Class of 23’: Defensive Lineman to Watch

Darrius Flowers

December 31, 2021 @ 06:56 PM

Many games are won in the trenches. These young talented athletes have been wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. That being said, scroll down below and check out the best defensive linemen in the class of 23’ from The Garden State.   DL, [player_tooltip player_id="146676" first="DJ" last="Samuels"], Bergen Catholic 6’1 240 Mr. Samuels was a big part of Bergen Catholic’s success this season. He is a three-star recruit that earned First- Team All- State. Samuels finished the year with 38 tackles, 9 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. Samuels holds the school record in sacks. Look for Samuels to have a monster year in 2022.   DL, [player_tooltip player_id="183498" first="Amare" last="Smith"], Salem 6’1 200 Mr. Smith had a remarkable year to help lead his team to a Group 1 South title. Smith earned Second- Team All- State and finished year with 103 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 19 sacks, one interception that was returned for a touchdown and 5 fumble recoveries. Smith is very quick off the ball and his hard to block. Smith is arguably one of the best defensive linemen in the state.   DL, Matt Gemma, Delbarton 6’3 225 Mr. Gemma earned Third- Team All- State and finished the season with 5 sacks, 62 tackles, and 9 tackles for loss. Gemma does a good job being physical at the point of attack and defeating blocks. He plays with good leverage and constantly was a disruption for opposing offenses. Gemma is a solid athlete that you should keep an eye on.   DL, Logan Brennan, Central Regional 5’11 215 Mr. Brennan is a solid interior lineman. He earned Third- Team All- County and finished the year with 3 sacks, 48 tackles and two tackles for loss. Brennan has good hands and has a good feel for the game. He understands his assignment and gap control. Brennan is a sure tackler and makes his presence felt. Make sure you keep an eye on this kid for next season.