Iowa Class 2A Senior DL Watchlist for 2025

Our next edition of the top senior defensive-line prospects in Iowa reveals a promising group of established talents that have already made noise across the conference, finding a fine mix of players who already rank among the top pass-rushers in the group, while also finding players who may be poised to finish this season at the top of the stat leaderboards in the conference as well. We reveal 5 of the top senior DL prospect in Class 2A Iowa to watch in 2025!    [player_tooltip player_id='1599553' first='Ayden' last='Antonelli'] exploded almost out of nowhere in 2024 to finish as one of the top edge-rushers across the Iowa high school landscape. His 14.5 sacks tied for 2nd most across all defenders last season. Antonelli also recorded 56.5 tackles (42 solo), 20 TFLs, and a fumble recovery. A flexible DE/OLB defender that can force pressure through both interior gaps and the outside rush, Antonelli was a force to be reckoned with last season, utilizing leverage very well, fast closing speed to the ball-carrier, and a good mix of power and clean form on his tackling. Antonelli is an ideal edge-rusher who has the attributes to dominate against the trenches, though he could bulk up a bit to succeed against larger blockers at the next level.     Mediapolis might be a question mark among the competition in Class 2A next season, but one player who's solidified his role as a leader for the Bulldogs is Parker Lange. Lange built upon a promising sophomore campaign with 43 tackles (34 solo), 10.5 TFLs, 5 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. Playing as a 3-4 DE, Lange was able to thrive both as a pass-rusher and a run-stopper. Despite his size, Lange was able to win in 1-on-1 blocking matchups thanks to his quick first step, hand-fighting ability, and ability to leverage both inside and outside his blockers. Lange puts a lot of effort into each play, rushing to make the stop on plays going toward the other side of the field, and when trying to run through Lange is like running through a brick wall, giving the RBs little ability to push for extra yardage. Lange should certainly enter his senior season as a captain for the Bulldogs' defense as he looks to help Mediapolis return to contention in 2025.     Alex Wendt has been an overlooked prospect despite his presence as a key piece toward PCM's defense en route to the state championship game last season. Wendt recorded 26 tackles (21 solo), 10 TFLs, and 3 sacks in 2024. Wendt doubles as a solid TE for the Mustangs' offense as well. Wendt's length and speed on the edge makes him difficult for Tackles to block, but his range allows him to shut down both the outside run and short-passes that has made him an impact defender in being able to minimize his opponent's ability to gain any yardage. Wendt shoots like a cannon off the snap, and his speed allows him to almost instantaneously disrupt the play in the backfield. Wendt has plenty of flashy athleticism to win on the edge, and hopefully he can translate that toward a hugely productive senior campaign to really garner attention heading into next year's recruiting class.     Playing on both sides of the trenches, [player_tooltip player_id='1217413' first='Jack' last='Carolan'] helped pave the way for an undefeated campaign for West Lyon last season en route to winning the Class 2A state title. On defense, Carolan recorded 32.5 tackles (24 solo), 6.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Carolan may better fit as a DE/OLB hybrid, but he was able to line up on the line at DE and as a DT last season. Carolan has great instincts and is able to diagnose where the play is developing, showing solid speed and agility on the outside rush against Tackles, and he has a tendency for finding his leverage to get to the ball-carrier just as they enter his vicinity. Carolan should bulk up a bit to further match his frame at his position, but he's a bright spot from a championship-level team who's presence clearly has proven important toward the Wildcats' success.     While we don't have film on Layne Kleppe currently, his presence on the D-line proved huge toward the TigerHawks' resurgence in 2024. Kleppe recorded 32 tackles, 10 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks as a junior. Kleppe's strength and prowess on the trenches stems from his success as a wrestler, with Kleppe posting a 16-1 record over the previous season competing in the 285 lb bracket. Kleppe has been building strength over the course of the offseason, and that should parlay toward a potentially huge senior campaign winning on the edge for the TigerHawks in 2025.

Our next edition of the top senior defensive-line prospects in Iowa reveals a promising group of established talents that have already made noise across the conference, finding a fine mix of players who already rank among the top pass-rushers in the group, while also finding players who may be poised to finish this season at the top of the stat leaderboards in the conference as well. We reveal 5 of the top senior DL prospect in Class 2A Iowa to watch in 2025!