Jordan Burton (Courtesy of OzarksSportsZone.com)
Our coverage area of over 60 teams has a ton of talented defensive linemen. Below are some of the top defensive linemen to watch this season. This list is in alphabetical order.
Please note: some outstanding players may appear on one of our seven other Football Watch Lists. In an effort to highlight as many players as possible, a player will only appear on one list.
The football hot lists we will be publishing are: Quarterback, Running Back, Receiver/Tight End, Offensive Lineman, Defensive Lineman, Linebacker, Defensive Back and Breakout Player.
Nick Allen and Mason Hendrix, Lebanon
Typically, the talk at Lebanon centers around its elite offensive linemen, but Allen and Hendricks are a pair of outstanding defensive ends: both are excellent against the run, both can rush the pass, and both play with the relentless motor and toughness that have been pillars of Lebanon football.
Landon Brand, Carthage
Already considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Brand holds offers from Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska and Purdue as a defensive end or edge rusher, and his length and athleticism make him a Power 5 coach’s dream: He recorded eight tackles for loss and four sacks as a sophomore.
Cooper Clarke, Sayer
Clark put up video game-caliber stats as a junior, recording 86 tackles (23 TFL), seven sacks, four forced fumbles and 15 total quarterback hurries. He even recorded an interception. At 6’1″ and 250 pounds, Clark plays with a great motor and is versatile enough to be placed anywhere on the line, but his specialty is tackling. He’s also a good offensive lineman.
Josiah Hazlewood, Joplin
Hazelwood is a bowling ball-like defensive lineman at 6-foot-tall, 240 pounds, and he’s extremely adept at using his strength to his advantage. He plays with his pads low, forcing opponents to double-kick. Rumor has it he can squat and deadlift over 500 pounds. Watch him play and you’ll see how intimidating he is.
Logan Hunt, Republic
Republic’s magical run last year hinged on their ability to establish the run and defend the run, and Hunt played a big role in stopping that. The All-COC selection is naturally a traditional nose guard, but Republic has increased his effectiveness by moving him around the line. And at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, he’s still athletic enough to compete for a defensive end spot. Offensive coordinators will continue to try to get away with him this year.
Owen McCullar, Bolivar
A standout offensive lineman, McCuller is a little undersized but his strength and explosiveness make him difficult to deal with on the line. He was named All-Ozark Conference as a sophomore and is expected to be one of the players of the year in the newly formed Ozark Mountain Conference.
Trevor Meadows, Carthage
He dominated last year’s COC and is now committed to Pittsburg State University. At 6’3″ and 290 pounds, he’s nearly impossible to keep out of the backfield and can get through just about any gap, despite being double- and triple-teamed frequently. He can line up at nose, tackle or even end. Pittsburg State is getting a really good player.
Paul Muff, Camdenton
Muff is also a great nose guard who eats up blocks at the line of scrimmage. Camdenton’s linebackers are often free to run to the ball because of Muff. He’s not just a blocking guy, he’s also proven capable of making plays against the run and rushing the pass.
Nolan Napier, Seneca
He was an all-state defensive end and wrestler his junior year, and his wrestling technique made it nearly impossible for offensive linemen to get a hold of him for any length of time, which is why he was one of the most disruptive players in the Big 8 last year. Seneca controlled the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense, and a big reason for that was Napier’s presence on the defensive end.
Lukas Wattenburger, Reeds Spring
Wattenburger is a little different than most of the players on this list in that he’s a straight-up downhill player — he doesn’t dance around the blocks, he goes straight through them and gets to the ball — and he’s also a standout offensive lineman, earning high marks both offensively and defensively.
Trevor Wilson, Springfield Central
D2 teams across the Midwest are eager to acquire him, and it’s clear why. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior can play defensive end or 3-4 outside linebacker, which is what the coaching staff prefers. As a junior, he recorded 84 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and a school-record 10 sacks. He plays with an edge, which has led to him being a four-year starter.
Ruben Arvizu, Ozark
Eli Bergin, Willard
Mario Delapena, Lamar
Jansen Hunt, Aurora
Jackson Hunter, West Plains
Owen Patterson, Lockwood
Isaac Pickett, Cassville
Dallas Roberts, West Plains
Rain Seago, Houston
Peyton Self, Ash Grove
Skylar Slaton, Branson
Blake Starks, Carl Junction
Gage Warner, Pierce City
Owen Willis, Marionville
