2027 Rankings Update: Breaking Down The D-Line

Pure power combined with technique. Fitting into a scheme and standing out on their own. Dominating the edge or maneuvering in heavy traffic.   From one side of the state to the other, the defensive linemen in the Class of 2027 rankings have already proved they're ready for the task at hand. Each of the players earned valuable early playing time. What we're also seeing is they aren't even close to peaking.   For what we're seeing out of this group as sophomores is nothing short of special.   Let's start by looking at the class as a whole.      Breaking Down The Top Five   [player_tooltip player_id='1172344' first='Ray' last='Harris'] South Aiken   Harris had only three games in his sophomore year after going down with a season-ending injury the first week of September. But in those three games, he continued the trends (15 tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss) from a freshman campaign in which his raw athleticism allowed him to not only get on the field, but contribute early. There's no reason to believe Harris won't bounce back and be ready for 2025 well in advance of his junior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn Jr'] Boiling Springs   Glenn's combination of size, burst, post-snap bend and power make him a fun football watch. He can do a lot of really impressive things on the field, but what we're also seeing is how susceptible he is to the coaching he's getting, too. From last year to this, we're seeing him be more proactive as opposed to reactive, and he's taking over plays by doing the little things - like knowing when to extend his body to bat down passes or drive everything back toward the middle.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172366' first='Tyrone' last='Jennings'] White Knoll   Everything this Timberwolves defense asks its players to do in order to drive success is anything but routine. And, yet, White Knoll has no issue putting the onus of the middle of its line on the shoulders of Jennings. The sophomore spent all but the two games he missed as a sophomore on the cusp on total domination. His movement and flexibility is elite, especially when you consider how big he already is.    [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] Irmo   Bryant's reel from his sophomore season is 22 minutes long. And it's not fluffed up. You only do that legitimately by having an impact on every game you play. That's exactly what Bryant did, tallying a team-high 26 tackles for for loss and 18.5 sacks. Ask Chapin about him. Or White Knoll. Or the four consecutive teams he forced a fumble against early in the season. Bryant was one of our biggest stock risers in the class for a reason.    [player_tooltip player_id='1591712' first='Seth' last='Tillman'] South Pointe   At times last fall, Tillman looked like a sophomore still learning the ropes. More than that, though, he looked to be a sure-fire Power 4 prospect in the making. He had five tackles for loss against Camden, four the next week against York, and three the following game against Lancaster. He finished the season with 25 of those stats to go along with 76 total tackles, 15.5 sacks and every reason for top college programs to start their end of the process now.     Five Defensive Linemen Positioned To Climb   [player_tooltip player_id='1550897' first='Hugh' last='Manning'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1422589' first='Peyton' last='Bishop'] AC Flora   Bishop's transfer from Keenan not only did him wonders, but it paid dividends for Manning, too. Together, the pair of edge rushers put up 184 total tackles and 33 tackles for loss over the course of their sophomore season. And the Falcons' defense fed off that energy. While Manning held a 23-to-10 lead over his teammate in tackles for loss, Bishop's five sacks were a team high. Most importantly, AC Flora's defense started to look like it could take shape to round out what is already one of the state's most potent-looking offense in 2025. There's no telling how scary these two could become together before it's all said and done.    [player_tooltip player_id='1422604' first='Jailyn' last='Broughton'] Cross   The immediate postscript to the Trojans' Class A runner-up season was what happens now that [player_tooltip player_id='1012859' first='Karmello' last='Jones'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1360087' first='David' last='Wigfall'] are out of eligibility. But what about an otherwise mostly intact defense that returns? That includes the two-way lineman who on defense racked up 85 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and two fumble recoveries. All of those numbers were at or near the top for Cross.   [player_tooltip player_id='905534' first='Jaden' last='Ashe'] Marlboro County   We won't re-hash all the reasons Ashe (pictured) and his teammates lost serious opportunities last fall. But we can't ignore what an expedited offseason did for Ashe, either. He's put on the type of weight that could see him accomplish the seek-and-destroy mentality that we initially gauged from him upon our first look. The Bulldogs have a fire in their belly this offseason, and Ashe could be the embodiment of making the most out of the program's issues from the fall of 2024.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036757' first='Peyton' last='Grant'] Crestwood   What Grant was able to do last fall is not lost on us. Because despite what can only be described as massive roster turnover, the 6-foot-1, 285-pounder put up 10 tackles for loss (22 overall tackles) and earned first-team all-region honors. And we simultaneously believe the best is yet to come. Grant can not only get better, he almost assuredly will see a production spike as the Knights continue to build back up with the returning players. He helps make Crestwood a team on the rise again next fall.    Five More Fixing To Blow Up   [player_tooltip player_id='1603727' first='Alex' last='Johnson'] Catawba Ridge    Johnson's film has a little bit of a schizophrenic feel because of how he attacks so man different asks. Johnson is charged with setting the edge on one play and then bull rushing a guard on the next. His 6-foot-3 frame and reach make him difficult to block one-on-one, and his long stride allows him to close distances in a hurry in pursuit. After all, his 77 tackles and 13 tackles for loss weren't some happy accident. Johnson's poised to rise quickly.    [player_tooltip player_id='1422598' first='Zavier' last='Polite'] May River   We can't rave about Polite's technique enough. He's 6-foot-1 and played most of last year at 160 pounds. Not exactly typical for a Class 4A defensive end. Yet, all Polite did was lead the team with 12 tackles for loss (five more than the next Shark), put up 62 total tackles, 10 quarterback hurries and four sacks and force a fumble. He's going to even more chances to shine next year as his value to this team increased following some roster attrition.    [player_tooltip player_id='1604061' first='Nigel' last='Rock'] Hillcrest    As if the cool name wasn't enough, Rock is a name to start getting to know as a very young but extremely talented class of sophomores and freshmen come more into focus. This defensive end comes with some grit that he'll need to keep taking on offensive tackles. And when the Rams are looking to mix it up, he's fast enough to put his swim move on display after moving inside some.    [player_tooltip player_id='1603965' first='Luke' last='Reed'] Chester   Reed thrived in a the Cyclones' varied fronts because he's able to play any of the three or four spots on the line Chester needs him to. In many ways, he's a linebacker masquerading as a lineman, but his strength is undeniable. More importantly, neither was his production. As a sophomore, Reed was fourth on the team in tackles for loss (16), a figure that fell behind only the Cyclones' talented trio of juniors.    [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] North Augusta   Jones flew a little under the radar for most of the year outside the program, although that started to change during region play and into the playoffs. The 6-foot-1, 280-pound tackle can occasionally slide to end, but he's so strong and evasive in getting into the backfield that North Augusta has an interior lineman who can bust up a lot of double teams and prevent opposing offenses from getting yards up the gut.

Pure power combined with technique. Fitting into a scheme and standing out on their own. Dominating the edge or maneuvering in heavy traffic.