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Defensive Line

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Burgers

Sophomore
Jul 22, 2025
46
118
33
How are we feeling about next year's defensive line? I feel a lot better about the DEs than the DTs.

Below is my understanding of DEs vs. DTs. Have I misclassified anyone? What do we think the depth chart is going to look like?

Defensive Ends
  • Iose Epenesa (6-3, 260)
  • Lance Inglold (6-5, 240)
  • Kahmari Brown (6-2, 220)
  • Kenneth Merrieweather (6-3, 263)
  • Joseph Anderson (6-6, 241)
  • Chima Chineke (6-4, 260)
  • Drew Campbell (6-4, 248)
Defensive Tackles
  • Bryce Hawthorne (6-3, 296)
  • Brice Stevenson (6-1, 295)
  • Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (6-3, 292)
  • Will Hubert (6-3, 287)
  • Devan Kennedy (6-3, 275)
  • Brad Fitzgibbon (6-3, 295)
  • Luke Gaffney (6-2, 285)
 
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B

BigOHawk1

Senior
Oct 27, 2001
405
714
93
Good list, a proven DT with production in portal to pair with a few of those listed above would be nice. We flip our strength/weakness on D from last year....proven DL last year with an average LB core and now we have lots of talent coming in at LB and unproven DL. Secondary should be fine IMO. OL will reload, WR is restocked and RB is loaded. Might the season come down to the DL development?
 
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RuggieC

RuggieC

Senior
Mar 30, 2014
375
774
93
Burgers said:
How are we feeling about next year's defensive line? I feel a lot better about the DEs than the DTs.

Below is my understanding of DEs vs. DTs. Have I misclassified anyone? What do we think the depth chart is going to look like?

Defensive Ends
  • Iose Epenesa (6-3, 260)
  • Lance Inglold (6-5, 240)
  • Kahmari Brown (6-2, 220)
  • Kenneth Merrieweather (6-3, 263)
  • Joseph Anderson (6-6, 241)
  • Chima Chineke (6-4, 260)
  • Drew Campbell (6-4, 248)
Defensive Tackles
  • Bryce Hawthorne (6-3, 296)
  • Brice Stevenson (6-1, 295)
  • Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (6-3, 292)
  • Will Hubert (6-3, 287)
  • Devan Kennedy (6-3, 275)
  • Brad Fitzgibbon (6-3, 295)
  • Luke Gaffney (6-2, 285)
Click to expand...
What about the DT we signed from the portal...can't remember his name but at about 6'2" and 310 if i remember right? I do feel better about the DEs as well. Wondering if Kahmari would be a better fit at LB? Also wondering if we have the kind of lineup where Phil can develop a 5-2 line up against running teams. Lots of bodies.....just don't know the talent level of a bunch of these guys. I am looking forward to seeing more of Iose on the field! Thanks for putting this together.
 
P

PedMaller

All-Conference
Sep 4, 2021
944
1,006
93
Burgers said:
How are we feeling about next year's defensive line? I feel a lot better about the DEs than the DTs.

Below is my understanding of DEs vs. DTs. Have I misclassified anyone? What do we think the depth chart is going to look like?

Defensive Ends
  • Iose Epenesa (6-3, 260)
  • Lance Inglold (6-5, 240)
  • Kahmari Brown (6-2, 220)
  • Kenneth Merrieweather (6-3, 263)
  • Joseph Anderson (6-6, 241)
  • Chima Chineke (6-4, 260)
  • Drew Campbell (6-4, 248)
Defensive Tackles
  • Bryce Hawthorne (6-3, 296)
  • Brice Stevenson (6-1, 295)
  • Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (6-3, 292)
  • Will Hubert (6-3, 287)
  • Devan Kennedy (6-3, 275)
  • Brad Fitzgibbon (6-3, 295)
  • Luke Gaffney (6-2, 285)
Click to expand...
Who are we hearing as the young guys looking good at DT?
 
S

squeezebox_1

Senior
Mar 6, 2018
640
973
93
RuggieC said:
What about the DT we signed from the portal...can't remember his name but at about 6'2" and 310 if i remember right? I do feel better about the DEs as well. Wondering if Kahmari would be a better fit at LB? Also wondering if we have the kind of lineup where Phil can develop a 5-2 line up against running teams. Lots of bodies.....just don't know the talent level of a bunch of these guys. I am looking forward to seeing more of Iose on the field! Thanks for putting this together.
Click to expand...
Stevenson is listed above, he was the transfer at DT, and possibly the Uconn commit Olagbaju if they flip him. With regards to LB, that position is absolutely stacked with youth/talent. I doubt anyone will be moving to LB.
 
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D

DuddyB

All-Conference
Jul 14, 2022
1,478
2,511
113
PedMaller said:
Who are we hearing as the young guys looking good at DT?
Click to expand...
The only name I’ve heard for sure of the young guys they think is going to be good. At DT is Kennedy. Chinke to me always look like a guy they would move inside, but that’s just me speculating on his frame. I’m guessing we would’ve seen MBJ more last year if he was going to pan out. I just don’t see Hubert or Gaffney as quality Big Ten players.
 
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U

UIAlumFireFighter

All-Conference
Sep 26, 2018
1,074
1,605
113
Burgers said:
How are we feeling about next year's defensive line? I feel a lot better about the DEs than the DTs.

Below is my understanding of DEs vs. DTs. Have I misclassified anyone? What do we think the depth chart is going to look like?

Defensive Ends
  • Iose Epenesa (6-3, 260)
  • Lance Inglold (6-5, 240)
  • Kahmari Brown (6-2, 220)
  • Kenneth Merrieweather (6-3, 263)
  • Joseph Anderson (6-6, 241)
  • Chima Chineke (6-4, 260)
  • Drew Campbell (6-4, 248)
Defensive Tackles
  • Bryce Hawthorne (6-3, 296)
  • Brice Stevenson (6-1, 295)
  • Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (6-3, 292)
  • Will Hubert (6-3, 287)
  • Devan Kennedy (6-3, 275)
  • Brad Fitzgibbon (6-3, 295)
  • Luke Gaffney (6-2, 285)
Click to expand...
It’d be nice to have more meat in the middle.
 
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NWHawk33

NWHawk33

All-Conference
Jul 8, 2025
1,208
2,156
113
I think if there's any $ left in the coffers it has to go towards a DT. I like the overall layout of the team besides that one position. If not we are going to have to Sherman Tank the shid out of that position against quality teams
 
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A

AnonymousNolonger

All-Conference
Jul 4, 2025
897
1,701
93
Since he is a Midwest kid and played his football pretty much in the Midwest to date. Minnesota HS, St. Thomas, and North Dakota most recently. Hopefully, he would like to stay in this area of the country.

Also doesn’t hurt that he was HS teammate of Hawthorne’s.
 
H

HawksRule73

All-Conference
Jun 26, 2025
580
1,528
93
Burgers said:
How are we feeling about next year's defensive line? I feel a lot better about the DEs than the DTs.

Below is my understanding of DEs vs. DTs. Have I misclassified anyone? What do we think the depth chart is going to look like?

Defensive Ends
  • Iose Epenesa (6-3, 260)
  • Lance Inglold (6-5, 240)
  • Kahmari Brown (6-2, 220)
  • Kenneth Merrieweather (6-3, 263)
  • Joseph Anderson (6-6, 241)
  • Chima Chineke (6-4, 260)
  • Drew Campbell (6-4, 248)
Defensive Tackles
  • Bryce Hawthorne (6-3, 296)
  • Brice Stevenson (6-1, 295)
  • Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (6-3, 292)
  • Will Hubert (6-3, 287)
  • Devan Kennedy (6-3, 275)
  • Brad Fitzgibbon (6-3, 295)
  • Luke Gaffney (6-2, 285)
Click to expand...
Not sure where you're getting your height/weight for Kahmari Brown, but his commitment article says 6-3 and 252.
 
85Bears

85Bears

All-Conference
Aug 31, 2019
4,728
4,717
108
Need to get one of these 250-275 pound youngsters on the fried potato and beer diet, get up to about 330 before September
 
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B

Burgers

Sophomore
Jul 22, 2025
46
118
33
HawksRule73 said:
Not sure where you're getting your height/weight for Kahmari Brown, but his commitment article says 6-3 and 252.
Click to expand...

Weight numbers vary widely depending on source. I used On3 for weights of the transfer guys (e.g., Brown listed as 2020 Kahmari Brown - Elon Phoenix - Edge), and HawkeyeSports for non-transfers.

But I think the On3 numbers might just be whatever they were as a high school recruit? For example, On3 has Devan Kennedy listed as 240 lbs, but he's listed as 275 lbs on HawkeyeSports.
 
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Hawk_4shur

Hawk_4shur

All-Conference
Jan 2, 2009
751
1,804
93
BigOHawk1 said:
Good list, a proven DT with production in portal to pair with a few of those listed above would be nice. We flip our strength/weakness on D from last year....proven DL last year with an average LB core and now we have lots of talent coming in at LB and unproven DL. Secondary should be fine IMO. OL will reload, WR is restocked and RB is loaded. Might the season come down to the DL development?
Click to expand...
Lots of talent at LB. Really? Incoming freshman? Or, young guys ready to step up? I haven't seen a portal addition.
 
S

squeezebox_1

Senior
Mar 6, 2018
640
973
93
Hawk_4shur said:
Lots of talent at LB. Really? Incoming freshman? Or, young guys ready to step up? I haven't seen a portal addition.
Click to expand...
Reis, Buffington, Weisskopf, Delong are four names you should familiarize yourself with. I don't expect any of the current recruits to make it on the field this year, but holy **** that class was absolutely stacked with future LB talent
 
U

uihawk82

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2021
2,249
3,348
113
85Bears said:
Need to get one of these 250-275 pound youngsters on the fried potato and beer diet, get up to about 330 before September
Click to expand...
I think the team trainers know how to put muscle and weight on them 85. I think plenty of protein and weightlifting will do the job.
 
USC1988!

USC1988!

All-Conference
Sep 23, 2025
699
1,694
93
Burgers said:
How are we feeling about next year's defensive line? I feel a lot better about the DEs than the DTs.

Below is my understanding of DEs vs. DTs. Have I misclassified anyone? What do we think the depth chart is going to look like?

Defensive Ends
  • Iose Epenesa (6-3, 260)
  • Lance Inglold (6-5, 240)
  • Kahmari Brown (6-2, 220)
  • Kenneth Merrieweather (6-3, 263)
  • Joseph Anderson (6-6, 241)
  • Chima Chineke (6-4, 260)
  • Drew Campbell (6-4, 248)
Defensive Tackles
  • Bryce Hawthorne (6-3, 296)
  • Brice Stevenson (6-1, 295)
  • Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (6-3, 292)
  • Will Hubert (6-3, 287)
  • Devan Kennedy (6-3, 275)
  • Brad Fitzgibbon (6-3, 295)
  • Luke Gaffney (6-2, 285)
Click to expand...
Had better improve .... watching the decent teams run them over was pathetic. That 300 yds rushing by Oregon in a rain storm knowing they were going to run it was a big fail.
 
S

squeezebox_1

Senior
Mar 6, 2018
640
973
93
USC1988! said:
Had better improve .... watching the decent teams run them over was pathetic. That 300 yds rushing by Oregon in a rain storm knowing they were going to run it was a big fail.
Click to expand...
Time of possession plays into that as well. It also wasn't 300 yards, but your point stands. I'm hopeful the rush can improve, hopefully the DT spot can be run eaters.
 
2D

2D

All-American
Oct 8, 2013
2,516
5,147
113
To me, looking at just how many DLine guys we picked up in the portal, it's clear that Kirk saw the bolstering and improvement of the line an absolute must for next season. I believe we were somewhere in the range of 70-something in the nation in sacks. We let QBs like Moore and Maiva sit in the pocket too long and burn us. I'm very interested to see how things play out in the spring and fall camps. It's definitely an open competition for both the transfers and those who were recruited from high school.
 
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B

BigOHawk1

Senior
Oct 27, 2001
405
714
93
squeezebox_1 said:
Reis, Buffington, Weisskopf, Delong are four names you should familiarize yourself with. I don't expect any of the current recruits to make it on the field this year, but holy **** that class was absolutely stacked with future LB talent
Click to expand...
Weren't 3 of those guys 4-stars? Yep, that is freakish talent at the LB position, can't wait for that group to get some significant game experience.
 
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