Previously: Quarterback, Running Back, Receiver, OL

Another week, and another The Enemy piece. This week we switch over to the defensive side of the ball, starting with the defensive line. For clarification on this piece, I'm defining the defensive line to mean down linemen and LB's who are explicitly edge rushers ("JACK" type players), so in Michigan's case this would include the three DT's and then Aidan Hutchinson + whoever is lined up opposite Hutchinson. For some teams this requires a judgement call, although most on this list run standard four man defensive lines. Onto #1: 

 

1. Ohio State

DE	DT	DT	DE
Tyreke Smith*	Haskell Garrett*	Taron Vincent	Zach Harrison
JT Tuimoloau	Antwaun Jackson Jr.	Jarron Cage	Jack Sawyer

Yep, another article where the Buckeyes start out on top. It really shouldn't be terribly surprising, given how well OSU has churned out defensive linemen in the past decade, although this group has some questions, as every team in this article does. What is not a question mark is Haskell Garrett, who was a 2nd Team All-American last season and would have been a high draft pick had he departed for the NFL early. Garrett is a wrecking ball defensive tackle who is going to be the veteran leader of this group. The ends, which are normally dominant for a school like OSU that produced the Bosas and Chase Young, were not quite as sharp last season but there are lots of reasons for optimism. Tyreke Smith's underlying metrics were very good in 2020, even if they didn't materialize into actual sacks, and he's a returning starter who could make that leap to great this season.

Zach Harrison, who you hopefully don't remember from his agonizing recruiting process that nearly saw Michigan pluck the 5* DE from OSU's grasp before a cold dose of reality smacked the Wolverines upside the head on November 24, 2018, has actually not been as good as advertised thus far in his NCAA career. The Bucks need improvement from Harrison, but the talent in his body makes that a decent bet. And of course, even if Harrison doesn't pop off, they have two more 5* blue chip recruits in TR Fr Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau to plug in at DE. The other DT spot is led by Taron Vincent, who was, surprise, also an elite recruit and has solid experience. Experience is a theme for back-up tackles Jarron Cage and Antwaun Jackson Jr., who provide solid depth. Ohio State ranks #1 because of a track record of producing stars at this position, in addition to the presence of an established star in Garrett, the good shot that they get another star out of one of Smith/Harrison/Sawyer, and the depth provided behind them.

[AFTER THE JUMP: More lines with more questions]

 

That's PJ Mustipher (#97) in the background [Patrick Barron]

2. Penn State

DE	DT	DT	DE
Arnold Ebiketie	PJ Mustipher*	Fred Hansard	Nick Tarburton
Zuriah Fisher	Derrick Tangelo	Hakeem Beamon	Smith Vilbert

The Nittany Lions retain #2 on this list despite losing Adisa Isaac for the season recently, a crushing blow for their projected starter at DE. They were counting on Isaac in part because the natural pass rusher seemed like a potential breakout player who was going to fill big holes left by the exits of last year's starting DE's Shaka Toney and Odafe (Jayson) Oweh. That said, PSU still has a really nice collection of tackles and a track record at developing quality ends, enough to land them high up on a list filled with uncertainty. For the DT's, PSU has PJ Mustipher, a rock-solid interior lineman who earned All-B1G Honorable Mention last season, and seems like a good bet to land on the 2nd or 3rd teams this year. PSU did lose a starter here in Antonio Shelton, but they have three good options to rotate in, Derrick Tangelo, a Duke transfer who PFF loves, as well as Hakeem Beamon and Fred Hansard, both of whom have gotten snaps in the past. The Nittany Lions love to rotate bodies on the DL, and they are well-equipped to do so on the inside. 

As for the defensive end position, it's quite a bit more shaky. With the Isaac injury, the starters are probably Nick Tarburton and Arnold Ebiketie. Tarburton is a generic run-stopping end who probably won't contribute a ton of pass rushing oomph, while Ebiketie was a productive player at Temple who PSU snagged in the transfer market. Those two guys are probably okay, but the depth behind them is very questionable. Again, this may not sound impressive, but this list as a whole is probably the weakest positional group I've gone through so far. When you have an established player in Mustipher, very good depth, and a generally good program track record, you eke out #2. 

 

3. Washington 

DE	DT	DT	DE
Ryan Bowman*	Tuli Letuligasenoa*	Taki Taimani	Sav'ell Smalls
Jeremiah Martin	Jacob Bandes	Faatui Tuitele	Cooper McDonald

So this is moderately complicated to explain: Washington only plays with two true defensive linemen, but like Michigan, they call their edge rushers OLB's and so I decided to organize this section with their two true linemen as "DT's" and their edge rushers as "DE's", making it look like a 4-3, but that's not necessarily how they line up. Yes, football is complicated, but organizing the table like this made the most logistical sense. Their two true defensive linemen are their interior guys Tuli Letuligasenoa and Taki Taimani. Tuli and Taki are not going to move anybody or make flashy plays, but they eat blocks better than most all guys in college football, and it's the key to the rest of the defense. When they need to come off the field, Jacob Bandes and Faatui Tuitele come on, and they're fine. The ends don't inspire, to be frank, but Ryan Bowman is a good run defender. Texas A&M transfer Jeremiah Martin has a shot to be a pass rusher on the outside, while Noa Ngalu could rotate in as a third down lineman pass-rushing DT. 

If nothing else, this group sets the tone for the rest of the defense and it's why they rank highly on our list. They plug gaps, stop the run, and any pass-rushing ability is an added bonus. Washington has produced a number of good defenses in the last five years and their solid DL play over the years (Vita Vea, Joe Tryon, Levi Onwuzurike as evidence) has played a role in that, boosting the track record component here. 

 

4. Michigan State 

DE	DT	DT	DE
Drew Jordan	Jacob Slade*	Jalen Hunt	Drew Beesley*
Jacob Panasiuk*	Dashaun Mallory	Maverick Hansen	Michael Fletcher

MSU has consistently had good defensive lines over the last decade and this group should be rock-solid again, as they return 3/4 starters and add some talent. Drew Beesley is a consistent run defender and a poor pass rusher, which you can also say for Jacob Panasiuk, who you may remember for his dirty plays in both the 2018 and 2019 games. Strong run defense is a theme with this DL, and Jacob Slade returns at DT and he may well be MSU's best lineman. Jalen Hunt and Dashaun Mallory are rock solid interior linemen who are tough to move and add to that run defending ability, with Hunt a projected starter. The question has to do with generating pass rush, and hope for that comes from Duke transfer Drew Jordan as well as Michael Fletcher, who flashed some rushing acumen last season. Even if the Spartans can't generate a great pass rush, this DL should still be very good in run defense, and that is enough to land them at #4 on our list.

 

Ryder Anderson beat IU in the bowl game- and then transferred to Bloomington [Ole Miss Athletics]

5. Indiana

DE	DT	DT	DE
Ryder Anderson	DeMarcus Elliott*	Sio Nofoagatoto'a	Alfred Bryant
James Head Jr.*	Weston Kramer	CJ Person	Jaren Handy

Indiana's group is very interesting but the fact they rate so highly showcases why there really are not many great defensive lines on Michigan's schedule this year. The group really never came together last year, and required blitzes from LB's and CB's to generate pressure, but they weren't gashed on the ground and have undergone legitimate re-tooling in the offseason. Returning starters James Head Jr. and DeMarcus Elliott may both be pushed to the bench. If they are, it would be because of a pair of transfers have pushed through in DE Ryder Anderson and DT Weston Kramer. Anderson was terrific at Ole Miss last season and has a shot to be All-B1G this year, while Kramer was elite in the MAC for NIU in 2020 (a guy Michigan wanted). Alfred Bryant is the nominal starter at the other DE spot opposite Anderson, but Auburn transfer Jaren Handy and DK Bonhomme, who came on strong last year, are pushing. The DT spot also has depth in Sio Nofoagatoto'a and CJ Person who are middling options and should be fine.

This section may sound muddled right now, and it is, with a lot of moving pieces, but quality options are there. Anderson and Kramer could be impact players, and the amount of possible solid contributors runs 8-9 bodies deep. This group was not great, but also wasn't bad last year, and yet they still felt the need to re-tool, a process that has pushed starters down the depth chart. I'm betting on improvement here.  

 

Matt Henningsen (#92) started against Michigan in '18 - it didn't go well [Patrick Barron]

6. Wisconsin

DE	NT	DE
Matt Henningsen	Keeanu Benton*	Isaiah Mullens
Rodas Johnson	Bryson Williams	Isaac Townsend

Our first true 3-4 appears! The Badgers have been running their patented 3-4 for a long, long time, but this year the scheme will need to plug some holes along the DL. They lose Garrett Rand and Owner of An Extraneous H Isaiahh Loudermilk, their two ends, which are two pretty pivotal parts of the defense. Michigan absolutely obliterated the Badgers in 2018 when Wisconsin had holes along the DL and making sure that doesn't happen again is paramount for the red and white. The good news is that they have stability in Keeanu Benton, a very, very good NT. The bad news are those holes on the edges. Matt Henningsen has plenty of experience but dealt with injuries last year and was still banged up in the spring. Isaiah Mullens is a big dude but lacks pass rushing ability. Oregon transfer Isaac Townsend has some pass rushing talent but was undersized as of the spring. The DE position is a hugely important position for Wisconsin's defense and right now, it looks tenuous. Those questions drop the DL as a unit back to the middle of the pack, but if the holes can be filled, then it could be a great DL given the talent of Benton. 

 

7. Northwestern 

DE	DT	DT	DE
Adetomiwa Adebawore*	Trevor Kent	Joe Spivak	Samdup Miller*
Jeffery Pooler Jr.	Jeremy Meiser	Jason Gold	Devin O'Rourke

There's a decent bit of turnover along the Northwestern line, but getting 2019 starter Samdup Miller back is a good boost after he sat out last season. Adetomiwa Adebawore is the only returning starter from last season's team, but the combination of the two experienced DE's gives the 'Cats a pretty solid starting point. Similarly, while it's not likely that either Trevor Kent or Joe Spivak bust out to stardom on the interior, both players have tons of experience as 5th/6th year players. To fortify the DT, Fitzgerald added Old Dominion transfer Jeremy Meiser, while Devin O'Rourke and Jeffery Pooler Jr., the backup ends, both are upperclassmen, too. Not a star-studded unit and having to replace starters at DT knocks them down a tad, but the wealth of experience and solid defensive numbers they compiled last season, in addition to the high standard of play that Northwestern defenses have established, comfortably slots the Wildcats in the middle of the list. 

 

8. Nebraska 

DE	NT	DE
Ben Stille*	Damion Daniels*	Ty Robinson*
Casey Rogers	Jordan Riley	Deontre Thomas

Nebraska's defense has quietly gotten better each year under Scott Frost, the opposite of Adrian Martinez and the offense's gradual shrink into a pumpkin. The 2021 Husker defense will have a ton of experience and that starts on their three-man defensive line. The headliner is Ben Stille, who's been around a long time (he committed to UNL before Harbaugh had ever coached a game at Michigan!), but he was excellent last season and could well play his way onto the All-B1G team this season. Ty Robinson could be a breakout candidate as a RS Fr at the other "end" position, while Damion Daniels anchors the middle and is in his fourth year in the program. All three guys have experience, as do all three backups, as Nebraska returns nearly the entire defensive line from last season. That group was a solid DL and there's a definite chance they jump up into the upper tier of this list by the time the season ends. I'm just tempering expectations with Big Red this year and starting them down the list and below teams with better historical DL track records like MSU/Wisconsin/Northwestern. 

 

Ali Fayad (not pictured) was a starter during WMU's 2018 trip to AA [Bryan Fuller] 

9. Western Michigan 

DE	DT	DT	DE
Andre Carter	Ralph Holley*	Will McCabe	Ali Fayad*
Marshawn Kneeland*	Ken Aguirre	Braden Fiske*	Corey Walker

The Broncos have bucked Maryland, Rutgers, and NIU to slip into the top ten! Yes, it may be an overrate, but I really like this group and the success they had in the MAC last season. One reason to buy into WMU's DL is Ali Fayad, who is their best pass-rusher and finished 2nd Team All-MAC last season. Fayad's been around awhile and he battered Michigan the last time Western came to the Big House in 2018. DT Ralph Holley is another impact player, finishing 1st Team All-MAC a year ago, and grading out terrifically in PFF's data. Those two players are two of the better defensive linemen on Michigan's schedule this season. But what slots WMU in this slot, despite playing a MAC-only schedule last year, is the depth. Western brought all four starters back from 2020 and two of them are projected to come off the bench, showing the amount of bodies they feel comfortable with. Week One will prove to be an interesting test for Michigan's OL, as this line is not your usual mid-major pushover. 

 

10. Maryland 

DE	DT	DT	DE	JACK
Sam Okuayinonu*	Ami Finau*	Mosiah Nasili-Kite*	Lawtez Rogers*	Durell Nchami*
Jeffery Pooler Jr.	Tank Booker Jr.	Almosse Titi	Deshawn Holt	Demeioun Robinson

There's a pretty big drop-off among P5 teams on Michigan's schedule from the 2-8 range down to the bottom two teams on the schedule in Maryland and Rutgers (why I slotted WMU above both), both of whom were gashed for well over 200 rushing yards per game last season. Maryland's DL seems more intriguing to me and has a better collection of players, and so I think the chance of significant improvement is better. The Terps run an interesting five man line, with the traditional positions and then also using a "JACK" pass rusher to come on when one of those DE's come off (so only four are on the field, but five total positions). The interior of that line is pretty good. Mosiah Nasili-Kite was a monster last season and should be an All-B1G player this year, while Ami Finau was also quite strong. Lawtez Rogers and Sam Okuayinonu are both run-stopping ends, while Deshawn Holt is more of a pass rusher. Durell Nchami has been a very productive pass rusher when healthy... he just hasn't been healthy very much. 

For me this group is a case of team product vs. the sum of the parts. The sum of the parts is better than 9th on the schedule, probably considerably so. But it's hard to justify ranking them any higher when they struggled so mightily in run defense last season. Like lots of positions on the Terps, there's a reason to believe, but the actual success on the field hasn't materialized much up to this point and since I tend to weight more heavily towards past production as opposed to future potential, Maryland winds up down at #10. 

 

Mike Tverdov (#97) is still around for Rutgers [Patrick Barron]

11. Rutgers 

DE	DT	DT	DE
Mike Tverdov*	Ifeanyi Maijeh	Julius Turner*	CJ Onyechi*
Aaron Lewis	Mayan Ahanotu	Ireland Burke	Wesley Bailey

Like Maryland, Rutgers was pretty bad along their defensive line last season, but unlike MD, the Scarlett Knights lose a starter in Old Friend Michael Dwumfour and their depth is even shakier. Mike Tverdov and CJ Onyechi are solid ends, while Julius Turner at DT was an All-B1G Honorable Mention last season. The other pieces, though, are more questionable. Rutgers has taken a flier on Temple transfer (an awful lot of Temple transfers fleeing to the B1G this year) Ifeanyi Maijeh, who was very good in 2019 and very bad in 2020. It's a coinflip to see what they get out of him. Their back-up ends are Wesley Bailey and Old Friend Aaron Lewis (well maybe not a friend, because you probably don't remember he was ever on Michigan), both of whom are young and extremely inexperienced. The interior back-ups have marginally more of it but lack the requisite size. If any injuries happen, which is always a possibility in football, this could be ugly. Even with just the starters it's not a high-impact positional group and when you remember they allowed 206 rushing yards per game last season, you understand why they're down at #11. Rutgers has the worst P5 DL on Michigan's schedule.  

 

12. Northern Illinois 

DE	DT	DT	DE
Jalen Pinkney	James Ester*	Jeffery Griffin Jr.	Raishein Thomas*
Pierce Oppong*	Desmond Taylor Jr.	Devonte O'Malley	Michael Kennedy

NIU had a solid defensive line within the context of the MAC last season, but they lose their best lineman in Weston Kramer (mentioned in the Indiana section), which begins their tumble down the list to their usual spot (last). James Ester is the new leader of the line and he's a good player, but there's not a ton else here. Desmond Taylor Jr. is a solid backup, while both end starters last season, Raishein Thomas and Pierce Oppong, were pretty bad as freshmen. The experience is there, but there's not a ton of quality depth and when you were only a decent MAC line last season, and then you lose your best piece, you land #12 on our list. 

 

Where would Michigan slot in?

As mentioned at the top of the article, Michigan's "DL" for the purposes of this piece consists of Jeter/Smith/Hinton, as well as Hutchinson/Ojabo/Upshaw, so it's a lot of bodies. The presence of Hutchinson alone puts the group in the upper half of the list, as it was the presence of guys like Haskell, Mustipher, and Benton that justified putting their respective teams in the top six. The other edge defenders for Michigan are a bit more unknown, while the DT's are a mix of unproven (Smith) or have not shown a lot in their careers up to this point (Jeter/Hinton). That said, the recruiting profiles of many of these unknowns are quite good, and Michigan's had a very good track record of defensive linemen under the Harbaugh regime, and so the combination of the star quality of Hutchinson and those other factors land them somewhere in the 2-5 range I think. Where in that span is up to you to decide.