2027 Rankings: Impressive DLs Flooding the List

With respect to what might happen to some of these guys positionally at the next level, current defensive linemen have made an indelible mark on the 2027 rankings.   That's not hyperbole.   In total, 32 of the 214 spots in that class are held by defensive linemen, with 18 of them landing inside the overall Top 100. Will some of these players shift to linebacker in college? Most likely.   But in the high school ranks, these tackles and ends have expedited their own chances of playing for years to come before the second half of their prep careers.   Let's start the breakdown of this group by looking at them across the board.    BREAKING DOWN THE TOP 5   [player_tooltip player_id='1591712' first='Seth' last='Tillman'] DE, South Pointe   Buried in the Stallions' stats and film from last season is an interesting fact about Tillman. While he finished the year with 15.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss, he missed out on a bunch more playing opposite [player_tooltip player_id='1157988' first='Aakil' last='Brown'] - the player who led South Pointe in both categories. Yes, the duo fed off each other, but it was Tillman who was usually drawing double teams because of his size. And he put up those numbers anyway.   [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] DE, Irmo   Defensive ends aren't usually supposed to lead their teams in tackles. But most defensive ends also don't move like Bryant. The heavily recruited edge rusher finished last fall with 92 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, an insane 18.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Not enough? He also knocked down four passes, something that shows how active he is while not suffering from tunnel vision.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172366' first='Tyrone' last='Jennings'] DT, White Knoll    Jennings is a bit of an enigma right now, as he initially declared a change of schools. We're still waiting to see if he remains at White Knoll or heads elsewhere. But whereever he's in pads, he can make a difference. He's shown how physical he can be against some of the state's top offensive linemen, and that's not changing any time soon.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn Jr'] DT, Boiling Springs (pictured)   Glenn has been a constant presence near the top of our 2027 rankings since we first debuted them more than 18 months ago. He's up to 287 pounds now, and his type of weight is exactly what colleges are after. Given his age, another inch or two vertically likely means moving up in terms of which Power 4 schools are recruiting him before he's a senior.    [player_tooltip player_id='1603727' first='Alex' last='Johnson'] DE, Catawba Ridge    Johnson has come on as strongly as any defensive lineman in the class not named Tillman in the last eight-10 months. His build is undeniable, as is his production. In 12 games last fall, he had 13 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and 23 quarterback hurries. When he wasn't chasing down players in the backfield, he was doing so on the other side of the line. He's already a Top-25 overall talent, and he's not done climbing yet.    LOOKING FOR HIGH MOTORS?   [player_tooltip player_id='1172361' first='Matthew' last='Ponkow'] DE, Bishop England   The new defense at Bishop England paid immediate dividends, and boy oh boy does Ponkow fill an exact need. He blends his linebacker size with an excellent first step to maximize the Bishops' four- and even five-man fronts. He led the team with 23 tackles for loss to go along with 98 total stops.    [player_tooltip player_id='1036757' first='Peyton' last='Grant'] DE/DT, Crestwood   The only thing stopping Grant from being the biggest defensive end in the class by the time he's wrapping up his career at Crestwood is a full-time move to the interior. He's a verified 313 pounds but moves like he's 40 or 50 pounds less.    [player_tooltip player_id='1422604' first='Jailyn' last='Broughton'] DE, Cross   There are more than few videos circulating of offensive players trying to get out of the backfield, seeing Broughton seal the edge and then noping their way back the other direction as fast as possible. His ability to do just that covers up a lot of small-class ills that Cross has to deal with. It also puts his teammates in very good position to make plays that prevent any damage from being done.   [player_tooltip player_id='1581470' first='George' last='Handley'] DE, Carolina Forest    While we're convinced that Handley would gladly line up in the interior and bust his butt to make it work if asked, instead the Panthers have found a likely strong edge rusher. Especially in region play, we expect his numbers to be not to respectable, but vital to a Carolina Forest defense replacing a couple of its big playmakers.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172344' first='Ray' last='Harris'] DE, South Aiken    Harris got hurt last year on a short-yardage carry in the third game of the year and was forced to miss the rest of the season. But if we take those first few weeks of the season as his own boiler plate, the development from his freshman campaign was evident. Harris isn't super quick, necessarily, but he keeps his eyes, something that gives him an advantage in pursuit.     MINING FOR GEMS   [player_tooltip player_id='1664217' first='Kiawan' last='Ford'] DE/DT, Battery Creek   In the last few months, Ford has added another 20-30 pounds. And while he's been traditionally been playing end, his abilty to move around puts his 6-foot-1, 262-pound frame into a spot where he can wreak havoc for the Dolphins. He has an undersold attribute in his 78-inch wingspan combined with some serious hand strength. See where we're going with this? Yep, if he gets close to a ball carrier, he's got the advantage.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422635' first='Anthony' last='Strong'] DE, Cheraw   Strong brings a significant amount of length to a defense that already has some dudes flying around creating speed-based mismatches. Strong is just north of 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, and his reach (81-inch wingspan) makes his assignment zone even wider. He's still progressing with speed work, and every split second faster he gets is another reason to pay attention to the Braves this fall.    [player_tooltip player_id='1664361' first='John' last='Conners'] DE/LB, Greenville   Following an injury and illness shortened mini-run as a defensive end last fall, Greenville is going to try Conners out at linebacker some this year, too. But we see the writing on the wall, and it says that Conners' ability to go from snap to around an offensive tackle is there. Even if he makes a move full-time, expect him to line up close and personal to the line plenty.   [player_tooltip player_id='1613928' first='Jayden' last='Merriweather'] DT/DL, Strom Thurmond   Merriweather is the embodiment of what makes high school football awesome. He's 5-foot-11 and 240 pounds, and from one play to the next he can shift to the edge or back inside. It's of little consequence as his low center of gravity makes him a blocking assignment nightmare. When his numbers explode this fall, don't say we didn't warn you.    THE WILD CARD   [player_tooltip player_id='409882' first='Jaden' last='Wuerth'] DE, Dutch Fork   Wuerth recently transferred from Aquinas in Augusta, but while he was in Georgia, we got several good looks at him. He's absolutely got the goods. What remains to be seen is how well he meshes into such an established program with a national recruit lining up on the other side of the line. He comes in with a Division-I offer already in his back pocket. And while we think we know how this story will play out, we're going to see it with our own eyes before passing too much judgment.

With respect to what might happen to some of these guys positionally at the next level, current defensive linemen have made an indelible mark on the 2027 rankings.