Under The Radar: Defensive Line – 2023

Continuing with my <em>Under The Radar</em> series, we’re going to keep the lens of our focus on the trenches, as we do an in-depth dive into three players on the defensive line from the class of 2023 who are sorely underrated. While there is a ton of talent in regards to defensive line prospects for the class of 2023, these were the three that I feel were deserving of more attention on the recruiting trail. <strong>Under the Radar Defensive Linemen</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="247220" first="Dominic" last="Butts"], Severance Silver Knights (DT)(Jr.)(55) – Butts had, arguably, the best season of any interior defensive linemen in the state of Colorado after 2021, as he finished third in the state for sacks on the season, which is eye-popping for a defensive tackle. For his junior year, Butts accounted for 76 tackles, 25 tackles for a loss, 14.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, a pass deflection, and a blocked field goal. When you watch the film of Butts’ junior season, the first thing that jumps out about Butts on tape is his incredible power at the point-of-contact on his bull rush, often driving would be blockers back several yards, effectively collapsing the pocket for the QB. Long, strong arms allow him to easily make contact with his hands on the opposing blocker well before they have a chance to neutralize his hand placement. Deceptive athleticism and lateral agility despite his larger size allows him to add a speed element to his pass rush that doesn’t limit him to being one-dimensional and relying solely on his ability to bull rush the opposing blocker. Butts isn’t a high-profile name in recruiting circles, as he’s currently rated the number 8 defensive linemen in the state and the number 76 player overall for the class of 2023, but if he continues to perform like this through next season, there’s no way he won’t start making his presence felt. Butts has the requisite frame (6’4, 227 lbs), production, and tape that indicates he’s, without a doubt, capable of playing at a high level collegiately. Tell Wade, Wray Eagles (DE)(Jr.)(62) – Wade had one of the more quietly dominant seasons of any player in the state during 2021, as he wasn’t highlighted a lot despite being one of the most productive pass rashers from the 2023 class over the course of last season. After his junior year was wrapped up, Wade posted an outstanding stat line of 74 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, 2 pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and 3 blocked punts. When you break down the tape of Wade, you can see his a very powerful defender that can win against most opposing blockers with strength alone. Excellent size, low pad level, lower body strength, and core strength allow him to create a lethal bull rush that quickly collapses the pocket whether rushing from the edge or from the interior. Shows good strength and hand placement at the point-of-contact with the opposing blocker. High motor player that doesn’t quit on a play. Shows good discipline when working backside by not over-pursuing the ball carrier and giving up backside contain. It’s rather shocking that Wade doesn’t have a much larger recruiting profile considering he has the frame (6’3, 235 lbs), production, and film that says he should be one of the higher rated defensive linemen in this class. He certainly fits the mold of a collegiate DE and will be an interesting player to watch through his senior season in 2022. [player_tooltip player_id="62224" first="Laith" last="Ibrahim"], Wiggins Tigers (DT)(Jr.)(50) - Ibrahim was a dominant force as a running lane stuffer for the Tigers defense in 2021. For his junior season, Ibrahim accounted for a remarkable 100 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, and 9 sacks. When you look at the film from Ibrahim’s 2021 season, you can see he displays a ton of power at the point-of-contact thanks to a very strong lower body, core, and upper body as well as having an extremely low center of gravity that prevents him from being knocked off balance. Extremely physical defender that can routinely win with power when rushing the QB thanks to his overall body strength as well as his outstanding hand strength and placement. A consistently high motor player that always plays through the whistle and will continue to pursue the ball carrier well beyond the line-of-scrimmage. Shows requisite first step explosiveness that can allow him to quickly get on top of less athletic offensive linemen. Generates an exceptional amount of force/pop when making contact with the ball carrier, routinely stopping their progress as soon as contact is made. Displays a good ability/understanding of how to clog running lanes/eat up blockers to funnel ball carriers to the second and third level defenders so they can make a play. Ibrahim is currently rated the number 12 defensive linemen and the number 119 player overall and despite his overall production and tape, it’s not startling to see why he’s rated lower than he probably deserves given the fact he plays at the 1A level (which is the lowest level of 11-man competition in Colorado) and his frame would be considered undersized for an interior defensive linemen (6’2, 260 lbs) by some in the recruiting world. Regardless, Ibrahim is certainly a talented player and will be deserving of a raise in his rankings if he plays in 2022 like he did in 2021.