Five Interior Linemen that Caught My Eye
We’re moving forward as I continue my series on players that caught my eye this fall. The feedback and engagement on this series has been awesome, so as always, if you have players you want me to evaluate don’t hesitate…
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Continue ReadingWe’re moving forward as I continue my series on players that caught my eye this fall. The feedback and engagement on this series has been awesome, so as always, if you have players you want me to evaluate don’t hesitate to direct message me on Twitter (@whelms21). If you missed the first three parts you can find them below:
I decided to split up the interior linemen and the edge rushers into separate articles, but I’m dropping them at the same time. Here, I’ll look at the interior guys, but you can look at the edge rushers here.
Devin Reed Devin Reed 6'2" | 305 lbs | DL Marvin Ridge | 2022 State NC , 6’2 295, 2022- Marvin Ridge
Reed had a breakout season as a senior playing both as a 3-technique in 4-3 alignments and as a 0-technique when Marvin Ridge went to the 3-4. He seemed to play his best in big moments, having his best game in an upset win over Porter Ridge and blocking the potential game-winning field goal to seal the win against Charlotte Catholic. He has great lateral quickness for his size, which has enticed a few college programs to step up with late offers.
Dru McClough Dru McClough 6'3" | 265 lbs | DL Maiden | 2022 State NC , 6’2 285, 2022- Maiden
McClough has a really unique background in that he’s always been a prototypical middle linebacker until this last year or so. He simply kept bulking up and moved from the 220-pound range as sophomore to his current size. Naturally, he moved to the interior defensive line and even played center this year for Maiden. He’s kept his linebacker instincts and quickness with the move and put up a really productive season as a run stopper and pass rusher.
Jaden Pierce Jaden Pierce 6'2" | 290 lbs | DL Shelby | 2024 State NC , 6’2 300, 2024- Shelby
More than just a big body, Pierce is a bully in the run game. His use of hands and patience allow him to both 1-gap and 2-gap. He routinely stands interior offensive linemen up and plugs multiple holes. He’s an athletic big man and plays varsity basketball as well. While he didn’t put up gaudy numbers this season, he was still impossible to overlook on one of the best defenses in the state. Get to know his name because he’s a top recruit in the coming years.
KJ Sampson KJ Sampson 6'4" | 285 lbs | DL New Bern | 2023 State NC , 6’4 285, 2023- New Bern
Our top overall recruit in the class of 2023, Sampson put together another impressive fall season. While quickness isn’t the first word that comes to mind when evaluating most interior defensive linemen, it’s a strength of Sampson’s game. As a junior, he made major strides as a pass rusher and put himself on the radar of several major colleges. His current plan is to trim his list to five in the next week or so, so I’ll be interested to see which schools make the cut.
Chris Allen Chris Allen 6'5" | 260 lbs | DL Wake Forest | 2022 State NC , 6’4 270, 2022- Wake Forest
Allen made our rankings early on as a 4-3 defensive end, but this year he added weight and strength to move inside. He will still play outside in 3-4 sets, but he thrived as a 3-technique this season. He’s a smart football player and has a nose for the football, both as a pass rusher and run stopper. He’s still under-the-radar and will make a great late pickup for a school.