Top 10 SEC Defensive Linemen in 2017
SEC football is just days away. Before toe meets pigskin on August 28th, The Wheelhouse crew has compiled the Top 10 players at each position within the SEC to help the days go by quicker.
We continue with the top 10 defensive linemen heading into the 2017 season.

1. Marquis Haynes (Sr.), Defensive End, Ole Miss
Standing at 6-foot-3 and 230-pounds, Haynes is statistically the most dominant returning defensive lineman in the SEC. In 2016 he racked up 53 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks and even recorded an interception. Haynes will be sorely needed as a leader on the defensive side of the football for the Rebels after the dismissal of Hugh Freeze.
2. Trenton Thompson (Jr.), Defensive Tackle, Georgia
Thompson proved to mingle well with new head coach Kirby Smart last season as he had 56 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. His breakout game came in last season’s Liberty Bowl against TCU when he notched eight tackles and five sacks. He also had a big game against Nicholls State early on the season, tallying 11 tackles. Thompson is a key piece to the Bulldogs’ defense as they are the favorite to win the SEC East.
3. Da’Shawn Hand (Sr.), Defensive End, Alabama
Hand returned for his senior season to add to an already stacked Crimson Tide defensive line. Although he missed five games last season, he tallied 21 tackles, three tackles for a loss and two sacks. When fully healthy, the 6-foot-4, 288-pound monster is one of the best defensive ends in the entire NCAA.
4. Da’Ron Payne (Jr.), Defensive Tackle, Alabama
Starting all 13 games of the 2016 season, Payne recorded 36 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as the starting nose tackle for the Crimson Tide. Even though the Alabama defensive line was laced with NFL talent last season, Payne still received valuable playing time and that alone says quite a bit about the junior’s abilities.
5. Marlon Davidson (So.), Defensive End, Auburn
Davidson was the first true freshman to start on the defensive line for the Tigers in over 30 years last season. He certainly made the most of it, recording 38 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. Davidson, a former five-star, is Auburn’s most proven pass rusher and will have a breakout season if he continues on the trajectory that he is.
6. Denzil Ware (Jr.), Defensive End, Kentucky
As a hybrid linebacker-defensive end, Ware had an extremely successful 2016 season. He tallied 70 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks, proving to be one of the best edge rushers in the SEC last season. Ware leads a Kentucky defense that has a chance to be very dangerous in 2017 after showing a lot of improvement last season.
7. Kingsley Keke (Jr.), Defensive Tackle, Texas A&M
There is no way that anyone will be able to “fill the void” of former Aggie Myles Garrett, but Keke is as close as it comes. Keke registered 37 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, four sacks and four pass breakups in 2016. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Keke is set to be the centerpiece of the Texas A&M defense along with Zaycoven Richardson and Jarrett Johnson.
8. Cece Jefferson (Jr.), Defensive End, Florida
Jefferson’s versatility is what sets him apart as one of the best in the SEC. While playing both end-and-tackle in 2016, Jefferson racked up 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. While he has shown flashes of dominance, Jefferson still has to step up as the leader of the Gators’ defense and prove that he was worthy of his five-star rating.
9. Jeffery Simmons (So.), Defensive Tackle, Mississippi State
As a true freshman last year, Simmons played in 12-of-13 games for the Bulldogs. The former five-star registered 40 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles. Simmons was also named to the SEC All-Freshman team after his impressive performance last season. Although the Mississippi State defense will be rebuilding, Simmons will have a solid year.
10. Jabari Zuniga (So.), Defensive End, Florida
Zuniga got off to a quick start in his freshman campain. In his first five games as a Gator, he sacked the quarterback five times and recorded 11 tackles. Once the schedule picked up, Zuniga got lost in the depth chart amongst a very talented Florida defenensive line. Zuniga looks to have a breakout 2017 season now that he is a lock to start for the orange-and-blue.
Honorable Mentions:
Marcell Frazier, Missouri
Jarrett Johnson, Texas A&M
Zaycoven Richardson, Texas A&M
Terry Beckner Jr., Missouri
Dontavious Russell, Auburn
