San Diego Class of 2024 Defensive Linemen to Watch (Part One)

Photo: Josiah Donat Prep Redzone

Michael Huntley June 16, 2022 @ 11:20 PM

San Diego is loaded with talent and often gets overlooked due to the much larger Southern Section that plays just north of them. Here are 10 class of 2024 defensive linemen that could have stellar seasons this fall. The list is in alphabetical order by last name and the players are not ranked. Julian Amador, Oceanside Amador is an interior defensive lineman who can either play nose tackle or be a 3-technique. He is best when they have him stunting inside. He does a good job getting skinny through the gap and can get into the backfield with ease. One of the most impressive parts of his game is his motor. He is never out of a play even if he initially gets beat. He sometimes gets pushed around while defending the run and needs to get stronger, but he is young and has the time do improve his strength. https://twitter.com/yk_julian17/status/1486764748846759941?s=20&t=h6p-UZeXoZtP94zmH2_-AA [player_tooltip player_id="273577" first="Ratumana" last="Bulabalavu"], Army Navy Bulabalavu is 6-foot-3, 250 pounds and when you watch his film he sometimes looks like a man playing against boys. He is a big guy so his opponents gear up for the power rush moves and then he beats them with his speed. He has excellent instincts and takes great angles to the ball carrier. He led the San Diego Section in sacks last season as a sophomore with 18. He is the No. 7 ranked defensive tackle in the state for his class according to the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/california/rankings/2024-rankings/">Prep Redzone rankings</a>. Adam Farha, Poway Farha is a wrestler at Poway and there is a lot to like about his football game. He has a very good initial punch which knocks offensive linemen off-balanced. When defending the run, he always maintains his gap integrity and reads the play well. I like him better as a defensive end than an interior defensive lineman. When I watch him do one-on-one pass rushing drills, he tends to spin inside a little too much. He has such a good initial punch and is a good speed rusher off the edge that he should use the inside spin sparingly. He has added some size and strength and could be due for a breakout year. https://twitter.com/adamfarha6/status/1532358196676816896?s=20&t=h6p-UZeXoZtP94zmH2_-AA [player_tooltip player_id="273595" first="Travis" last="Ford"], Helix Ford looks like a monster on film that is 6-foot-4 and a lean 240 pounds. He has very good speed and even plays some running back for Helix. He has power rush moves and gets into the backfield quickly and easily. He is already a plus tackler and will get even better at tackling when with more reps and time in the weight room. With his size and athleticism, he could easily be an outside linebacker at the next level and will have some offers this fall. Jordan Gash, Helix Gash is another very athletic defensive end from Helix who doubles as a receiver. He is a smart pass rusher who attacks the outside half of the offensive lineman and has the speed to blow by them. While defending the run, he keeps his outside containment crashes down the line when he has to. He clearly studies film and there is a play on his film where the offense is running a sprint out and he runs parallel down the line to slow the quarterback down. If he decides he want to be a defensive end instead of a receiver, he needs to add some size and strength, but he has the foundation of a good defensive end.