Montgomery County 2023 DL Prospects to Watch

Montgomery County has plenty of defensive linemen that can both rush the passer and stop the run. These guys are the best of the best. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="249078" first="Noah" last="Ferguson"] (2023) | 6’4 DE | Damascus </strong> Ferguson is a dominant edge rusher. He has a quick get-off and is extremely quick off the line. He also does a great job of using his hands to keep blockers off of him. He also has great body control as he can twist and turn to split double teams and blockers. He also does a great job of setting the edge in the run game and playing contain. Ferguson is due for a monster senior season. <strong>Lance Awode (2023) | 6’0 DT | Gaithersburg </strong> Awode is a traditional interior lineman. He uses his size and power to plug his gap and stuff any potential runs. He also uses his strength to drive blockers back into the backfield. He is also a good tackler and does not miss opportunities to make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. Awode is a good run-stuffing defensive tackle, however, he also has shown flashes of being a good pass rusher, expect him to be more well-rounded this season. <strong>Oliver Jenkins (2023) | 6’2 DE | Blair</strong> Jenkins is one of the most underrated players in the county. He is an athletic edge rusher. He uses his length and hands very well as he does a great job of keeping blockers away from him. He is also quick to diagnose plays and is able to get outside and set the edge or get after the passer. He is a great outside-run defender and a fantastic pass rusher. Jenkins will become a household name next season. <strong>Elrenton Andrews (2023) | 6’0 DE | Paint Branch </strong> Paint Branch had one of the top defenses in the state last season and Andrews was a big reason why. He is a balanced edge defender. He uses his strength in the run game to shed blocks and put himself into position to make plays. On pass plays, he can be explosive and powerful off the edge and is very difficult to block. He does a great job of being in the right spot at all times. Andrews like Jenkins will become a player that a lot more people are talking about. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="260391" first="Christian" last="Ose-Afiana"] (2023) | 6’1 DT | Quince Orchard </strong> Ose-Afiana is a very special talent. He is extremely explosive for an interior lineman. He is very quick off the line and often times is off the line quicker than the offensive line. He gets in the backfield before plays have time to develop and wreaks havoc. He uses his explosiveness when he is in the backfield to deliver big hits and cause turnovers. Ose-Afiana and [player_tooltip player_id="249389" first="Jaylen" last="Harvey"] are going to be one of the best defensive duos in the entire state.