Ohio State's defensive line took a big hit following the 2017 season as four key contributors saw their time in Columbus come to an end. In most instances, the loss of players like Tyquan Lewis, Jalyn Holmes, Sam Hubbard, and Tracy Sprinkle would cause some major concern in the trenches.
Replacing four linemen – three of whom were selected in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft – could be a major headache heading into a new season. But that's not the case for Larry Johnson as the Buckeyes prepare for the Sept. 1 kickoff against Oregon State.
Nick Bosa is back and – now a full-time player – will be the headliner in what is expected to be his final season before potentially being a top-five Draft pick. Dre'Mont Jones' decision to stick around for his redshirt junior year was a nice bit of good news, and Chase Young should become a household name this fall.
Ohio State's defense still has some questions at linebacker and the safety spot opposite Jordan Fuller, and the next four weeks will be critical for players like Justin Hilliard, Baron Browning, and Isaiah Pryor. Despite the departures, the defensive line remains in great hands with Bosa, Jones, Young, a disruptive Robert Landers, and plenty others.
Urban Meyer on DreMont Jones playing in the Rushmen package: I can assure you hes not coming out now.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) July 24, 2018
A few months back we discussed the 2019 NFL Draft Class and how it could be a historically strong group of defensive linemen. Bosa – assuming he foregoes his final year of eligibility – will be a sure-fire top pick, Jones could hear his named called in the first few rounds, and then Chase Young will likely have the same fate in 2020 or 2021.
Within the Big Ten, there are plenty of others to be on the lookout for this season, and it has to start with a pair of Wolverine edge rushers. Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich will lead one of the nation's top defenses, and Gary is already being mentioned as a potential early first-round pick. Winovich had eight sacks in 2017, which was one shy of Nick Bosa. His decision to return was a big boost for Don Brown's defense.
Outside of Ann Arbor, some of the other names to know include Penn State's Shareef Miller, Iowa defensive end Anthony Nelson, Nebraska's Ben Stille, and Spartan edge rusher Kenny Willekes.
The national picture is where things really start to get ridiculous. Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver actually declared for the 2019 Draft before the 2018 version even took place. He was once a prized signee of Tom Herman and some pundits are even talking about him sitting out this season to protect his Draft stock; much like they did with Leonard Fournette a couple years back.
Clemson's defensive line appears to be quite terrifying yet again, and NFL.com has three Tigers listed among its players to watch this season. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell along with tackles Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence make up three-fourths of what will be the best line in the country. Each one of them is a likely first-round selection. Senior Austin Bryant is slated to be the fourth starter and he's coming off a 8.5-sack season himself.
It should come as no surprise but Alabama once again has a defensive lineman projected to go in the first round of the Draft. This time it's tackle Raekwon Davis. You don't see a lot of 6-foot-7 interior defensive lineman, so it will be interesting to see how the NFL views him; assuming he elects go forego his senior year.
Other noteworthy names across the country include Louisiana Tech defensive end Jaylon Ferguson, Oregon defensive end Jalen Jelks, Miami's Joe Jackson, and Mississippi State's Montez Sweat. It's an ultra talented group of defenders, but the outlook on the edge is especially strong.
Circling back to the Buckeyes and where Larry Johnson's unit may fit in, I think a lot of that is going to depend on players like Robert Landers and Jonathon Cooper. We know what to expect with Nick Bosa, and oddly enough it feels like we already know what Chase Young will amount to; which I suppose is a bit strange for someone who saw fairly limited playing time as a true freshman.
Everyone is expecting Clemson to have one of the top units in the entire country, and that's completely reasonable given the amount of talent at Dabo's disposal. Ohio State is also being pegged as having one of the nation's top defensive lines, though an argument can be made that the depth has taken a bit of a hit.
The trenches don't usually get as much fanfare as some of the more exciting position groups, but this year's crop is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory.
