2025 Rankings: Impactful Defensive Linemen
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This week on Prep Redzone Oklahoma, we’re continuing our ranking update with a spotlight on some of the top 2025 prospects in the state. On Monday, we released our updated 2025 rankings. Throughout this week, we’ll be breaking down different position groups and overall standouts in the state’s 2025 class. In this post, we’re putting the spotlight on the defensive linemen position. These five prospects have been terrorizing quarterbacks and shutting down opposing run games all season. Keep it locked in throughout the week for more breakdowns on 2025 prospects. And check back next Monday for our final prospect ranking update when we look at the 2024 class!
We kick off this breakdown with Jenks standout Hudson Ball Hudson Ball 6’2″ | 210 lbs | DL Jenks | 2025 State OK and he’s the first of two Jenks Trojans on this post. Last season, we thought that Ball had a ton of potential as a prospect but we still weren’t sure how he projected to the next level. That’s not the case anymore after seeing him in person a few times this season. Ball is an absolute nightmare to deal with on the line of scrimmage and he really impressed us earlier this season when we saw the Trojans in person. We mentioned it then and we’ll bring it up again. It was like Ball was a cement wall that was on the move. To this point, Ball is still the hardest hitting prospect that we’ve been able to watch in person this season. The Jenks coaches can’t say enough about him and it’s only a matter of time before his recruitment blows up.
Will Rogers has a star in the making with defensive lineman Josiah Hammond Josiah Hammond 6’5″ | DL Union | 2025 State OK and he continues to get better and better. Hammond had a really strong offseason back in the spring and summer. He competed incredibly well at camps and when we saw him in person at a team camp, he immediately passed the eye test. Some of the college coaches that were in attendance remarked how he was one of the more physically impressive prospects there. As Hammond continues to improve his overall game, his recruitment is going to explode. He has all the phsyical tools to be an elite pass rusher in the state’s 2025 class. As Hammond gets quicker and his speed on the snap improves to go along with his strength, he’s going to be an absolute nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.
Highlights
Out of the five prospects on this breakdown, you can make the argument that Bishop McGuinness junior Zach Tawwater Zach Tawwater 6’5″ | 230 lbs | DL Bishop McGuinness | 2025 State OK has the most versatility in his game. In addition to being a defensive end, he also lines up on offense as a tight end and has had a stellar season on that side of the ball. It depends on which game you watch film on, some games, Tawwater is an absolute star on offense and then other games you can see him terrorizing opposing offenses. For now, we have Tawwater listed as a defensive lineman but there are definitely plenty of arguments for him being an offensive prospect based on some of his performances this season. But for now, we’ll keep Tawwater on the defensive side of the ball because the ceiling appears to be higher there but that could change soon.
Norman North defensive lineman Garrison Utley Garrison Utley 6’3″ | 250 lbs | DL Norman North | 2025 State OK impressed us when we got a chance to see Norman North in person earlier this season. They came up short in the game against Jenks but Utley still impressed and was one of the bright spots on defense. Utley is having a terrific season on the defensive side of the ball and he has definitely shown a ton of improvement from his sophomore season. We covered Utley in the offseason in our “Friday Film Review” series and Utley has taken another step towards being a next level prospect as a defensive lineman. Utley has been incredibly productive this fall, leading the team in sacks and he’s also one of the team’s leading tacklers. Utley is the younger brother of 2024 OL standout Harrison Utley Harrison Utley 6’4″ | 285 lbs | OL Norman North | 2024 State OK and both are among the best at their position.
Highlights
Defensive lineman Cash Jacobsen Cash Jacobsen 6’5″ | 250 lbs | DL Jenks | 2025 State OK is the other Jenks Trojan standout on this breakdown. And it’s good to see Jacobsen back on the field this season after he missed almost all of his sophomore season with a knee injury. Jacobsen is a defensive lineman prospect that we first started paying attention to following his freshman season. He appeared to be primed for a breakout season last fall until an injury sidelined him. But this season, Jacobsen has made up for lost time and has been a strong defensive tackle prospect for the Trojans. There is a lot to like about him as a prospect and as he gets more reps on the field, it’s only a matter of time before his recruitment starts to take off. The Trojans have a mean front with both Ball and Jacobsen lining up along the defensive line.