2026 Rankings Update: Top Defensive Lineman

The latest edition of the Prep Redzone Illinois Class of 2026 has been unveiled.  Here we dive into the top players at each position.  Today we look at 2026 Rankings Update: Top Defensive Lineman!   [player_tooltip player_id='801878' first='McHale' last='Blade'] (Simeon)   Extremely impressive tape from this 6'4" 230 pound defensive end.  He has a big frame with strength and long arms.  Very physical at the point of attack being able to blow up tackles with his bull rush.  Plays with a ton of pop.  Quickness and burst off the ball are excellent.  Gets in the backfield vs the run and makes impactful plays fighting through traffic.   [player_tooltip player_id='270192' first='Braeden' last='Jones'] (Mt. Carmel)   Jones is one of the premier defensive players in the 2026 class.  He has a great frame at 6'4" 245 pounds with burst off the edge.  Capable of going around or through opposing offensive tackles.  Super long arms allow him to shed in both pass and run game getting tackles off balance along with getting off blocks to get to the back.  His quickness, athleticism, and power combination really stands out.  Has the size and strength to set the edge.  Hits with force.  Bats down or alters throws by getting his hands up on passes.  Plays as a 3-4 defensive end for Mt. Carmel, but he has the versatility to also play as a 4-3 edge or even slide inside to a three technique in pass rushing situations.   [player_tooltip player_id='1399927' first='Gabriel' last='Hill'] (Naperville North)   Hill is one of the premier defensive lineman in the 2026 class.  As a junior he had 44 solo tackles including 26 TFL.  Also recorded 9 sacks and 10 hurries.  His tape is beyond impressive.  He lives in the backfield!  Variety of pass rush moves that he mixes in with up and overs and bull rushes.  Burst to the ball as he has quickness and explosion at the line of scrimmage.  Runs very well pursuing the ball even out of his area to make the tackle showing just how well he runs.  Physical tackler and gets off blocks so well to make tackles against the run. Combination of quickness, strength, technique, and athleticism make him a no doubt P4 defensive tackle!   [player_tooltip player_id='1538329' first='Joey' last='Quinn'] (Mt. Carmel)   Quinn is one of my favorite players in this class.  The 6'6" defensive end is an absolute force on the edge.  He has a good bull rush being able to go through defenders pushing them into the passer.  Also has elite speed and bend around the edge which make him almost unstoppable.  Plus pass rusher that is one of the best in the state.  Technically sound player that reads plays in the run game and makes tackles in space.  Pursues the ball on the perimeter and is adept at batting down passes.   [player_tooltip player_id='801702' first='Jacob' last='Alexander'] (Lincoln Way East)   Alexander is a 6'4" 210 pound edge rusher who can play with his hand in the ground or standing up.  The Lincoln Way East standout has quickness off the edge with good twitch.  Long and lanky frame that gets off blocks to make the tackle. Very good at bending the edge, using his hands to get off the blocker, and explodes to the quarterback.  Good spin move.  Best when using his speed, but can play physical when he needs to.   [player_tooltip player_id='1585113' first='Max' last='Carmicle'] (Hillcrest)   Carmicle has flown up the board with a massive junior season.  The defensive end stands at 6'6" with broad shoulders and good strength.  Long arms help him be effective vs both the pass and run.  Gets off blocks well with his hands to make th tackle vs the run.  Love the speed to power combination while also using his cloing speed to get to the quarterback.  Holds point of attack when containing on the edge and can crash down the line to make TFL against the run.   [player_tooltip player_id='208769' first='King' last='Liggins'] (Brother Rice)   Liggins is up to 6'4" and 270 pounds and the defensive tackle moves extremely well for that size. Burst off the snap and is extremely physical stuffing in the run game against the opponent.  Blows up plays in the backfield and fills the gap where he takes down the back. So quick off the ball and does a good job using his hands with power.  Rips through on his pass rush moves and flashed pass rush potential.   [player_tooltip player_id='1619545' first='Carmelow' last='Reed'] (Rich Township)   Reed is a 6'7" 250 pound edge rusher that had a monster junior season.  Great combination of size, length, and strength.  Explosive edge rusher that has a killer spin move.  Really like the violence he plays with in his hands.  Can line up with his hand in dirt along with standing up. Explodes to the ball slicing through the line vs the run.  Holds up very well against the run with his strength, vision, and pursuit.   [player_tooltip player_id='401599' first='Cornell' last='McIntosh'] (East St. Louis)   McIntosh is a 6'2" 225 pound defensive lineman that can play both as a three technique defensive tackle or as a 3-4 defensive end.  Brings scheme versatility.  Powerful use of his hands and is great at bull rushing through opponents.  Sets the edge when he needs to at defensive end.  Runs well in space along with showing quickness in tight areas.  Gets through the mud to make tackles vs the run.   [player_tooltip player_id='801701' first='Jonathan' last='Rulo'] (Belleville East)   Rulo elevated his stock with a big junior season.  The strong and stocky 6'2" 285 pound defensive tackle gets up field on a consistent basis whether it is against the pass or run.  Extremely powerful bull rush that can get under lineman and blow them off the line.  Plays with a lot of short area quickness.  Very good at getting in the backfield for sacks and TFL.  Productive player that also contributes on special teams.  Rulo is a guy you want in the fox hole with your team!

The latest edition of the Prep Redzone Illinois Class of 2026 has been unveiled. Here we dive into the top players at each position. Today we look at 2026 Rankings Update: Top Defensive Lineman!