For anyone who checks out this blog, one would know I consider the big fellas in the trenches on both sides of the line of scrimmage as the most important players on the football field. Yesterday, I listed the top offensive linemen in the state for the class of 2016, so today I'll list my top 10 defensive linemen in Michigan for '16.
As usual, defensive line talent in Michigan is off-the-charts good. If a college coach is looking for pass rush help, the Great Lakes State is a must stop this upcoming season. Michigan is loaded with long, lanky, quick defensive ends with pass rush abilities this year. What's intriguing, however, about this season's class of D-line prospects, is the potential of most of the DE prospects to add substantial weight to their frames and bulk up and be combo-type linemen who can switch from outside to inside and vice-versa at the next level. Add to those prospects, an impressive group of pure defensive tackles and space-eaters up front, and a college coach has all he would need to form a dominating D-line right here in the Great Lakes State.
Top 10 defensive linemen for Michigan's class of 2016 --
1. Lawrence Gordon-6-6, 255-DE-Saginaw Arthur Hill-Unlimited potential. State's next Robaire Smith (Flint Northern, MSU, 11-year NFL career)?
2. Michael Onwenu-6-2, 315-DT-Detroit Cass Tech-Alabama, Ohio State, Miami (Fla.) all offered. Verbal to U-M.
3. Khalid Kareem-6-4, 250-DE-DT-Farmington Hills Harrison-Ohio State, MSU, U-M, Northwestern, Notre Dame all offered. Had 18 sacks last season. Verbal to Alabama.
4. Mark Brooks-6-7, 250-DE-Portland-Huge upside. I see him possibly being a Tyler Hoover (Novi, 6-7, 295 former starting DT for MSU, Rose Bowl champ, currently with NFL's Indianapolis Colts)-type player at the next level eventually. Verbal to WMU.
5. Adetokunbo Ogundeji-6-5, 225-DE-Walled Lake Central-Size, speed, length make Ogundeji a top tier D-I prospect. Oregon, Cal offered. Verbal to Notre Dame.
6. Patrick Mayrand-6-4, 280-DT-Dexter- Big Ten size, with athletic ability. One of the Ann Arbor area's top college prospects.
7. Darrick Gibson-6-2, 305-DT-Chippewa Valley (transfer from Clintondale)- One of the best pure defensive tackle/nose guards in the state. Suburban Detroit potential star at next level. 4.9 40. Best D-line prospect from Clintondale since 2015 Pittsburgh Steelers sixth round draft pick L.T. Walton (6-5, 320, DT, CMU).
8. Gabe Bauman-6-3, 245-DE-Rockford-Grand Rapids area stud from top flight program.
9. Chauncey Golston-6-6, 240-DE-Detroit East English Village-Similar to Arthur Hill's Gordon with huge wingspan and crazy athleticism. Runs 4.7 40. Verbal to Iowa.
10. Dan Perry-6-2, 265-DT-Lapeer-Big time talent. Division 1 (Michigan's large school division) heavyweight state champion wrestler this past winter. Three-year starter on D-line. I project him to 6-2, 295-305 range at next level, with great balance, feet, hands.
--Other top defensive line prospects (all D-I at some level) for Michigan's class of 2016 - Austin Simpson-6-2, 295-DT-Livonia Churchill (4.9 40), Brayton Rzepka-6-5, 270-DT-Coldwater (also top baseball prospect as P-1B), Matthew Lloyd-6-3, 285-DT-NG-Grand Ledge (also one of Michigan's best wrestlers, finished fourth in state as heavyweight last season), Malcolm Strickland-6-4, 250-DE-DT-Belleville, Ronathan Elmore-6-4, 230-DE-Belleville (teams with Malcolm Strickland to form dynamic duo for Tigers), Colin Emmendorfer-6-4, 240-DE-Flushing, Zach VanValkenburg-6-4, 235-DE-Zeeland West (three-year starter, started as soph. on D-3 state title team), Jonathan Brys-6-6, 245-DE-Jackson Lumen Christi (EMU offer, also talented TE), Eyioma Uwozunke-6-5, 255-DE-Southfield Lathrup (from same school as EMU, Detroit Lions starting DE Jason Jones), Dylan Pasquali-6-4, 285-DT-Trenton, Kamar Graves-6-4, 240-DE-Detroit Douglass (also talented TE, Illinois offer), Christian Boyd-6-2, 270-DT-Muskegon Mona Shores (returning starter for D-2 state runner-up), Tyler Shreve-6-4, 255-DE-Walled Lake Western, Carl Myers-6-3, 245-DE-Grand Rapids West Catholic (returning two-way starter for D-5 state champions), Tim Stevens-6-2, 265-DT-Temperance Bedford, Ian McInnis-6-2, 280-DT-Munising (U.P. Dream Team, monster in trenches, returning starter for D-8 state runner-up), Brian Mack-6-3, 225-DE-Grosse Pointe South (All-Detroit Metro East), Brendon Bott-6-4, 255-DT-Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (All-Grand Rapids North), Kyle Soderberg-6-2, 235-DE-Crystal Falls Forest Park (U.P. Dream Team selection), Blake Roe-6-2, 290-DT-Haslett, Alvin Clemons-6-1, 265-DT-Detroit Cass Tech, Jaylen Browder-6-5, 265-DT-Saginaw Arthur Hill, Britt Swaenepoel-6-2, 280-DT-Napoleon (Jackson Citizen-Patriot Dream Team), Nathan Fox-6-3, 240-DT-Johannesburg-Lewiston (dominant D-lineman "Up North," plus a talented kicker), Jean Paul Nkolo-6-3, 220-DE-East Kentwood, Michael Tabor-6-4, 285-DT-Holland, Jake Tumele-6-3, 230-DE-Muskegon Orchard View (runs 4.8 40), Dylan Swanson-6-4, 270-DT-Detroit King, Andy Maschke-6-2, 275-DT-Hartland, Leon Page-6-3, 220-DE-Detroit King (Verbal to CMU), Eldrick Matthews-6-4, 280-DE-Detroit Cass Tech, Blake Brady-6-2, 220-DE-Macomb Dakota, Wallace Hall-6-4, 250-DT-Ypsilanti, Matt Jelinek-6-4, 230-DE-Suttons Bay (4.7 40, returned fumble 33 yards for TD last year, another "Up North" lineman who will cause havoc all season long), Kevin Koenig-6-4, 235-DE-Laingsburg (one of my top sleepers in Michigan, Division 4 state runner-up wrestler at 215, also plays QB for Laingsburg, great all-around athlete from small school near Lansing).
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