2026 Defensive Lineman

[Kaiser_Soze]

Since no one has done a 2026 defensive lineman preview yet I thought I would do one. College football is rich with white defensive line talent so there are a lot of names.

John Henry Daley - Michigan
Future first round pick coming back from an ankle injury. The most disruptive guy I've seen since JJ Watt against both the pass and the run.


Will Heldt - Clemson
Senior for Clemson. Rangy pass rusher with 12.5 career sacks. Usually listed as a top 10 prospect on NFL mock draft boards at the edge position


Adam Trick - Texas Tech
Productive senior pass rusher with great bend and natural pass rush moves. 13 career sacks so far. Listed as a day 3 pick on most mock draft boards.


Luke Wafle - USC
Number #1 2026 prospect at the edge. True freshman that's already making waves on the field


Derek Coleman-Brusa - Washington
Another freshman wunderkind this time on the interior. Has already picked up his first sack and looks like a monster.


Isaac Terrell - Iowa
Smaller edge guy at 6'2" 250 that has already picked up 3 sacks in his first career game at Iowa State. Has great agility and footwork and a really weird sack celebration that I don't understand.


Alex Van Sumeren -USC
Senior transfer from Michigan State, a really powerful and mobile interior lineman that can split double teams and impose his will in the run game


Eli Coenen - Michigan State
This is a guy that's really coming on right now. An absolutely monster sized 6'6" 287 pound interior wrecker that already has 3 sacks this year.


Fisher Camac - Virginia
A bit of an under the radar guy but I think he's really special. Again this dude is massive 6'7" 260, long arms, and is a tremendous athlete off the edge. Has 13 career sacks entering his senior season.


Elisha Baldridge - FIU
Has come out of nowhere but it's clear from watching some film on him that he's a special talent. Originally from Division II Ashland. Has already been making plays all over the field and has 2 sacks through the first 2 games.



There's a lot more, I'll try and get to it when I can.

 

[Truthteller]

K_Soze, I did this for Twenty-Two, when he posted the Running Back, Wide receiver and Defensive back threads. Here's a list of DL Transfer's via the most recent Portal. Not a complete list. No particular order. Some are stars; some not so? Some are young and might eventually be stars; some are veterans with lesser upside. Cody Sigler might be the best NFL prospect, right now.

DT Carter Janki Pennsylvania (Penn) to Illinios
DE Liam Danitz Hope College to Wisconsin (LB)
DE Andrew Zock Mercer to Toledo
DE Kellen Lindstrom Tennessee to Missouri State (RS Fresh) (Ex-4 star $116,000 N.I.L.)
DE Connor Sullivan Washington State to Illinois (Fresh)
DE Logan George Ohio State to Washington (Senior)
DE Andrew DePaepe Indiana to Massachusetts (RS-Soph)
DE William DePaepe Indiana to Massachusetts (Soph)
DT Eli Coenen Illinois to Michigan State (RS-Soph)(6'7",290lbs)
DE Bruno Dall Akron to Central Florida (6'7", 265lbs) (RS-Soph)
DE Isaac Terrell Washington State to Iowa State (Junior)
DE Alexander McPherson Colorado to Penn State (Fresh)
DE James Williams Florida State to Oklahoma State (RS-Junior)
DE Linus Zunk Vanderbilt to Washington State (Senior)
DE Bryson Lamb Washington State to Iowa State (RS-Junior)
DE Josh Schell Tennessee to Central Florida
DE Caden Crawford South Dakota to Iowa State (Junior)
DE Aiden Gobaira James Madison to California-Los Angeles (UCLA) (Junior)
DT Will LeBlanc Texas Permain Basin to West Virginia (RS Fresh)
DE Joshua Burnham Notre Dame to Indiana (RS-Junior)
DT Joe Hjelle Tulsa to Indiana (Junior)
DT Cody Sigler Arkansas State to Auburn (Senior)
DE Cavan Tuley Houston to Missouri
DE Lucas Samsula Wyoming to Utah
DE Thaddeus Gianaris Dartmouth to Wyoming
DE Donnie Wingate Southern Illinois to Wyoming
DE Jack Dunkley Duquesne to Wyoming
DE Brandon Kelley Connecticut to Colorado State
DE Kasen Long Texas Tech to Utah State
DE Aden Cannon Indiana to Illinois State
DL Andrew Laurich Colorado State to Connecticut
DE Cooper Blomstrom Georgetown to Arizona
DT Cody Sigler Arkansas State to Auburn
DT Jake Anderson Illinois State to Wisconsin

 

[Kaiser_Soze]

Taylor Wein - Oklahoma
Had a breakout year last year with 7 sacks. Raw but very powerful 6'4" 270 defensive end.


Cody Sigler - Auburn
Talented interior player that isn't just a run stuffer - he has 12 career sacks including 1 already this year for Auburn


Gabe Kaminski - Stanford
A redshirt freshman that's already showing a lot of promise. Had 1 and a half sacks in his debut against Hawaii.


Mario Landino - Indiana
Key part of their national title run last year, a 6'4" 290 super athletic interior player with 6 and a half career sacks and is likely to only get better.