January Stock-Risers: 2027 Defensive Linemen

We recently released our January <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/updated-2027-north-carolina-rankings/">2027 Rankings Update</a>, and it's time to break down the players who tell the story of the update. I've hit a couple of big-picture items so far, namely <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/three-things-to-know-about-the-class-of-2027/">three things to know</a> about the class and my traditional <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/behind-the-scenes-of-the-2027-rankings-january-update/">behind-the-scenes piece</a>. I'm alternating between the offense and defense in our stock-risers series, so here we're breaking down the six interior defensive linemen who rose in the rankings.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2027 Defensive Linemen Stock-Risers</h2>    Every time we look at Walker's film, we come away more impressed than we expected. More of a 3-4 defensive end than a true interior guy in Cedar Ridge's defensive system, his height may push him inside in college, but that shouldn't be an issue. His get-off is elite, and he's a hard-working pass-rusher. This year, he showed patience as a run defender, especially against the option looks.     If there's one thing we know about players from Union Pines, it's that they'll be well-coached and have massive weight room potential. That's a significant factor when evaluating some of their undersized players, because it's a safe bet that they won't be undersized by their senior year. Obst turned potential into production in 2025, with a seven-sack season marked by a mixture of power and finesse moves, and a relentless motor.     McKoy is becoming more controlled and balanced as a defender, and his improvement as a run defender was noticeable this year, even in a season cut short by injury. He has freakish athleticism, with a nearly 7-foot wingspan, something that helped him earn some huge early offers. He's now our top-ranked interior defender in the class and has the potential to move up even more with a strong senior season.     Broome's production and tape are starting to catch up to his athletic abilities on the interior of the defensive line. His strength pops on tape, but he's an agile mover, and that's what leads us to believe he has some yet unreached pass-rushing upside. He's quite athletic and showed that with several impressive individual efforts this season, including an interception.     There will be plenty of scouts and college coaches who want to use Dobbins on offense, but in my opinion, you can't let a guy with his athleticism leave the defensive line. Crest's offensive players make most of the headlines, but Dobbins is key for a thriving state-championship defense, and he has plenty of untapped potential. His lateral agility and quickness allow him to shoot gaps or even line up on the edge and make plays from the back side.     Archer is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after defensive linemen in the state, with an offer list that is growing by the day. He showed his versatility this year, which is part of the reason he rose in our rankings. Mainly a big body with elite athleticism in the past, Archer has started to grow as a football player, staying gap sound and doing his 1/11th on the defense. The upside here is tantilizing and he's a candidate to continue to rise in our rankings in future updates.    There's plenty to come from Matt Morrow, Joshua Graham, and I on the 2027 rankings over the next week. Stay locked in with Prep Redzone for more insights, evaluations, and rankings updates. Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Promo code Helms30 will get them 30% off their first billing cycle for any subscription.

We recently released our January 2027 Rankings Update, and it's time to break down the players who tell the story of the update. I've hit a couple of big-picture items so far, namely three things to know about the class and my traditional behind-the-scenes piece. I'm alternating between the offense and defense in our stock-risers series, so here we're breaking down the six interior defensive linemen who rose in the rankings.