Top Defensive Linemen 2023

The current Prep Redzone rankings for the 2023 class shows four defensive linemen in the top ten spots overall, and five in the top twenty. These players are dominate along the line of scrimmage and show outstanding athleticism in space. One thing for certain, they are a real headache to opposing offenses. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145016" first="Micah" last="Carter"]     6’5” 235     DE     Louisville St. Xavier</strong> Carter is an intimidating force due to his size, huge wingspan, and overall athleticism. He is quick off the edge of the defensive front and practically impossible to block. He doesn’t let blockers into his frame by locking the opponent out and quickly disengaging to the football. Carter can transition quickly and displays an instant burst in pursuit. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145017" first="Tommy" last="Ziesmer"]     6’3” 240     DE     Danville Boyle County</strong> No one executes the push-pull technique better than Ziesmer. He is powerful in the hands and upper body and can easily dominate offensive tackles. Tommy also has a very quick inside move then redirects to the football due to his instincts and lateral mobility. Ziesmer takes excellent angles to the football and likes to engulf the ball carrier when making the tackle. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145013" first="William" last="Spencer"]     6’5” 315     DT     Louisville Male</strong> It is absolutely amazing how such a big man can come off the line of scrimmage with the low pad level that Spencer displays. He is consistently lower than the offensive blocker and bulldozes the offensive lineman across from him into the backfield. Besides being strong and powerful, Spencer is light on his feet for his size and makes athletic plays in space. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145759" first="Kaden" last="Briggs"]     6’3” 250     DE     Louisville Butler</strong> Briggs is one of the most versatile defensive linemen in the state by being able to play equally as well from a four-point or two-point stance. As a defensive end, he is a superb pass rusher who defeats the offensive blocker with pure speed to the outside or by hitting a running rip move to the inside. Briggs has a great motor and makes a ton of plays in pursuit. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145774" first="Brayden" last="Spears"]     6’2” 245     DT     Belfry</strong> Spears is a two-way lineman for Belfry who is strong in the core and tough to move off the line when playing defensive tackle. He is a true run stopping interior defender who makes plays from tackle to tackle. Spears plays with low pads whether playing offense or defense. Spears could end up playing middle guard at the next level with added size. &nbsp;