Rivals Rankings Week continues as we unveil the new position rankings. We now turn our focus to the defensive line.
TODAY'S RANKINGS RELEASE: Strongside defensive ends | Weakside defensive ends | Defensive tackles
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Five-star countdown
Tuesday: Rivals250 unveiled | Gorney's thoughts | Biggest movers | Meet the new five-stars | Should Walter Nolen be the No. 1 DL?
Wednesday: QB rankings spotlight | RB rankings spotlight | WR/TE rankings spotlight | OL rankings spotlight | Who should be the No. 1 RB?
Thursday: DL rankings spotlight | LB rankings spotlight | DB rankings spotlight | ATH rankings spotlight
Friday: State rankings
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PROGRAM WITH TOP COMMITS: Alabama
All three positions along the defensive line – weakside and strongside defensive end and defensive tackle – are loaded with elite prospects but not many commits yet. Many of those elite players are waiting until after their senior seasons or at all-star events to make their commitments but one program that already has a jumpstart on others is, wait for it, Alabama.
Big surprise.
The top weakside defensive end in the 2022 class is Jeremiah Alexander from Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson. He could easily be considered a strongside as well but because he can play the linebacker spot and come off the edge as a rusher, his versatility really makes him stand out. He committed to Alabama early on, only to back off that pledge, but then the Crimson Tide beat out Clemson and others for his re-commitment.
The other Alabama pledge among this group cannot be confused to play any other position. Columbia, Miss., four-star defensive tackle Jaheim Oatis is 6-foot-6 and about 350 pounds, one of the biggest prospects in the entire class regardless of position.
Alabama is involved with many other high-level players across the defensive line and it would be no surprise if the Tide added others later in the recruiting cycle.
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PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Omari Abor
The strongside defensive end spot is loaded with talented players but it’s also a position that could see a lot of up-and-down movement, especially at the top, through their senior seasons and all-star events. Omari Abor is one player who could continue shooting up the charts as he’s moved up to the sixth-best prospect at the spot and that might not be high enough.
The Duncanville, Texas, standout has excellent size and a physical frame. He dominates offensive tackles with speed, power and great moves, and there are arguably some defensive ends ranked ahead of him that might not be at Abor’s level of ability.
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PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Marvin Jones Jr., Mykel Williams
Marvin Jones Jr. is ranked No. 71 nationally but he could be someone that shoots way up the charts at weakside defensive end even though Alexander is still holding that No. 1 spot. The Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage standout is maybe just too good to be that low.
Two others have something to prove leading up to the final rankings cycle. Five-star Mykel Williams had a good showing at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge but he’s still on the cusp of that elite status.
