’27 Rankings Update: Breaking Down D-Line

When the Class of 2027 Rankings Update dropped on Monday, an interesting collection of defensive linemen were spread throughout them. It's a position that's been trending up in this state in recent years.   Here's a look at some D-Linemen with new or updated scouting reports:    Clausen followed up a solid freshman campaign in 2023 with a super sophomore year in the Fall. He got out to see games at Iowa, South Dakota and Northern Iowa as well. Clausen is an athletic and agile lineman on both sides of the trench. His frame appears capable of adding strength and mass without losing his athleticism and quickness. Clausen's potential is apparent during his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17041911/67292ea6a97ad782a1420357">10th-grade highlight tape</a>. On offense, he's a physical presence that succeeds in close quarters or when out in space. He moves really well on defense and has a knack for separating from blocks.     [player_tooltip player_id='1197453' first='Kyler' last='McNeal'] has two impressive high school seasons that created a lot of excitement for what he can do during his final two campaigns. He got his feet wet with 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack as a freshman. He followed that up with 31.0 solo tackles, 9.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks in '24. I caught McNeal in the state semifinals at the UNI-Dome in November. His strength and fundamentals were advanced for a 10th grader. During his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19489541/66d89326712b2491440d54d2">sophomore highlight film</a>, he moves people. McNeal also can run down ball carries and brings quickness for his size.     Anderson is a large individual. His Hudl page lists him at 6-4, 305. He's in the 10th grade. That's uncommon. So is the athleticism with which he plays during his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19534236/66fab355a015cd20b12efb01" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sophomore highlight video</a>. Anderson walls up well at defensive tackle, keeping his head up and eyes on the target. He gets off of blocks and pounces against the run. Anderson plays with good pad level and power.     In keeping with the theme of physical and athletic linemen in Iowa's 2027 Class, Nerney could end up on either side of the ball at the next level. On defense, he produced 5.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks as a sophomore in '24. In watching his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19600706/6734c29f4466a34b60a11724">10th-grade highlight video</a>, it doesn't take long to see how he succeeds at D-Tackle. His strength is apparent but so is his agility and quickness. Containing him is a chore. His skills and talents also work well on offense.     Diehl is a physical marvel that's developing as a football player. That combination is something to get excited about. His <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19761200/67111a510946407610164e9c">sophomore highlight video</a> illustrates for us a mixture of present production with a high ceiling. His motor and strength win him a lot of battles. He's quick, too. It allows him to work well on the interior but also kick out to end. Diehl will turn heads at camps and combines this spring and summer.     Roggenburg took a big step forward as a sophomore. He shows a high football IQ on both sides of the ball, which pairs nicely with his power. When watching his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18413421/6727c143947b63ba2a5bd6b0">sophomore highlights</a>, we witness a quick get-off on the snap and an understanding of how to win with leverage. His prep career is off to a strong start with plenty of room advancements moving forward.

When the Class of 2027 Rankings Update dropped on Monday, an interesting collection of defensive linemen were spread throughout them. It's a position that's been trending up in this state in recent years.