Rising Towards the Rankings: 2025 Defensive Line

With their senior season only a few weeks away, the 2025 class will look to elevate their status to make their last impression on interested colleges. A few of these defenders are already destined to land with a D1 program, but by the end of this article, I think you'll be convinced that all five players have the potential to line up on Saturdays for a top tier program.    Not only does Millville have some of the top talent in the state on the offensive side of the ball, but defensively they are stacked as well. The success Millville has on defense is spearheaded by players like like [player_tooltip player_id='829409' first='Darian' last='Blachewicz']. Darian has college ready size already. He is a defensive lineman that has the size and power to overwhelm any blocker that lines up across from him, and drive them in the direction of the quarterback. Darian became very familiar with spending time in the backfield last season. While he accumulated 49 tackles on the season, he was also able to force his way to the quarterback 8 times for the sack.   Darian is not a hidden talent, but is very well known and recognized already across the east. He has received offers from schools such as Syracuse, Pitt, Temple and many more, but by season's end, should bring in a few more from across the country. This is a name that deserves all of the recognition that is coming his way.      Any player coming out of Bergen Catholic is sure to be a sensation at the next level. Ben played a big part in Bergen Catholic's success in 2023, but more importantly, he dominated in the state championship game against Delbarton when he brought the QB down 3 times and helped hold them off for a 24-14 win. Ben is one of those versatile defenders that can find success regardless of where he lines up across the defensive front. Coming off of the edge position, Ben darts off of the line from a coiled up, explosive position, and is in the backfield before the tackle can take their first step. Ben plays with a relentless rushing style. He has a motor that doesn't stop running until the runner hits the ground.   Lining up interiorly, Ben does an exceptional job bull rushing the blockers with strong extension of the arms and a leg drive that is tough to slow down. Ben Racked up 48 tackles and 7 sack in total in 2023, but I expect to see those numbers increase in his senior season.      If you're looking for a defensive lineman that can tower over his opponents, look no further than Middletown North's [player_tooltip player_id='768016' first='Michael' last='Dwyer']. Michael has the ability to disrupt an entire offensive game plan with his aggressive pass rush and ability to swallow up runners in the vicinity. Once you are within Michael's grasp, there's no getting away from him. With the upper body strength Michael has, his big, bear claw of hands just need a grip on the runner to be able to rip them down to the ground.   Michael may not be the quickest, but he makes up for it with the amount of real estate he takes up at the line. Offenses will have little success blocking Michael one-on-one in 2024 and will often require a running back to chip him on the way out or they'll have to dedicate two blockers to keep him away from the pocket. While I think Michael is an excellent defensive talent, I think he also has a lot of potential to start at the next level on the offensive side of the ball. He has the size necessary to excel as a strong, reliable blind side tackle.      If there's one player on this list that I think will garnish a lot more attention from prominent D1 programs next season, it's [player_tooltip player_id='773097' first='Dean' last='Mangiocavallo']. Dean has everything required to be a wrecking ball of a defensive end. To start with, Dean's size allows him to manipulate linemen and either drive them backwards or toss them to the side. He can easily overwhelm a blocker, aggressively charging them with strength and extension of his arms. He does an exceptional job keeping the lineman from getting in close, using his arms to gain leverage underneath the shoulder pads and impose his will on them.   To go with Dean's size and strength, he also displays explosive capabilities when coming off of the line as well as in his pursuit of a runner. There are countless examples of Dean turning on the jets and catching a runner from behind. When Dean gets moving with that type of speed, you better hope you're not the one in his way. Dean can barrel forward and be destructive along his path to the ball carrier. Dean has already received offers from Georgetown and Sacred Heart, but I expect many more to come soon.      A player that is already well recognized at the D1 level, [player_tooltip player_id='994289' first='Eahjay' last='McAdams'] recently committed to Marshall, but will look to dominate on the field in 2024 and receive a few dozen more offers along the way. Eahjay flew all over the field in 2023, racking up 80 total tackles and finding the quarterback 3 times. Eahjay is much different from the other defenders on this list. While the other's play more of the prototypical three point stance, edge rusher position, Eahjay is more of a hybrid athlete that not only can play up off of the edge but can also line up in a more traditional linebacker position. With that kind of versatility, Eahjay had a huge impact in both defending the run and pass last season.   Where Eahjay shines the most in his ability to recognize a play immediately after the snap and shoot the gap to make a big play for a loss. He is nimble in his approach, having the ability to sneak between the blockers and emerge in the backfield face-to-face with the runner. Eahjay's talents don't stop there, though. His quickness extends to the outside when in pursuit of runners heading for the perimeter. With the reach Eahjay is equipped with and the speed to go with it, he can run a RB down from behind and bring them to the ground before they ever get the chance for positive yardage. Marshall is getting an absolute stud in [player_tooltip player_id='994289' first='Eahjay' last='McAdams'].

With their senior season only a few weeks away, the 2025 class will look to elevate their status to make their last impression on interested colleges. A few of these defenders are already destined to land with a D1 program, but by the end of this article, I think you'll be convinced that all five players have the potential to line up on Saturdays for a top tier program.