Rivals.com – How things stand with the top 10 defensive linemen in the 2025 class
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With the 2024 recruiting class in the books, we turn our complete focus to 2025 and beyond. Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney is taking a look at the recruitments of the top 10 players by position in 2025. Next up are the defensive linemen.
1.
ELIJAH GRIFFIN
Georgia is considered the front-runner – maybe the far-and-away leader – for the five-star defensive end since he probably won’t stray too far away from home and the Bulldogs have made the Savannah (Ga.) Savannah Christian School standout a major priority.
Clemson will take its shot as will Alabama, South Carolina and others, but Georgia looks to be the spot right now.
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2.
JUSTUS TERRY
The five-star defensive tackle who shined at the Under Armour Atlanta camp over the weekend committed to Georgia in January but others are pushing hard. Alabama keeping position coach Freddie Roach makes the Crimson Tide a legitimate contender to flip the Manchester, Ga., standout and Florida State continues to be a major player as well.
More visits could be coming up but maybe no team in the country develops defensive linemen better than Georgia.
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3.
NATHANIEL MARSHALL
Basketball season has taken precedent here. The four-star defensive end from Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick has been focused on the hoops season with his high school team and then he will start looking at a visit schedule and plan things out from there.
Marshall has given Illinois some hope after lots of interest and a recent visit but it doesn’t seem like Notre Dame – believed to be a favorite for a while – is all that involved now. Things could definitely change once Marshall hunkers down.
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4.
ANDREW MADDOX
After a long commitment to Texas A&M, Maddox’s brother, Anthony Jr., flipped to Ole Miss in the 2024 class so the Rebels have to look pretty strong with the 2025 four-star defensive tackle as well.
Playing with his brother will be a priority but other programs are definitely involved and a big round of visits is coming up.
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5.
DJ SANDERS
Everything is pointing to Texas A&M in Sanders’ recruitment. Texas is also a contender but the overwhelming feeling is that the Aggies have all but locked up the four-star defensive lineman from Bellville, Texas, just an hour down the road from College Station.
Sanders has kept unusually quiet about his recruitment but the Aggies look way stronger than any other team and a commitment to coach Mike Elko and his staff at any time would not be a surprise.
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6.
IOSE EPENESA
There are two competing thoughts when it comes to Epenesa’s recruitment and it’s tough to decipher what’s happening since the four-star from Edwardsville, Ill., keeps most things close to the vest. One opinion is that Epenesa will play the recruiting game but will then eventually commit to Iowa where his brother, A.J., starred before heading to the NFL.
The other sentiment is that Epenesa wants to forge his own path and Kentucky, Missouri and other programs across the Midwest might have the best shot
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7.
ZION GRADY
The four-star defensive end made his commitment to Alabama in mid-November but only a couple months later everything would change when coach Nick Saban retired. The Enterprise, Ala., standout reopened his recruitment with Georgia, Auburn and others making waves.
The Bulldogs seem to have the big edge now to land Grady’s commitment and a return trip to Athens should be coming up soon.
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8.
ZAHIR MATHIS
Florida State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas were the other front-runners for the four-star defensive end from Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter but Ohio State was always a favorite and he committed to the Buckeyes in January.
Unless something drastic happens (Ryan Day is no longer there or position coach Larry Johnson retires) then Mathis seems like a lock to Ohio State.
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9.
BRYCE DAVIS
A battle between Georgia and Clemson has shaped up in Davis’ recruitment. North Carolina, Miami, Ohio State and others are still fighting, but this looks like it will come down to the Bulldogs and the Tigers for the Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley four-star.
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10. JARED SMITH
Could Georgia end up landing Smith as well? The in-state programs are going to have their say about that as Alabama and Auburn are also battling it out for the Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson standout with Tennessee and South Carolina fringe players as well.
However it plays out, it looks like Smith will stay in the Southeast. Now the question is whether it’s with the Crimson Tide or the Tigers, with the Bulldogs or elsewhere.
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