Breaking Down The 2025 Rankings: The Defensive Linemen

From top to bottom, the 2025 Class of defensive linemen is loaded. There are established guys with big-time offers, players who are poised for breakout seasons, and under-the-radar guys who can make huge moves with a successful senior season.   They've got quite a lot in common. Fast, physical edges who specialize in creating havoc in the backfield, stout interior guys who get a great push and re-establish the line of scrimmage, and hybrid guys who can do a little (or a lot) of both.   Here's a look at some of the guys who make the class of DL special.    FIVE STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='809742' first='Amare' last='Adams'] South Florence   Adams checks every box you want from a top-tier DL, and then some. He had a phenomenal junior season, racking up 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, and three forced fumbles, and he capped that off with a commitment to Clemson. He's shown no sign of resting on that, with an outstanding camp season in his rearview mirror, he seems intent on backing up all the expectations surrounding him.   [player_tooltip player_id='595702' first='Anthony' last='Addison'] Sumter   "Guys who play on the end are pass-rush specialists." Well, somebody better inform [player_tooltip player_id='595702' first='Anthony' last='Addison']. He was the definition of a complete player last season, with an insane 96 total tackles, and at the same time he more than lived up to those traditional edge responsibilities, with 25 tackles for loss and six sacks. He's got an incredible burst, and is a matchup nightmare for even the best high school offensive tackles.   [player_tooltip player_id='272703' first='James' last='Herbert'] Trinity Collegiate   Herbert had 101 total tackles last year at LB, and this season he's making the transition to having his hand in the dirt full-time. He'll do more than fine on the DL, where he'll be able to take advantage of his size and speed to excel at the position.   [player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith'] Dutch Fork   Smith (pictured) just might be the most important guy on a very good defense. He's responsible for a lot of the damage the Silver Foxes can do up front, with 63 tackles and 15 tackles for loss a year ago. He's strong and he's fast, and Dutch Fork has looked at moving Smith into a little bit more of a hybrid role this season, getting him a little space to work and fully taking advantage of his athleticism.   [player_tooltip player_id='1012579' first='Sterling' last='Sanders'] Blythewood   When you think about a defensive lineman getting a push up front, Sanders should be one of the first guys you think about. He's quick off the ball, but the thing that really stands out is his strength. He does a great job of holding his ground, shedding blockers, and basically imposing his will on the unfortunate guys tasked with blocking him.      TEN RISING STARS   [player_tooltip player_id='1013073' first='Jaquavious' last='Dodd'] Eastside   Dodd is an absolute menace behind the line of scrimmage. He notched 24 tackles for loss last season, along with 12 sacks and 13 more hurries. He's a textbook edge with plenty of moves, but he can often overwhelm opponents with pure power. And he's much more than just a pass-rusher. Dodd is quick to the ball and does a great job against the run as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='809755' first='DJ' last='Gause'] North Myrtle Beach   What's not to like about a guy who shares a nickname with an iconic movie bully? Gause seems to embrace the “Debo” moniker, and he surely played some bully ball last season for the Chiefs, racking up 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks.   [player_tooltip player_id='486418' first='Dalton' last='Woodall'] James Island   Woodall might be the most unheralded player on a very, very good defensive line. Underestimate him at your peril. While teammates [player_tooltip player_id='272709' first='Malachi' last='Jefferson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1012698' first='Hendrix' last='Beran'] pile up flashy stats, Woodall makes like nearly impossible for opposing offenses from A-gap to A-gap, controlling the line of scrimmage, clogging the middle, and making plenty of plays himself.   [player_tooltip player_id='1157753' first='Kemuel' last='Little'] Blythewood   Athletic enough to stand up and play linebacker, but physical enough to excel with his hand in the dirt, Little provides a best-of-both-worlds versatility for the Bengals. He's quick and active, but he's got plenty of power to fight off blocks and has no trouble getting to exactly where he needs to be.   [player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson'] Loris   Johnson is capable of video game type numbers. For his career, he's closing in on 50 tackles for loss and 250 total tackles, and after playing multiple positions he seems to have found a true home off the edge for the Lions, where his athleticism makes him particularly dangerous.   [player_tooltip player_id='922400' first='Jackson' last='Chavis'] Hartsville   Quick hands. Quick feet. Great burst. But then, what would you expect from a two-time state champion wrestler? Chavis does more than just check boxes and look the part. He's strong, he's violent, and he's part of a defense that has a chance to be special.   [player_tooltip player_id='809748' first='Jair' last='Simmons'] Greenville   Greenville's strength was on the DL last season, and Simmons was a big part of that success. There are some very talented seniors gone, and Simmons is now the heart of the Raiders' defensive front. He brings back 39 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, and he's a powerful guy who gets a great push up front and who's quick off the snap.   [player_tooltip player_id='1359146' first='Isaiah' last='McCoy'] Greer   Speaking of strength, Greer returns everybody up front on defense, and McCoy is a guy who's really opening some eyes. He had 49 tackles and five tackles for loss last season, but where McCoy really shines is at getting after the quarterback. He had four sacks and five hurries, and he generally makes life miserable for offenses up front from guard-to-guard.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254104' first='Donavan' last='Briggs'] Hillcrest   Hillcrest rolled to the third round of the playoffs largely on the back of a defense that gave up just 17 points per game. Briggs was one of the leaders on that side of the ball, with 34 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and seven hurries. He's versatile enough to play both inside and on the edge, but perhaps what Briggs does best is to shed blockers and stand his ground. If you're an opponent, sometimes it's as simple as finding 55 and realizing you're not moving the ball wherever he is.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254123' first='Jake' last='Duncan'] Crescent   Let's talk about [player_tooltip player_id='1254123' first='Jake' last='Duncan'] for a minute. Here are some facts: he's a massive human being, at 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds. He performed well enough at the Charleston portion of the U.S. Army All-American Combine to earn a game selection as an offensive lineman. And, that's his part-time job. Duncan was the Region I-3A Defensive Player of the Year at DT last season. We can show you why a lot easier than we can tell you.    FIVE DARK HORSE CANDIDATES   [player_tooltip player_id='1254134' first='DJ' last='Henderson'] Hillcrest   Henderson is one of those active guys whose presence makes a defense better, and you have to realize that the havoc he causes isn't always reflected on the stat sheet. He had 26 total tackles, two sacks, seven hurries, three fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble last season, but he did much more than that, flying to the ball and changing plays as they developed. He's also capable of taking over a game, as his four tackles, two sacks, and two fumble recoveries against Boiling Springs shows.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254251' first='Jaidyn' last='Ferguson'] Byrnes   Ferguson just LOOKS like a prototypical Byrnes DL. He's tall, lean, and quick, and he uses all of those things to his advantage. He had 40 tackles with two for a loss and two sacks last season, and that was on a defensive line that was senior-heavy. The line belongs to Ferguson this year, and his athleticism allows him to either run past you or through you off the edge.   [player_tooltip player_id='1347290' first='Brayden' last='Melton'] Dorman   Defense was Dorman's calling card last year, and the Cavaliers have another good crop on that side of the ball. Melton quietly put together a fantastic season for the Cavaliers, and it's easy to see why. Melton plays inside like he was built to do it. He takes up a ton of space, demands attention, and has great moves to get off of blocks. He's frequently a presence in opposing backfields, and he does a good job chasing down plays from behind.   [player_tooltip player_id='1360198' first='Lewis' last='Price'] Catawba Ridge   Price was a wrecking ball for the Copperheads last season, with 65 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, six sacks, and 15 hurries. He's a big, strong interior lineman who often demands to be double-teamed, and who routinely beats them.   [player_tooltip player_id='1360210' first='Mason' last='Grier'] Northwestern   Grier had 46 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss last season, and is a physical presence up front for the Trojans. Where he really shines, though, is terrorizing quarterbacks. He notched 4.5 sacks for Northwestern in 2023, and had 18 hurries. He knocked down six passes, recovered two fumbles, and caused another.

From top to bottom, the 2025 Class of defensive linemen is loaded. There are established guys with big-time offers, players who are poised for breakout seasons, and under-the-radar guys who can make huge moves with a successful senior season.