Five Great DL from the Class of 2026

With 29 Defensive Linemen in the Prep Redzone rankings for the class of 2026, it is easy to see the large amount of talent at the position. There are very talented players across the entire Defensive Line and here are five of those players to keep an eye on this fall!    Michael had a very good Sophomore season in 2026. His solid play was a bright spot in the 4-6 season of the Taylor Yellow Jackets. He plays as a DE. Against the pass, he is quick off the ball and exhibits good use of hands combined with great play strength before disengaging. He shows very good play speed in pursuit before finishing up with a sack. Against the run, he fires out low and does a good job of reading run/pass and contains the outside before playing at a good pad level and delivers a big hit preventing a gain of significant yardage.     Daniel played great as a Sophomore in 2023. His very good play helped the Olentangy Braves to an 11-win season where they advanced to the 3rd round of the playoffs and held opposing offenses to 19.3 points per game. He plays as a NT. Against the pass, he exhibits very good explosiveness off the ball and quickly disengages with ease against interior IOL. He plays with a very good motor in pursuit before finishing up with a sack. Against the run, he is quick off the ball and easily overpowers his man. He shows great mental toughness and football intelligence as he locates the RB and makes the stop short of the goal line preventing a TD.     Diondre who transferred to St. Edward this year played very well as a Sophomore in 2023. His outstanding play was a bright spot in the 4-7 season of the Benedictine Bengals. He plays as a DT and DE. Against the run, he is quick off the ball and shows great use of hands as he wins battles with his hands inside before quickly disengaging. He locates the RB before making the tackle behind the LOS for a TFL. Against the pass, he executes an impressive spin move before he penetrates the LOS. He quickly forces the QB to pass the ball earlier than anticipated leading to an incomplete pass.     Ace had an awesome Sophomore season in 2023. His excellent play helped the Archbishop Hoban Knights to a 13-win season where they advanced to the Division II Semifinals and held opposing offenses to 7.67 points per game. He plays as a DE. Against the pass, he shows quick hands with a powerful punch before disengaging. He shows great instincts in pursuit as he takes correct angles and plays with good range. He shows great explosiveness as he makes the tackle on WR preventing a first down. Against the run, he uses his very good quickness to penetrate the LOS. He reads the play and quickly makes the stop near the LOS preventing a gain of significant yardage.     Ryland played well as a Sophomore in 2023. His very good play helped the Trotwood-Madison Rams to an 8-win season where they held opposing offenses to 16.9 points per game. He plays as a DE. Against the pass, he shows good burst and flexibility as he bends and gets under the pads of the OT winning with leverage. He plays with a very good motor in pursuit before finishing up with a sack. Against the run, he does an outstanding job of reading run/pass before locating the ball carrier and delivers a nice form tackle as he makes the stop.

With 29 Defensive Linemen in the Prep Redzone rankings for the class of 2026, it is easy to see the large amount of talent at the position. There are very talented players across the entire Defensive Line and here are five of those players to keep an eye on this fall!