This past college football season, the state of Michigan was well-represented along the defensive line on high-level squads throughout the Midwest. Just off the top of my head, four of the Midwest's top college football programs had plenty of Great Lakes State D-line talent making life miserable for opposing offenses this past season.
At Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish had three players from Michigan high school football programs starting or as part of the rotation along the defensive line this season. Senior Khalid Kareem (6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Farmington Hills Harrison) and juniors Daelin Hayes (6-4, 260, Ann Arbor Skyline) and Ade Ogundeji (6-4, 255, Walled Lake Central) were dominant players for Notre Dame this past year up front. Kareem and Hayes (before being injured) were starters, while Ogundeji saw plenty of snaps every game as part of the Fighting Irish's D-line rotation. Kareem is projected as a possible first-day NFL draft pick this April, while Hayes and Ogundeji are penciled in as starters next season in South Bend with both more than likely having NFL futures.
At Iowa, senior Cedrick Lattimore (6-3, 295, Detroit East English Village) and junior Chauncey Golston (6-5, 270, Detroit East English Village) were starters this past season for the Hawkeyes. Lattimore has an NFL future, as does Golston, who's expected to be one of the Big Ten's best next year along the defensive line.
At Michigan State, senior Kenny Willekes (6-4, 260. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian) was one of the nation's top defensive ends this past season and is expected to be an early round NFL draft pick this April, while over at Michigan, sophomore Aidan Hutchinson (6-6, 280, Dearborn Divine Child) is already the bell cow on the Wolverines' defensive line. Hutchinson eventually could be a first round NFL draft pick.
If that wasn't enough, at Division II Ferris State, senior defensive end Austin Edwards (6-5, 280, Lansing Waverly) is an NFL prospect, as well. This past season, Edwards was named the GLIAC Player of the Year, a Division II All-American and earned the Gene Upshaw Award as the top interior lineman in Division II. Edwards looks to follow in the footsteps of former Ferris State star defensive end Zach Sieler (6-6, 300, Pinckney), in his second NFL season with the Miami Dolphins. Sieler was the first Bulldog player ever selected in the NFL draft when he was picked by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 2018 draft.
The above players are a small, but extremely talented, sample of the defensive line talent from the state of Michigan scattered throughout the college football landscape this past season. Below are the next crop of future All-Big Ten, All-American and NFL players along the defensive line from the Great Lakes State. There are so many quality Division I-level defensive lineman in the state of Michigan's 2021 class it's incredible.
Here are the top 10 defensive line prospects for the state of Michigan's class of 2021.
Top 10 Defensive Line Recruits (All are D-I prospects at some level)--
1. Damon Payne-6-4, 295-DT-Belleville- A top five recruit in the state of Michigan, Payne received his first college football scholarship offer as a middle school student. One of the best defensive line recruits in the nation, Payne is also a talented O-line prospect, as well. Thick, powerful and strong as an ox, Payne projects out to 6-4, 335 or so at the next level, with not only strength, but good mobility and quickness for a player his size. Verbal to Alabama
2. Rocco Spindler-6-4, 290-DT-Clarkston- Maybe the best two-way player in the trenches in the Midwest, though Belleville's Damon Payne might have something to say about that. Similar to Payne, I project Spindler to flesh out around 6-4, 325-330 or so at the next level. Big, physical and tough, Spindler is also one of the nation's top offensive line prospects. Imagine having Spindler and Payne as your college program's defensive tackles for the next four or five years to develop and teach. If only one of Michigan's five Division I college football playing schools could make that happen, that would be incredible. Verbal to Notre Dame
3. Rayshaun Benny-6-5, 270-DE-DT-Oak Park- The next big-time lineman from Oak Park. Marquan McCall (6-3, 320, starting DT at Kentucky) and Justin Rogers (6-3, 300, No. 1 player in Michigan for 2020 class and Kentucky commit) are the past two Oak Park standouts along the defensive line. Benny is definitely in the same talent class as McCall and Rogers. With long arms and good feet, Benny could be one of those players at the next level who fleshes out to 6-5, 295 and can play DE and also move inside to DT in certain packages. Benny is also a skilled offensive lineman. He could play on either side of the line of scrimmage in college. Verbal to Michigan State
4. Derrick Harmon-6-3, 320-DT-Detroit Loyola- A beast inside for Detroit Loyola, Harmon is an overpowering force up front at the high school level. A run-plugger of the highest order, Harmon is an immovable object in the trenches. Another outstanding two-way player (as most players are on this list), Harmon would also make a nice bulldozing offensive guard or center in college. Verbal to Michigan State
5. Caleb Banks-6-6, 255-DE-Southfield A & T- With a huge wingspan and good quickness off the edge, Banks is a big-time prospect. Colleges are looking at Banks on both sides of the football. With his reach and mobility, Banks could develop into a talented offensive tackle at the next level. On defense, though, Banks can basically control one side of the field with his strength and athleticism. Verbal to Louisville
6. Tyson Watson-6-6, 270-DE-Warren Mott- Gritty, tough, physical player off the edge for Mott, a high school in Warren, a blue-collar Detroit suburb. Great length and size along the D-line, Watson could also project out to an offensive tackle in college. I like him on the D-line, though. I see him fleshing out at 6-6, 280-290 at the next level and being a pass-rushing monster off the edge. Verbal to Michigan State
7. Ru'Quan Buckley-6-6, 280-DE-Wyoming Godwin Heights- One of the Grand Rapids area's top prospects, Buckley is raw, but extremely talented on either side of the football. Buckley's high school coach said he had to hold Buckley out of 1-on-1 and full contact team drills for fear of his star lineman hurting his teammates. That's how tough and physical Buckley is on the football field. A guy who will develop at the next level, Buckley's ceiling is as high or higher as any player on this list. Verbal to Nebraska
8. Pius Odjugo-6-3, 325-DT-River Rouge- I love this kid. He's one of my "sleeper" players in Michigan for the class of 2021. A run-plugger by trade, what impressed me about Odjugo, however, was his relentless effort and pursuit of the ball carrier on every play in this past year's state title contest. For a player of his size, Odjugo has surprising nimbleness and quick feet. Against nationally-ranked Muskegon in this past season's D-3 state championship game, Odjugo was all over the field chasing, pressuring and bringing down the Big Reds' star player QB Cameron Martinez (Ohio State commit) helping the Panthers soundly defeat Muskegon (ranked No. 18 by USA Today), 30-7. Making his performance even more impressive was the fact Odjugo was squared up most of the state title game against Muskegon's standout senior center D'Andre Mills-Ellis (6-2, 305) and fared well against one of the state of Michigan's best at that position. Verbal to CMU
9. Kyle Fugedi-6-6, 300-DT-Livonia Franklin- Fugedi just looks like a Big Ten recruit. Like others on this list, Fugedi is a talented two-way player. On defense, he's a powerful, lanky end prospect, who can move inside and use his long arms to disrupt pass attempts, while offensively, he uses that same long reach to keep rushing defensive linemen at bay. Fugedi is a player who could project out to 6-6, 320 and be used inside on defense or be an outstanding tackle on offense. Verbal to Miami (OH) despite Indiana, Kentucky offers.
10 (3-WAY TIE). Harry Unger-6-3, 230-DE-Davison- The closest thing the state of Michigan's class of 2021 has to Kenny Willekes (MSU's All-American DE from Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian). Like Willekes coming out of high school, Unger is flying under the recruiting radar, but is most certainly a Division I-level college football prospect. Like Willekes, Unger spends most of his time during games in the opposing team's backfield. Last season, Unger recorded 27 TFL and eight sacks, along with 54 total tackles, helping lead Davison, a town near Flint, to the D-1 state championship. Named to the Detroit News Division 1 and 2 All-State first-team and the Flint Journal Dream Team last year, Unger is a high-motor, never-stop-chasing-type of player. Big Ten, MAC, check this kid out. You can thank me later... Verbal to Air Force Carter Cushman-6-4, 250-DE-DT-Plainwell- The best player and prospect out of Plainwell, a small town in southwest Michigan, since Jack Conklin (6-6, 310, Michigan State, current All-Pro OT for Tennessee Titans), Cushman brings an unique combination of size, toughness and athleticism not seen often in a player of his height and weight. Not only talented on the football field, Cushman is also a standout swimmer and track and field athlete for Plainwell. Cushman had 41 tackles and seven TFL last season. I like the potential of this young man because of his well-rounded athletic ability, coupled with his massive size and length. Connor Hindenach-6-3, 250-DE-Paw Paw- A play-maker from the DE position for Paw Paw, a small community in southwest Michigan. Reminds me of former Paw Paw great and NFL two-time Pro Bowl DE Jason Babin (6-3, 265, two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year at WMU, first round draft pick in 2004 of Houston Texans). Like Babin (64.5 career sacks), Hindenach lives in the opponent's backfield and is a quarterbacks worst nightmare. Detroit News Division 3-4 All-State selection, Detroit Free Press All-State, one of Michigan's top sleeper/diamond-in-the-rough prospects, 4.8 40, Kalamazoo Gazette Dream Team, 95 tackles, 26 TFL, eight sacks last season.
Other top D-line recruits for the state of Michigan's class of 2021 (all are D-I-level players)-
Clarence Wilson-6-4, 235-DE-Detroit Cass Tech (Verbal to Toledo), Esean Carter-6-3, 265-DE-DT-Detroit King (Cincinnati, Temple, CMU offers), Dorian Ray-6-3, 260-DT-Detroit Cass Tech (Verbal to Toledo), Hezekiah Green-6-3, 255-DE-Detroit Western (Detroit Free Press All-Detroit first-team last season, 13 sacks, 12 TFL), Arnez Polk-6-3, 290-DT-Detroit Western, Walker Martin-6-2, 280-DT-Montague (Muskegon Chronicle Dream Team, 61 tackles, 11.5 TFL, two sacks, one fumble recovery last year), Blake Smithers-6-2, 295-DT-Elkton-Pigeon-Bayport (one of the top prospects in Michigan's Thumb region), Kevarr Ellis-6-2, 305-DT-Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Isiah Daniels-6-2, 245-DE-DT-Warren Mott (named All-Macomb County first-team last season, Detroit News Division 1 and 2 All-State second team), Dan McKiernan-6-2, 260-DT-Richmond (All-Macomb County first-team, 40 tackles, seven TFL), Joe Brown-6-3, 245-DE-St. Joseph, Toby MacPhee-6-5, 225-DE-Bad Axe, Mitchell Umlor-6-3, 240-DE-Allendale, Ryan Wood-6-1, 320-DT-Cadillac, Mike Elliot-6-4, 230-DE-Traverse City West, Darren Chinery-6-2, 245-DE-Saginaw Nouvel (Saginaw News Dream Team), Mario Disanto-6-3, 270-DT-Riverview Gabriel Richard, Michael Momber-6-3, 290-DT-Hudsonville, Austin Henard-6-2, 240-DE-Fenton (Flint Journal Dream Team, 42 tackles, 10 TFL, eight sacks), D.J. Greenbay-6-1, 270-DT-Big Rapids, Noah Kindle-6-2, 230-DE-Port Huron, Max Alvarez-6-2, 240-DE-Allen Park (News-Herald Dream Team selection, 45 tackles, 15 TFL, two sacks, one safety, News-Herald covers the southern Downriver Detroit suburbs), Jamari Littlejohn-6-3, 235-DE-Okemos, Will Leggon-6-2, 280-DT-NG-Detroit Country Day (helped lead Country Day to Division 4 state runner-up finish last year, Detroit News Division 3-4 All-State pick), Logan Murray-6-3, 305-DT-Flint Powers Catholic (Verbal to Michigan State).
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