2022 Rankings Stock Risers: Defensive Line

Photo: Prep Redzone

Jack Densmore

January 3, 2022 @ 08:23 PM

The rankings have now been out for the Class of 2022, and while there were a lot of newcomers, there were a lot of instances of players rising up in the rankings. These five defensive linemen made waves throughout the season to increase their stock not only in the rankings but recruiting as well. 1. [player_tooltip player_id="60724" first="Curlee" last="Thomas"] - Nolan Catholic High School (Fort Worth, TX) 2021 Season: 105 total tackles, 24 tackles for a loss, 16 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries Thomas has been a turnover machine all season. Not only that, but he has continued creating havoc in the backfield. In 2020, he also had 16 sacks. On top of these common stacks, Thomas also has made waves on special teams which includes a field goal block. However, Thomas' skillset includes his ability to get into the backfield but he is a master at stripping the ball and is always around the ball. He has excellent awareness and his tackling is always solid and never sloppy. He signed with Cal on Dec. 15 but received a total of 45 offers including from Michigan State and Oklahoma State. 2. [player_tooltip player_id="121595" first="Michael" last="Ibukun-Okeyode"] - Rowlett High School (Rowlett, TX) Ibukun-Okeyode signed with TCU as well on Dec. 15. He had received a total of 16 offers including with Arizona State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and SMU. The skillset for Ibukun-Okeyode includes his ability to stay focused even with an offensive lineman in his face. He is always seemingly around the ball and is always getting into the backfield. He can also use the offensive lineman blocking him to his advantage pushing into the way of whoever is carrying the ball. 3. [player_tooltip player_id="129070" first="David" last="Oke"] - Alief Hastings High School (Houston, TX) Oke is a master at slipping through the offensive line to get into the backfield. He is able to break off blocks to be disruptive. He also has excellent awareness and can easily get the snap count down. He is great at play recognition and can predict where the run will develop. It is essentially a mistake to run wherever he is lined up. It will result in a loss of yards or stuff. All in all, Oke is excellent against a run. 4. [player_tooltip player_id="129072" first="Braxton" last="White"] - Texas High School (Texarkana, TX) White is incredibly focused on the field. He is able to battle it out in the tranches and even against faster players, he can still chase them down. However, he also has great strength and can make a tackle even when he is being blocked. Across his tape are multiple instances of this. He currently has three offers including UNLV, Central Arkansas and Incarnate Word. 5. [player_tooltip player_id="60739" first="Camron" last="Cooper"] - Dayton High School (Dayton, TX) 2021 Season: 73 total tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, 7 sacks, 2 forced fumbles Cooper has incredible speed, especially when off the snap. He also plays tight end and receiver, where his speed is really displayed in those highlights. Playing these two positions really showcases his athleticism. He has excellent play recognition, even with an offensive lineman in his face. Cooper is an excellent defensive lineman and most college scouts have caught on. In fact, he has gotten 20 offers so far including from Louisiana, Colorado State, Hawaii, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Monroe.