2022 Rankings: Defensive Line Breakdown
Our prospect rankings are available to our subscribers only! Now is a great time to subscribe! Not only will you get all of our prospect content, you’ll get new content every day until the end of the 2020 season. And…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOur prospect rankings are available to our subscribers only! Now is a great time to subscribe! Not only will you get all of our prospect content, you’ll get new content every day until the end of the 2020 season. And we can help you save! Enter Knight25 in the coupon code area for 25% your first billing cycle!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TOP 75 PROSPECTS IN THE 2022 CLASS.
Our updated rankings for the class of 2022 are now released so that means it’s time to break down some of the players we have ranked. Today we will be covering our top 5 defensive linemen in the class which has a few familiar names from our preseason rankings and a few new names that have been added since the start of the season. Let’s get familiar with our top 5 DL in the class of 2022.
Chris McClellan Chris McClellan 6'4" | DL Owasso | 2022 State OK – Edison
Chris McClellan Chris McClellan 6'4" | DL Owasso | 2022 State OK was our preseason number 1 at defensive line for this class and an honorable mention defensive tackle in our 5A preview back in August and not much has changed since then. At 6’3 270 pounds Chris is usually the one of if not the biggest lineman on the field and it shows on tape. He has lined up as a stand up rusher on the edge, as an interior DT, and as a DE, which is where he likely projects best. McClellan has D1 ready size and athleticism and has shown flashes of elite pass-rushing and run-stuffing this season. Coming into the year he had a handful of D1 offers and has already received 3 more since the season started. Look out for Chris on Saturdays in a couple of years.
Maliek Bogard Maliek Bogard 6'5" | DL Beggs | 2022 State OK – Okmulgee
Maliek Bogard Maliek Bogard 6'5" | DL Beggs | 2022 State OK is another division 1 caliber DL in this class. Maliek is a more true DE compared to McClellan and is best at sealing the edge in the run game. Rather than just simply pinning his ears back and going for the football, Maliek is often asked to seal the edge and redirect ball carriers inside on run plays and he excels at doing so. Often his speed alone is enough to beat blockers to the edge and force the play inside, but when he has to engage with blockers he is sufficient at shedding them off to get back to the play. Maliek currently holds offers from Indiana, Iowa State, and North Texas, so he is certainly D1 bound when the time comes.
Michael Jamerson Michael Jamerson 6'3" | DL Owasso | 2022 State OK – Owasso
Michael Jamerson Michael Jamerson 6'3" | DL Owasso | 2022 State OK was one of our top DL in our 6A-1 preview after his first year of starting for Owasso and he hasn’t disappointed in year 2 as a starter. So far this season, Jamerson looks more explosive than he did a year ago and looks just as disruptive. Jamerson is good at firing off the ball at the snap and at the same time staying low and driving through offensive lineman. Owasso looks nearly unbeatable this season thanks to their stars all over the field on both sides of the ball including Michael Jamerson Michael Jamerson 6'3" | DL Owasso | 2022 State OK .
Desean Brown Desean Brown 6'3" | DL Choctaw | 2022 State OK – Choctaw
Desean Brown Desean Brown 6'3" | DL Choctaw | 2022 State OK is a new addition to our top 5 DL for this class and it is well deserved. Desean has played mostly as a stand-up edge rusher this season and has done a great job of crashing inside to disrupt run plays deep in the backfield. Additionally, Brown has great open field awareness and athleticism for a defensive lineman, he has a handful of tackles at the second level in the open field when the play is run away from his side. Brown is a little raw in some areas but has the size, strength, and athleticism to make up for any areas he may lack in for now.
Colemon Thurber Colemon Thurber 6'4" | DL Jenks | 2022 State OK – Jenks
To round out our top 5 we have Jenks’ Colemon Thurber Colemon Thurber 6'4" | DL Jenks | 2022 State OK . I liked Thurber a lot this offseason and picked him as one of my breakout players and breakout he has. Thurber is a more traditional 3 or 5tech DL and is best against the run where he can shed blocks with ease and man his gap whether he is asked to one gap or two gap. His pass-rush still leaves a little to be desired but that will come with time as he keeps developing. Overall, Thurber is a strong, athletic DL who will be a name to know for the next year and a half.