2021 Uncommitted Defensive Linemen

Brian Jerzak

January 14, 2021 @ 10:34 PM

As college commitments from the Class of 2021 continue to roll in, I thought it would be a good time to reassess who are some of the top ’free agents’ still out there for colleges to scoop up. These guys will likely be playing somewhere next year – but as of this story – nobody knows where. Possibly the easiest position group to find worthy guys to make this list is the defensive line. There were at least three other guys I was going to put on the list. There is so much uncommitted talent in this group. [player_tooltip player_id="22927" first="Davon" last="Townley"] Minneapolis North All you have to do is look at Townley, and you can tell – especially after he gets into a college lifting program – the guy is going to be a beast. Right now, he is a long, explosive athlete who, based on his body alone, can wreak havoc on offenses. He is so long that even if he gets out of position, he is one stride away from being back in the play with his long reach. When was the last time you saw a DI type defensive end catching a fifty-yard touchdown pass on a deep seam route? I’ll wait . . . [player_tooltip player_id="18040" first="Garrison" last="Solliday"] St. Thomas Academy Solliday is a polished high school pass rusher who has already developed more than one pass rush move. Much like a good running back, he can angle his body so that it is hard for linemen to get a clean shot on him. Solliday can play defensive tackle and defensive end. He has also lined up at linebacker. He is quick out of his stance but is also strong enough to take on and defeat double teams. His footwork allows him to get down the line of scrimmage while still taking on blockers. [player_tooltip player_id="18085" first="Josh" last="Franklin"] Fridley Franklin is extremely explosive off the ball. Usually lined up on the center, he can get into the backfield so quickly that sometimes a double team cannot get to him. Double-teaming him is almost essential because Franklin is too powerful to be effectively single blocked. He is not just an interior space-eater; he moves down the line of scrimmage well and can also play some 3-4 defensive end. [player_tooltip player_id="18054" first="Cheick" last="Kaba"] Fridley Franklin’s teammate, Kaba, is explosive off the ball from his defensive end position, but he is not reckless. He has good discipline and doesn’t get too far upfield and out of position. He gets under blockers pads, stands them up, and drives them into the backfield. He uses his hands well to keep blockers off his legs and away from his body. He already has a solid swim move, and a solid rip move when rushing the passer. Nate Becker Maple Grove Becker can play anywhere on the defensive line. As a defensive end, Becker is a very physical lineman. As an interior lineman, he is too quick for the average interior offensive lineman. He is an explosive pass rusher at any defensive line position. The senior has good footwork and moves well laterally. He is hard to move in the running game; he has a strong base and uses his upper body to shed would-be blockers.