Class 3A Senior DL Watchlist for 2025

We move up this week once again to our familiar Class 3A Iowa group, which features an interesting group of upperclassmen defensive-linemen entering their senior years with their team and looking to make a case for themselves heading into the next offseason, with several of these names coming from overlooked units among this conference. We take a look today at 6 DL from Class 3A Iowa from the Class of 2026 to watch out for this upcoming season!    [player_tooltip player_id='1281978' first='Draeden' last='Punt'] has stood out as a unique edge-rusher for MOC-Floyd Valley, and his talents have made him one of the most coveted prospects among the class of 2026 in Iowa, with the 3-star recruit already making his commitment to Kansas back in February. Punt finished last season with 28.5 tackles (24 solo), 9.5 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks. Punt backs up his lengthy size and athletic ability with tenacity and a consistent drive to chase down the ball-carrier and make a stop behind the line. Just by watching his tape, you could see on the film that he is a total mismatch against his opponents, and opposing offenses should forget leaving his gap unblocked, as he will race to the ball and make the stop at the point of the handoff. The Dutchmen should certainly benefit with Punt being around for another season to lead this unit.     Despite being listed as a Offensive-lineman, [player_tooltip player_id='1242259' first='Ben' last='Armstrong']'s skillset may better be suited on the other side of the trenches. Armstrong finished last season with 41.5 tackles (31 solo), 4 TFLs, and 3 sacks. A tough defender that has solid speed off the snap and does a good job catching blockers off their balance, Armstrong showed the ability to gain leverage pursuing both the B and C gaps. Armstrong does a great job deciphering plays as they develop and understanding where the ball is going, combined with solid lateral movement and great tackling form, Armstrong has succeeded both as a pass-rusher and a run-stopper. He will have to bulk up a bit to match up better against bigger Offensive Tackles, but Armstrong has plenty of good tape that should warrant teams to take a look at him heading into the next recruiting class.     Equally promising as a DE prospect as he is a TE prospect, [player_tooltip player_id='1685816' first='Cedar' last='Smith'] boasts the flashy potential and athletic ability to play as an edge-rusher at the next level. Smith recorded 26 tackles (17 solo), 6.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery in 2024. Smith shows a solid ability to rip away from blockers and beat them with his speed, getting around the Tackles and right to the QB. His tenacity and willingness to plow through his opponents translates well from blocking for his RBs to getting through blockers. Smith will be an excellent two-way factor for Nevada this fall.     On the other side of the defensive-line for the Cubs is [player_tooltip player_id='1242280' first='John' last='Nelson'], who flashes as a long, rangy edge-rusher. Nelson recorded 27.5 tackles, 8 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries in 2024. Nelson is a hard striker who plays with good pad level and flexibility to change directions, where he is able to misdirect the blockers to get around them, and while his numbers weren't huge last season, he was quite a disruptive pass-rusher in terms of pressures that he was able to force. Nelson uses his length to his advantage, being able to get the first punch on the blockers and using his hands to gain leverage and move blockers aside or to the ground. Nelson has the potential to emerge as a high-caliber edge-rusher in 2025, and paired alongside with the aformentioned Smith, Nevada has a really strong pass-rushing duo on their hands.     Another powerhouse on the trenches that has shown promise on both sides of the line, [player_tooltip player_id='1402910' first='Rudy' last='Wolfe']'s presence helped guide Washington to a turnaround, jumping from 2-7 to 6-3 in 2024. Wolfe recorded 29.5 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, and a fumble recovery last season. A force on the interior playing on a 3-4 unit, Wolfe commands double-teams from his size and ability to overpower blockers with his bull-rush, and when he gets to the ball-carrier, there is no chance for a second-effort push, shutting down RBs at the point of contact. Wolfe is a worthy run-stopper as he is as an Offensive Tackle, and he's one of the biggest standouts of one of the more overlooked teams in this conference.     While certainly undersized for a defensive lineman, [player_tooltip player_id='1842915' first='Colby' last='Myers'] showed potential as a competent force in multiple areas on the line. Myers recorded 27.5 tackles (20 solo), 6.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks last season. Myers was lined up often in the interior gaps, and he was able to use his speed and smaller size to get beneath the blocks and slip through the cracks to get into the pocket while lined up as a DT. Myers also saw several reps as a standard DE, using his quick burst to get around the blockers quickly, and despite his size, he doesn't stray from contact, and he's willing to get physical on the line. Myers will need to bulk up this offseason, but he's an underrated commodity for Solon's impressive defense that's full of returning starters for 2025.

We move up this week once again to our familiar Class 3A Iowa group, which features an interesting group of upperclassmen defensive-linemen entering their senior years with their team and looking to make a case for themselves heading into the next offseason, with several of these names coming from overlooked units among this conference. We take a look today at 6 DL from Class 3A Iowa from the Class of 2026 to watch out for this upcoming season!