2022 Defensive Line Prospects : Part 1

With our first-ever prospect rankings, we wanted to give a breakdown of some of the top players on the defensive line for New York State.  Jimmy Smith from St. Francis is the headliner as he was unstoppable all season. This is a real deep group with diverse prospects that range from run stuffers to athletic edge players that can run with wide receivers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="225751" first="Jimmy" last="Scott"]- St. Francis</strong> The Pitt commitment is an elite prospect on the defensive line. Scott can make plays on any down. He is a refined pass rusher who constantly works his hands to fight for the best position. I was impressed watching his film as he didn’t just rely on being the best athlete on the field. You can tell he works on his craft. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="225468" first="Kaleb" last="Artis"] - St. Francis Prep</strong> Artis is a force inside on the defensive line. He showed why he is a Penn State commitment while plugging up the middle at around 6’5 290 lbs.  Artis gets his hands on offensive lineman fast and uses his length to get an extension before locating ball carriers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="227985" first="Osahon" last="Noruwa"] - Curtis</strong> Osahon is a physical specimen; he already looks like a division one prospect defensive end. The Curtis standout shows natural athleticism with his ability to stand up or put his hand on the ground. I was impressed watching his change of direction ability to track down some of the area’s top prospects. [player_tooltip player_id="227985" first="Osahon" last="Noruwa"] is currently committed to Holy Cross. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="225752" first="Kevin" last="Jobity Jr"]. - Maryvale</strong> This versatile prospect has jumped onto the radar in a big way. Colleges are starting to pay attention to [player_tooltip player_id="225752" first="Kevin" last="Jobity Jr"]. as he recently picked up eight offers in a couple of weeks. However, what I like about Jobity is how explosive he is for his size. I think he could line up anywhere on the defensive line in college, either on edge or possibly a 3 technique defensive tackle or maybe even 4i in some type of TITE front. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="228683" first="Elias" last="Barrett"] - Half Hollows Hills East</strong> I watched [player_tooltip player_id="228683" first="Elias" last="Barrett"] in person during the playoffs, and I came away really impressed. Barrett can beat double teams coming off the edge, and he can flip his hips and bend.  Barrett is one of the best in New York because of his coverage ability. So many pass rushers that drop in coverage are uncomfortable in space, and it shows, but this is not the case with Barrett.  As of right now, [player_tooltip player_id="228683" first="Elias" last="Barrett"] has an offer from Long Island University, but I think his recruitment will start to pick up. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="227056" first="Sharod" last="Watkins"] - University Prep</strong> The offensive guard’s worst nightmare is a mean 3 technique defensive tackle, which is precisely what [player_tooltip player_id="227056" first="Sharod" last="Watkins"] is. However, on film, Watkins flashes with his explosive, aggressive style of play.  At around 300 lbs, [player_tooltip player_id="227056" first="Sharod" last="Watkins"] is quick as a cat chasing down plays in the backfield. I was super impressed watching how he can move vertical and then suddenly laterally while making a play. He currently holds an offer from Morgan State. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="236948" first="Vincent" last="Rotelli"] - Commack</strong> Stony Brook was wise to offer the Long Island native as [player_tooltip player_id="236948" first="Vincent" last="Rotelli"] has a massive frame and enormous potential.  He shows excellent burst coming off the edge, and this allows him to either knockback offensive tackles or uses a speed rush when causing havoc in the backfield.  The Commack standout has impressive speed for someone this size. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="229120" first="Brian" last="Benson"] - William Floyd</strong> The playmaking DE was part of a productive defensive line unit that caused headaches all season for Long Island offenses.  [player_tooltip player_id="229120" first="Brian" last="Benson"] is real strong against the run and he showed good pass rushing moves against some talented offensive lineman. He currently holds offers from Long Island Univsity and Stony Brook. &nbsp;