ATLANTA -- The Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge Presented by Under Armour is in the books, so now it’s time for us to take a look back at each position and break down the best of the best. Today we take a look at the defensive lineman and rank them by their performance in Atlanta.
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Recruiting wrap: Wilson is considering Alabama, LSU, Texas, Ole Miss and several others.
Performance: Wilson’s day got off to a rough start as he struggled to win reps during the morning session. But as the event went along, Wilson only got stronger. After two of his defensive line teammates dropped out due to injury, Wilson stepped up to fill the void, fighting through fatigue to win some of his best reps of the night. It’s clear Wilson needs to continue to improve his pass rushing skills, but he showed why he’s so highly thought of by the time it was all said and done.
Recruiting wrap: Shelvin is committed to LSU.
Performance: Shelvin and Wilson have a healthy rivalry when it comes to competition at major events, and if the MVP had been decided on just the morning session, it likely would have been Shelvin’s. Despite coming into the event with some added bad weight, Shelvin was almost unblockable for most of the day.
Recruiting wrap: Herring is considering Georgia, Clemson and others.
Performance: Herring was one of the few prospects along the defensive line that had success as a strongside defensive end. Herring’s quickness off the ball is what makes him special, and he used it to blow by more than share of opposing offensive linemen. Much like Wilson, he subbed in for his injured teammates and took twice as many reps as he should have during the evening session.
Recruiting wrap: Lawler is committed to North Carolina.
Performance: Lawler is a tall, thin prospect that is surprisingly strong for a player of his stature. He’s super athletic and showed that off during the speed and agility competition portion of the evening, and he also won several reps during one-on-ones. Lawler might be a hybrid defensive end/linebacker in college, and his athleticism should allow him to fit perfectly into that role.
Recruiting wrap: Duke, Louisville, Miami and others are in the mix for Carney
Performance: Carney came in as one of the least-heralded of the defensive linemen but left with the respect of all of his fellow competitors. He was one of the few players to beat Cade Mays during one-on-ones and has a good mix of speed rushing moves to the outside as well as moves to get by on the inside.
Recruiting wrap: Parsons is committed to Penn State.
Performance: Parsons was one of the most competitive defensive linemen in attendance, showing a willingness to fight through a minor elbow injury while battling bigger, older and more experienced offensive linemen. He was also one of the top performers during the speed and agility session, flashing his impressive athleticism.
Recruiting wrap: Trout has offers from Missouri, Texas A&M, Nebraska and others.
Performance: Outside of Wilson and Shelvin, Trout was the only interior defensive lineman to have much success against the loaded offensive line group. He’s got a big body but he can get it moving in a hurry, and he has a nice array of pass rushing moves at his disposal.
Recruiting wrap: Phillips is committed to UCLA.
Performance: Phillips started the event off nicely, turning in a good set of reps during the morning session. But when matched up against the top offensive linemen, he struggled to have much success. He was, however, praised by the event’s coaches for his ability and he’s still new to playing defensive end, so once he learns to hone his super athleticism, he’s likely to continue to improve.
