2022 Rankings: Defensive Line Breakdown
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Here in the month of June we’re updating all of our prospect rankings as the 2021 season gets closer and closer. For the 2022 class, we went from a Top 100 to a Top 150 as this class continues to get deeper and deeper. The margin between the ranked players is very close and this class has a chance to be fairly deep from top to bottom. The guys in the Top 10 are some of the best in recent memory, especially in that Top 5. You can check out the Top 150 Right Here. Throughout the week, we’ll be adding some analysis on the players that have stood out in the 2022 class with positional breakdowns, newcomers and even prospects on the border of being ranked this time around. Go back and check out our updated rankings for the 2023 and 2024 classes. For now, we take a look at five defensive linemen who already are or likely will become very well-known among high school football fans and coaches in 2021.
Jaleel Johnson Jaleel Johnson 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL Putnam City North | 2022 State OK – Putnam City North (#3 DL – #15 Overall)
Before 2020, not much was known about Jaleel Johnson Jaleel Johnson 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL Putnam City North | 2022 State OK outside of those who knew him within the PC North program. That is not the case now though as Jaleel was one of the best defensive ends in the state last season and quickly became one of the hottest recruits at the position. Jump to now and Jaleel comes into 2021 as a top 15 player in the class and has recently committed to play his collegiate ball for Oklahoma State. While he does not have much more to prove this season, it is notable to say that he looks even better now than he did at the end of last season. At least he did when we saw him in person at team camp against Santa Fe, Jenks, and Norman North. PC North came up just short of the semifinals in 6A-II last season, perhaps Jaleel can be the game changing force they need to take that next step as a team this season.
Shamaur Edwards Shamaur Edwards 6'3" | DL Midwest City | 2022 State OK – Midwest City (#5 DL – #21 Overall)
Another massive breakout star from 2020, Shamaur Edwards Shamaur Edwards 6'3" | DL Midwest City | 2022 State OK also comes in this season as one of the premier players at his position. We saw him in person quite a few times in 2020 where the Bombers used him in a variety of positions including inside linebacker, outside linebacker, and off the edge as a defensive end. He was productive and intimidating from all three, but right now it looks like his best position at the next level could be on the defensive line as a run stuffer and pass rusher. Shamaur’s combination of size, strength, and versatility can’t be matched by many players in this class, and we are incredibly excited to see if he can enter that upper echelon of prospects in this class and close the gap between him and guys like Desean Brown Desean Brown 6'3" | DL Choctaw | 2022 State OK and Jaleel Johnson Jaleel Johnson 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL Putnam City North | 2022 State OK .
Colemon Thurber Colemon Thurber 6'4" | DL Jenks | 2022 State OK – Jenks (#9 DL – #69 Overall)
After seeing them in team camp a few weeks ago, it is looking like Jenks may have one of the best if not the best D-Line in the entire state outside of Owasso maybe. Colemon Thurber Colemon Thurber 6'4" | DL Jenks | 2022 State OK is one of the reasons why. We had Thurber as one of our favorites to breakout prior to the 2020 season and he held true to that title. Entering his 3rd year as a primary contributor/starter, Thurber has been more traditional 3 or 5tech defensive tackle and is at his best against the run where he can shed blocks with ease and man his gap whether he is asked to one gap or two gap. With Thurber, AJ Brown AJ Brown 6'1" | 300 lbs | DL Jenks | 2022 State OK , Milton White Milton White 6'3" | OL Jenks | 2023 State OK , Jackson Standlee, and a few other players that will rotate along this DL, I don’t know how offensive lines in 6A-I are going to account for all the power that Jenks will send on each play.
Duvan Boshoff Duvan Boshoff 6'4" | 205 lbs | DL Regent Prep | 2022 State OK – Regent Prep (#13 DL – #104 Overall)
As one of our showcase standouts, Duvan Boshoff Duvan Boshoff 6'4" | 205 lbs | DL Regent Prep | 2022 State OK has certainly made us aware of who he is and what he brings to the table. The 6’4″ 200+ Lb. D-lineman looks like a man amongst boys in the 8-man class he plays in with Regent Prep, but he also showed early and often that he can ball with the big boys regardless of class when we saw him in person in Owasso earlier this month. Boshoff is not the most technically sound player to this point, but his size, athleticsim, and natural ability off the line will certainly be enough to get the attention of some college coaches if he can put together some good film this season. Once the offers start coming his way, it would have to be the first time in a long while that an 8-man prospect out of Oklahoma got the chance to play college football.
Brycen Ellisor Brycen Ellisor 6'3" | 270 lbs | DL Kingston | 2022 State OK – Kingtson (#14 DL – #105 Overall)
Our last prospect on here was another standout from the showcase. Brycen was at or near the top of his position in all the combine drills in Owasso and was a beast in competition drills. Brycen used a nice combination of power and finesse to win reps with ease all day, and he ended up making quite an impression on the college coaches in attendance. In fact, since the showcase, Brycen has received offers from 2 schools that had multiple coaches in Owasso to see the Senior DL go to work. Kingston had quite a season in 2020 but ultimately came up short of their gold ball aspirations. However, it is safe to say that with guys like Ellisor and Brandon Watson Brandon Watson 6'0" | RB Kingston | 2022 State OK returning for their Senior seasons that Kingston will be right back in the mix in 2021.