Southern Pigskin's ranking of the top five SEC defensive fronts for 2019.
May 27, 2019
1. Alabama -- Linebacker Dylan Moses returns as the Crimson Tide's leading tackler, also adding ten tackles for loss, set to quarterback another elite defense in Tuscaloosa. Simply put, he goes wherever the ball goes. At 6'7'', Raekwon Davis is Alabama's latest stud on the defensive line. He has 15.5 tackles for loss the past two years and, at nearly 310 pounds, had a key interception in the national championship game two seasons ago. The athletic Anfernee Jennings, 13 tackles for loss as a junior, is back to rush passers off the edge.
2. LSU -- Even without Devin White, star power abounds. End Rashard Lawrence, at 6'3'', 317 pounds, is one of the most fierce linemen in all of college football. He and Breiden Fehoko set a dominant tone in the trenches. Linebackers Michael Divinity, Jr. and Jacob Phillips are a productive inside-outside duo that roam the middle of the field. Keep an eye on true freshman Marcel Brooks here, too. The return of edge defender K'Lavon Chaisson from injury will boost the pass rush.
3. Auburn -- Few defensive lines in the country are most disruptive as Nick Coe, Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Big Kat Bryant are back after combining for 32.5 tackles for loss in 2018. The Tigers, led by Brown, who turned down the NFL Draft for another year on the Plains, boast top-tier talent and depth everywhere across the line of scrimmage. K.J. Britt is the most proven returnee at linebacker, though watch out for five-star incoming recruit Owen Pappoe.
4. South Carolina -- The Gamecocks have multiple difference-makers along the front seven, most notably veteran linebacker T.J. Brunson, who has 194 total stops the past two years. He and Sherrod Greene return as the team's top two tacklers. At 6'6'', 300 pounds, tackle Javon Kinlaw is a name to know, and a fast-rising draft prospect, up front. A healthy D.J. Wonnum, six sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2017, is a standout playmaker.
5. Arkansas -- Defensive tackle McTelvin Agim and linebacker De'Jon Harris are stars, both All-SEC contenders. Agim, a tried-and-true anchor at the point of attack, has 23 career tackles for loss. Harris has been all over the field the past couple of years, with 270 total stops and 19.5 tackles for loss to date. The last two seasons, alone, he has 118 and 115 tackles, respectively. Linebacker Bumper Pool will take on more responsibility after a nice freshman debut.
May 27, 2019
1. Alabama -- Linebacker Dylan Moses returns as the Crimson Tide's leading tackler, also adding ten tackles for loss, set to quarterback another elite defense in Tuscaloosa. Simply put, he goes wherever the ball goes. At 6'7'', Raekwon Davis is Alabama's latest stud on the defensive line. He has 15.5 tackles for loss the past two years and, at nearly 310 pounds, had a key interception in the national championship game two seasons ago. The athletic Anfernee Jennings, 13 tackles for loss as a junior, is back to rush passers off the edge.
2. LSU -- Even without Devin White, star power abounds. End Rashard Lawrence, at 6'3'', 317 pounds, is one of the most fierce linemen in all of college football. He and Breiden Fehoko set a dominant tone in the trenches. Linebackers Michael Divinity, Jr. and Jacob Phillips are a productive inside-outside duo that roam the middle of the field. Keep an eye on true freshman Marcel Brooks here, too. The return of edge defender K'Lavon Chaisson from injury will boost the pass rush.
3. Auburn -- Few defensive lines in the country are most disruptive as Nick Coe, Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Big Kat Bryant are back after combining for 32.5 tackles for loss in 2018. The Tigers, led by Brown, who turned down the NFL Draft for another year on the Plains, boast top-tier talent and depth everywhere across the line of scrimmage. K.J. Britt is the most proven returnee at linebacker, though watch out for five-star incoming recruit Owen Pappoe.
4. South Carolina -- The Gamecocks have multiple difference-makers along the front seven, most notably veteran linebacker T.J. Brunson, who has 194 total stops the past two years. He and Sherrod Greene return as the team's top two tacklers. At 6'6'', 300 pounds, tackle Javon Kinlaw is a name to know, and a fast-rising draft prospect, up front. A healthy D.J. Wonnum, six sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2017, is a standout playmaker.
5. Arkansas -- Defensive tackle McTelvin Agim and linebacker De'Jon Harris are stars, both All-SEC contenders. Agim, a tried-and-true anchor at the point of attack, has 23 career tackles for loss. Harris has been all over the field the past couple of years, with 270 total stops and 19.5 tackles for loss to date. The last two seasons, alone, he has 118 and 115 tackles, respectively. Linebacker Bumper Pool will take on more responsibility after a nice freshman debut.
