Five questions about the 2023 DL rankings
The first Rivals100 for the 2023 class was released last week and there are plenty of questions left as the heart of the spring camp season approaches. Each day this week we will examine the biggest rankings questions at each position. Next up are the defensive linemen.
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Is there a five-star defensive tackle?
The defensive tackle position is a little thin right now, but there are two early five-star candidates that are easy to point out. The first is Francis Mauigoa. He is a massive athletic lineman that could play on either side of the ball at the college level but he is going to focus on defensive tackle for now. He landed just outside of five-star territory in the first 2023 Rivals100, but he could get that fifth star if he continues to develop.
The second likely candidate to be a five-star defensive tackle is Jason Moore. He primarily lines up at defensive end right now, but he is likely going to grow into a defensive tackle as he gets older and develops physically. Moore is a slippery and strong lineman that does a great job of getting into the backfield and chasing down the ball carrier.
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Which strongside defensive end could be the next five-star?
It looks like an amazing year at strongside defensive end. There are 11 of them in the top 40 of the first 2023 Rivals100. LT Overton, the top overall player, was the only five-star in the first rankings release, but there could be at least one more when the rankings get updated again this summer. Peter Woods and James Smith out of Alabama, along with Ohio’s Brenan Vernon, are three big names to keep an eye on, along with Jayden Wayne out of Washington and Jordan Renaud from Texas.
Woods is a tremendous talent on the defensive line that can win with power or speed. He also has position versatility across the defensive line, so he can present matchup problems. Smith is similarly talented, but some of his best attributes are his motor and aggressiveness. Vernon is a tough, quick and disciplined defensive end that seems to always find the ball. Renaud is a big, powerful bull of a defensive lineman who uses his hands well and has no trouble getting into the backfield. Wayne has a special blend of athleticism and power and he does a great job making open field tackles.
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Is this the best strongside defensive end class ever?
If the rankings were final right now, this class would have more strongside defensive ends in the Rivals100 than in any previous class. There are 15 strongside defensive ends in the first 2023 Rivals100, six more than the 2010 class that had nine. LT Overton is the only five-star right now and the “best class ever” has to have a few more five-stars, but this already looks like the deepest group there has been in a long time. Kelby Collins, Victor Burley, David Hicks, Derrick LeBlanc and Avion Carter are just a few more names to know at the position in addition to the ones above.
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Is Alabama home to a historic class of defensive ends?
Only one time in the history of Rivals has one state produced four Rivals100 defensive ends. The state of Georgia did it in 2015 and Alabama has a very good chance of doing it in the 2023 class. There are already four Alabama natives in the 2023 Rivals100, Peter Woods, James Smith, Kelby Collins and Keldric Faulk. Faulk sits at No. 93 right now, so he is right on the fringe, but the other three are inside the top 30. Also, don’t forget that top overall prospect LT Overton is actually from Alabama but lives in Georgia now. Imagine what kind of class this would look like if he were still living in Alabama.
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Who are potential Rivals250 candidates?
Just like every other position, there will be a lot of defensive linemen emerging as camp season pushes on. A few names to keep in mind as potential Rivals250 prospects are Zavion Hardy, Sydir Mitchell, Trey Wilson and Joshua Mickens. Hardy is an athletic freak as an edge defender and he does a good job shedding defenders and quickly flowing to the ball. Mitchell is a massive interior defensive lineman who can eat up space, push the pocket and makes key tackles between the hashes. Wilson and Mickens are very similar prospects in that they are explosive edge defenders with great motors and have a good understanding of hand techniques.