Joining Harkless on the Broncos’ defensive line was Jalen Hand Jalen Hand 6'3" | 280 lbs | DL Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY . Much like Harkless, Hand had a great senior year despite limited snaps in a lot of games. He finished the season with 25 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble. Hand is a dominant run stopper, using his strength to hold his ground against opposing offensive linemen while also showing the ability to drive them into the backfield to cause disruption. He has also shown the ability to shed blocks quickly and run all over the field to make tackles. As a pass rusher, Hand uses his speed to his advantage to blow by opposing offensive linemen. Hand is committed to Western Kentucky where I see him developing into a key piece of their defensive line.

Another dominant Frederick Douglass defensive lineman making this list is senior Jalen Hand Jalen Hand 6'3" | 280 lbs | DL Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY . Hand caught my eye during the regular season and continued to impress in the playoffs, finishing with 11 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. He is very dominant against both the run and pass. Against the run, Hand uses his strength to drive the opposing offensive lineman into the backfield to cause disruption. Once he finds the ball, he has shown the ability to shed blocks quickly and get to the ball carrier. As a pass rusher, Hand has shown an explosive first step out of his stance and uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. Jalen is committed to Western Kentucky where I see him developing into a very productive defensive lineman for them down the road.

Another senior that stood out on the defensive side of the ball for the Broncos was defensive lineman Jalen Hand Jalen Hand 6'3" | 280 lbs | DL Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY . Hand caused disruption throughout the game against the run and the pass. Against the run, Hand was able to use his strength to drive his blocker into the backfield to cause disruption. He also showed the ability to stack and shed blocks quickly to get to the ball carrier. As a pass rusher, Hand showed an explosive first step and the speed to blow by opposing offensive linemen. Even when he couldn’t finish the sack, Hand made sure to make the quarterback uncomfortable when trying to throw the ball away. Jalen finished the game with four total tackles, one tackle for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Hand is committed to Western Kentucky where I see him developing into a key piece of their defensive line unit.

Joining Harkless on the defensive interior for the Broncos is Jalen Hand Jalen Hand 6'3" | 280 lbs | DL Frederick Douglass | 2023 State KY . Jalen is a strong, physical defensive tackle, that like Harkless, has the ability to play inside and off the edge. Hand has a powerful first step, moving the opposing offensive lineman off the line of scrimmage with a strong initial punch. Against the pass, he uses his strength and quickness to beat the opposing lineman and put pressure on the quarterback. Once he gets to the quarterback, he is a very physical finisher. Against the run, he has shown the ability to fight through double teams and get to the ball. Hand is committed to Western Kentucky where I expect him to develop into a very good player at the next level.