2026 Defensive Line

[CbusCuse]

There is going to be plenty of opportunity on the DL next season for some new faces. We lose almost everybody from the 2 deep. We will surely need to bring in several portal players. Isaiah Hastings and Perry will certainly play a lot. I definitely have guesses on players that I think might be able to step up sooner than others, but has anyone heard of any good reports of specific young players excelling in practice?

We lose these 7 DL to graduation
Dion Wilson Jr.
Denis Jaquez Jr.
Kevin Jobity Jr.
Chris Thomas
David Reese
George Rooks
Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff

Returning DL
Isaiah Hastings
Rashard Perry
Eric Thomas
Nathan Nyandro
DeAngelo Thompson
Jaylen Pray
Elijah Crawford
Quante Gillians
Nissi Ogbebor

Committed 2026 Freshman DL
Jarius Rodgers
Walt Frzier
Kamron Wilson
Kordae Houston

 

[Acesn8s]

This is the area where I believe we need to use NIL funds other then roster retention. Some of our roster is going to be expensive to keep, but we certainly need to get difference makers on the interior.

 

[dollarbill44]

Yikes. That's a lot of snaps moving on.

 

[orangepassion]

Do Jobity or Jacquez have a redshirt year?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Do Jobity or Jacquez have a redshirt year?

They're both 4th year Seniors.

Jaquez:
Junior Year (2024): Played in 10 games
Sophomore Year (2023): Played in 6 games
Freshman Year (2022): Played in 6 games

Jobity:
Junior Year (2024): Played in 5 games
Sophomore Year (2023): Played in all 13 games
Freshman Year (2022): Played in 8 games

 

[cusefan88]

As I mentioned in another thread, DL is priority one in the portal for the off-season.

 

[steve deberg]

There is going to be plenty of opportunity on the DL next season for some new faces. We lose almost everybody from the 2 deep. We will surely need to bring in several portal players. Isaiah Hastings and Perry will certainly play a lot. I definitely have guesses on players that I think might be able to step up sooner than others, but has anyone heard of any good reports of specific young players excelling in practice?

We lose these 7 DL to graduation
Dion Wilson Jr.
Denis Jaquez Jr.
Kevin Jobity Jr.
Chris Thomas
David Reese
George Rooks
Elijah Fuentes-Cundiff

Returning DL
Isaiah Hastings
Rashard Perry
Eric Thomas
Nathan Nyandro
DeAngelo Thompson
Jaylen Pray
Elijah Crawford
Quante Gillians
Nissi Ogbebor

Committed 2026 Freshman DL
Jarius Rodgers
Walt Frzier
Kamron Wilson
Kordae Houston

Thanks for putting this together.

I think David Omopariola is essentially a Defensive Lineman in this defence, and Jamie Tremble may even be tracking this way. Jack may be a “hybrid” position, but their responsibilities align much more with what defensive lineman do.

They are both guys who are mainly playing up the LOS and attacking. I don’t think we’ll see either of them playing off ball as a Mike or Will.

 

[CbusCuse]

Thanks for putting this together.

I think David Omopariola is essentially a Defensive Lineman in this defence, and Jamie Tremble may even be tracking this way. Jack may be a “hybrid” position, but their responsibilities align much more with what defensive lineman do.

They are both guys who are mainly playing up the LOS and attacking. I don’t think we’ll see either of them playing off ball as a Mike or Will.

Good point. I missed David O as he’s listed at LB but is certainly a DE. Yeah and Tremble I’m not sure.

 

[RF2044]

I have to believe that they are going to hit the portal hard in search of starting caliber DEs. Like how they identified and went after MLB Bryant this off-season. Huge area of need.

I think we'll be ok at DT. But DE is another story.

 

[Archbold44]

They're both 4th year Seniors.

Jaquez:
Junior Year (2024): Played in 10 games
Sophomore Year (2023): Played in 6 games
Freshman Year (2022): Played in 6 games

Jobity:
Junior Year (2024): Played in 5 games
Sophomore Year (2023): Played in all 13 games
Freshman Year (2022): Played in 8 games

Was Jobity's 5th game the bowl game by any chance?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Was Jobity's 5th game the bowl game by any chance?

Played the first 5 games before getting injured. Sorry.

 

[Chip]

Can David Reese get a 9th year?

He should ask. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

 

[ScriptCuse]

By god is that Maraad Watson music???

 

[DomeHolmes]

As I mentioned in another thread, DL is priority one in the portal for the off-season.

Looking at our roster, the only areas of need we don’t have on our roster for next year, would be DL depth, a replacement for Grant, and possibly a pass catching TE. If we can keep most of our 2 deep, we will be as loaded as we’ve been in 30 years.

 

[Niastri]

I would guess we portal in two tackles and a defensive end...? We might be good at Jack with David Omopariola and Jamie Tremble, but the returning players inside who have shown potential/production are few.

That said, a whole lot of really big, athletic freshman defensive linemen have been recruited, and we don't know exactly how well they have developed. Maybe we don't need anybody in the portal, though it seems unlikely.

 

[CbusCuse]

I would guess we portal in two tackles and a defensive end...? We might be good at Jack with David Omopariola and Jamie Tremble, but the returning players inside who have shown potential/production are few.

That said, a whole lot of really big, athletic freshman defensive linemen have been recruited, and we don't know exactly how well they have developed. Maybe we don't need anybody in the portal, though it seems unlikely.

I don’t think there is a chance in the world we don’t bring in at least 4 portal DL players, and I think it likely needs to be more. There is zero chance we can replace 7 Seniors with the amount of experience and production that this group has, with freshman and redshirt freshman that have not even seen the field yet. No matter how good they have looked in practice.

I’m not quite ready to consider Tremble in the DL group yet at his weight. If you include David O with that group, that is a total of 3 players on the DL that are not freshman or redshirt freshman next year. 3…TOTAL. That is absolutely crazy!

You can’t be any more code red in a position unit than that probably needs at least 11 guys who can really be contribute. But I have no doubt Fran will find a way to bring in some talent.

 

[AngryOtto]

Looking at our roster, the only areas of need we don’t have on our roster for next year, would be DL depth, a replacement for Grant, and possibly a pass catching TE. If we can keep most of our 2 deep, we will be as loaded as we’ve been in 30 years.

I think clement or Washington can be the catching te. Both very athletic.

 

[Ttk.gman2]

I think clement or Washington can be the catching te. Both very athletic.

Jamie