 Former Walk-On has 56tkls, 5sks, and 3 fumble recoveries, one for a TD. Been in rotation since he was a Redshirt Freshman. He's only gotten bigger, better, and stronger every year.



Garrett Rand (RSR.) 6'2 280 Former 4 Star recruit from Arizona. Shunned numerous Pac 12 offers to head to Madison. Very strong for his size 30+bench reps easily. Has faced adversity from injuries in his career. 45tkls, 1sack, 1FF.

 

[dolphins15]

Aidan Hutchinson (JR) 6'6" 278 Michigan
Kid has a monster frame. In his first year as a starter had 68 tackles, 10 TFL, 4.5 Sacks, 6 pass deflections and 2 FF. Has the look of a high draft pick. 3rd Team All Big Ten.

Drew Birchmeier (SR) 6'4" 300 Vanderbilt
A big run stuffer. Has been a 2 year starter at Vandy. Has 54 career tackles with 1 FF and 4 pass deflections.

Forrest Merrill (SR) 6'1" 338 Arkansas State
Signed with Missouri State out of high school. Then went JUCO for a year before coming to Arkansas State. 2nd team All Sun-Belt in 2018. Tore his bicep in the middle of last season. In a season and a half has 79 tackles, 12 TFL, 8 sacks, 1 FF and 2 pass deflections. His head coach said every opposing coach asks him before the game "where did y'all find 92 he's disruptive?" If only they knew they could find more if they didn't worry about skin tone.

 

[Shadowlight]

Colt Ellison (SO) 6'4" 240TCU
Through the ages TCU has been one of my least favorite teams. That is changing in a hurry. Two exciting linebackers in Harris and Wallow (please see 2020 Linebacker thread) plus Colt penciled in as a starter at DE. Only made a few tackles last year but he has that incredible quickness off the edge.


Scott Patchan (SR) 6'6" 250 Colorado State
6th year eligible transfer from Miami, Patchan recorded 33 tackles, 6TFLs, 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery for Miami last year. A nice well built athlete and was a rare White defender on Miami. Seems to have untapped talent. Maybe a change of scenery will fully unleash it?


Joe Evans (SO) 6'2" 244 Iowa
Iowa has no shortage of White DEs. SR Zach Valkenburg might start and SO John Waggoner has potential. But Evans stood out the most to me with his 4 sacks in limited play. A real terror off the edge this quicksilver athlete should create havoc in the Big Ten for the next couple of years. Go Iowa!


(Sorry for the smaller photos. I am having trouble loading bigger pictures. "It isn't the size of the player it is the size of his heart." Quote from Cliché master circa 1980 something.)

 

[TwentyTwo]

Thank y'all very much for starting this thread! Had been thinking for over a week about starting D-Line thread! Iron sharpens Iron

Even coming out of the HS All American Game you could see George Karlaftis would be Purdue's Best Defender since Ryan Kerrigan!
TRUE! The 6'-6" 278lb Aiden Hutchinson has the look of a future NFL Starter; Dad(Chris) played @ Michigan on Defense too
Jack Heflin transferring to Iowa was an interesting move! Has the look of a Future NFL Starter!
Eli Howard & Wyatt Hubert should get NFL Combine invites!

Hopefully Forrest Merrill is 100% healthy! He's a beast for sure! And strong man Garrett Rand (Wisconsin) too!

Yes sir Shadowlight! The change of scenery should do Scott Patchan some good! And TCU's Defense will be one to watch!

Ben Stille (Sr.) 6'-5" 295 Nebraska
....Project Starter needs to bounce back to have a strong Senior season & bring back some respectability to the Cornhuskers. Last season only started 2 games but had a career-high 31 tackles w 8 TFLs & 3.0 sacks.; Soph. Full Time Starter led team in Sacks; Led Freshman all players Big Ten in TFL's w 10

 

[Red Raider]

Garrett Crall (SR) 6’5” 233lbs Wyoming
Has started ever since his freshman year racking up 126 tackles, 18.5 for loss, 11.5 sacks, 5 pass deflections, 2 FF, and 3 FR’s.

 

[Red Raider]

Andrew Sharp (JR) 6’4” 267lbs Miami (Ohio)
Sharp played well as a backup in 2018 before becoming a full time starter in 2019. Last season he had 35 tackles, 8.5 TFL, and 4.5 sacks. He recorded 2 sacks his freshman year.

This is the only picture I could find of him, he’s getting a safety though.

 

[DWF Upside]

Logan Lee. 6 ft 5 in 270 LB RS Freshman Iowa

You guys overlooked the best of the bunch for Iowa’s D-Lineman. This is a bad young man, who will only get better with another year in the weightroom. He will get meaningful snaps this year, but I expect next year for him to be the main man. A lean fast coordinated 270 lb’er with huge potential. And to no surprise yet another 2 time state wrestling champ as an Iowa football recruit ( they stockpile these guys as long as they arent short fatties)

We are going to need a small miracle to play the season though

 

[Red Raider]

Cade Hall (JR) 6’2” 260lbs San Jose State
Hall became a starter in 2018 as a true freshman and has held down that position ever since. In those two seasons he has 80 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 4 sacks, and 3 FF.


Turner Coxe (JR) 6’2” 247lbs SMU
Played well in 2018 before becoming a starter last season. He has recorded 70 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 INT, and 4 FF.


Austin Conrad (SR) 6’2” 245lbs Ohio
Austin is the younger brother of former Kentucky TE CJ Conrad who spent the 2019 season on the Giants practice squad. Austin was a standout RB/LB in high school who played TE his first 2 years before switching to DE. He has recorded 61 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FF, and a FR.


Jarrod Hewitt (SR) 6’1” 288lbs Virginia Tech
Hewitt was a backup that saw playing time in his first two seasons before becoming a starter in 2019. He has 61 tackles, 9 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, and 2 FR’s. He was a team captain last season.


Derek Parrish (JR) 6’2” 245lbs Houston
Parish became a starter in 2019, he was a highly ranked middle linebacker coming out of high school. He has recorded 59 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, and 1 FR.