Ranking all 18 Big Ten defensive lines from worst to first

The Big Ten Conference is classically known for its trench play on both sides of the football. While some conferences, like the recently disbanded Pac-12, are or were defined by high-flying passing offenses, Big Ten games are often decided by the team that wins the battle up front.

On one side, we recently ranked every Big Ten offensive line entering the 2025 season. It should be no surprise that the projected top teams in the conference all figure to have a top-tier group of blockers.

Now, to counter that group, we're turning our focus to each team's defensive front four. Ohio State's front captured headlines last season. The top group of Jack Sawyer, Ty Hamilton, Tyleik Williams and J.T. Tuimoloau played an integral role in the team's national title run. It wasn't a surprise when all four were selected during the NFL draft -- Williams in the first round, Tuimoloau in the second, Sawyer in the fourth and Hamilton in the fifth.

The Buckeyes are tasked with reloading the room for 2025. While the program's talent base is as good as any in the nation, a question surrounds how exactly that front group will mesh together. It's arguably the team's biggest unknown entering the season.

Position Previews: Defense -- Offense -- Quarterbacks -- Running Backs-- Wide Receivers -- Tight Ends -- Offensive Line

With the Buckeyes set to take a minor step backward, which teams project to be the Big Ten's best along the defensive line? Here is our full preseason ranking.

18. Purdue Boilermakers

Starters: DE C.J. Madden, DT Jamarrion Harkless, DT T.J. Lindsey (transfer), DE Trey Smith

Purdue's defense allowed 5.1 yards per rush attempt and tallied just 22 total sacks in 2024. Madden, Smith and Harkless all played depth roles on that group, combining for just 15 total tackles. Purdue fans hope that a new coach and a new culture lead to improved play from the defensive line unit. A step forward from 2024 is expected, but will it be enough to overtake other units in the conference?

17. Maryland Terrapins

Starters: DE Neeo Avery, DT Cam Rice (transfer), DT Dillan Fontus

Fontus and Avery combined for just 11 tackles last season as depth players on Maryland's defensive line. Tommy Akingbesote and Jordan Phillips, the team's top two starters in 2024, now play for the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, respectively. Quashon Fuller also exhausted his eligibility. That group helped Maryland allow 3.8 yards per carry and 136.8 rushing yards per game -- respectable marks given the team's significant deficits. In this case, turnover at the position is a bad thing for its prospects.

16. Illinois Fighting Illini

Starters: DE James Thompson Jr. (transfer), DT Curt Neal (transfer), DE Tomiwa Durojaiye

The play of Wisconsin transfers Thompson Jr. and Neal will define this group's performance. Thompson Jr. had a strong 2023 season before missing most of 2024 with an injury, while Neal was the lone bright spot on a poor Wisconsin defensive line in 2024. Typically, bolstering a defensive line with transfers from a group that struggled the year prior is not a recipe for success.

15. USC Trojans

Starters: DE Anthony Lucas, DT Keeshawn Silver (transfer), DT Devan Thompkins, DE Kameryn Fountain

USC's defensive line should be fine in the sack department. Fountain tallied five tackles for loss and two sacks in limited action last season. The major question comes along the interior, where leading tackler Gavin Meyer exhausted his eligibility. This group allowed more than 4.5 yards per carry last season. The play of Thompkins and Kentucky transfer Silver will be key to USC changing that number.

Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire

14. Wisconsin Badgers

Starters: DE Corey Walker (transfer), DT Parker Petersen (transfer), DT Ben Barten

Wisconsin brought in five major transfers at defensive line this offseason, plus more at outside linebacker and edge rusher. Some combination of Walker, Petersen and LSU transfer Jay'viar Suggs will need to pan out for the Badgers to take a step forward at the position. This group was a major weakness in 2024. Iowa's 32-point victory, thanks to 329 rushing yards and 6.1 yards per carry, defines this group's performance down the stretch of the year.

13. Michigan State Spartans

Starters: DE Jalen Thompson, DT Alex VanSumeren, DT Grady Kelly (transfer), DE David Santiago (transfer)

Michigan State returns Thompson and VanSumeren, each of whom played complementary roles in 2024. This group could be sneaky-good if transfers Kelly (Florida State) and Santiago (Air Force) hit.

Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire

12. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Starters: DE Cameron Lenhardt, DT Riley Van Poppel, DE Elijah Jeudy

Nebraska faces major turnover at the position with 2024 standouts Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher gone to the NFL. The two combined for 46 tackles, 11 for loss and four sacks, leading the Cornhuskers' front seven. Lenhardt and Jeudy each have limited experience with the program. Van Poppel is a bigger question after totaling just three tackles in five appearances in 2024.

Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire

11. Washington Huskies

Starters: DE Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei (transfer), DT Elinneus Davis, DT Anterio Thompson (transfer), DE Isaiah Ward

Uiagalelei transfers in from Arizona after a strong 2024 season (35 tackles, eight for loss, 2 1/2 sacks). He and Thompson (Western Michigan) are key to the room's success in 2025. The group was part of a defense that allowed 4.6 yards per carry in 2024 -- one of the overall team's larger weaknesses.

Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire

10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Starters: DE Eric O'Neill (transfer), DT Doug Blue-Eli (transfer), DT Darold DeNgohe (transfer), DE Bradley Weaver (transfer)

Rutgers rebuilt its entire defensive line in the transfer portal. Blue-Eli (USF) and DeNgohe (James Madison) are the biggest keys to the room's success. This ranking is informed by the incoming sack production from O'Neill (James Madison) and Weaver (Ohio) -- the two combined for 21.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss in 2024. They could form one of the Big Ten's better pass-rushing duos.

9. UCLA Bruins

Starters: DE Grant Buckey, DT Keanu Williams, DT Siale Taupaki, DE Devin Aupiu

UCLA returns starters Taupaki and Aupiu. This unit was part of a defense that allowed just 3.3 yards per carry in 2024 against a sneaky-tough schedule. If redshirt sophomore Buckey and former Oregon transfer Williams excel, this unit could quickly rise to one of the best in the conference.

Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire

8. Northwestern Wildcats

Starters: DE Aidan Hubbard, DT Najee Story, DT Carmine Bastone, DE Anto Saka

Northwestern's defensive line has three redshirt seniors and a redshirt junior. That is typically a recipe for success for a program so dependent on development. Hubbard headlines the group after a 33-tackle, six-sack performance in 2024. This unit won't lead the headlines, but it should be one of the Big Ten's more dependable.

7. Indiana Hoosiers

Starters: DE Stephen Daley (transfer), DT Tyrique Tucker, DT Hosea Wheeler (transfer), edge Mikail Kamara

Can Curt Cignetti hit the transfer lottery again? The defensive front excelled in 2024, led by Kamara, C.J. West and James Carpenter. West and Carpenter are off to the NFL, leading to the offseason additions of Wheeler (Western Kentucky) and Daley (Kent State). Kamara guarantees to be one of the Big Ten's better pass-rushers. This unit will again be one of the Big Ten's best if it can replace West's interior production.

6. Oregon Ducks

Starters: DE Matayo Uiagalelei, DT A'Mauri Washington, DT Bear Alexander (transfer)

Oregon lost top linemen Derrick Harmon, Jamaree Caldwell and Jordan Burch to the NFL after 2024. Uiagalelei returns as one of the unquestioned best defensive ends in the country. Washington and Alexander (USC) are the room's major questions. It's Oregon, so the team isn't short on talent. It just may be challenging to replace the star-studded group that left for the NFL.

Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

Starters: DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., DT Kayden McDonald, DT Eddrick Houston, DE Beau Atkinson (transfer)

Ohio State's defensive line should be expected to take a step backward in 2025. It lost its entire starting group to the NFL after the 2024 season. While Jackson and McDonald return after being part of the rotation last year, it's hard to expect the same level of play that Sawyer, Williams and Tuimoloau delivered. A wild card to watch is North Carolina transfer Atkinson, who tallied 7 1/2 sacks with the Tar Heels last season.

Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire

4. Michigan Wolverines

Starters: DE Rayshaun Benny, DT Tre Williams (transfer), DT Damon Payne (transfer)

Michigan is tasked with replacing All-American defensive tackle Mason Graham and first-round NFL draft pick Kenneth Grant. It brought in Williams from Clemson and Payne from Alabama. While Benny returns after a 29-tackle, 1 1/2-sack season in 2024, this room will be defined by the play of its transfers. I'd expect another high-floor unit from a Michigan program that has been excellent at the position for the last decade.

Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire

3. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Starters: DE Anthony Smith, DT Deven Eastern, DT Jalen Logan-Redding

This top trio represents the Big Ten's elite tier of defensive lines entering 2025. The Gophers lost Danny Striggow and Jah Joyner off of one of the conference's best lines last season. The trio of Smith, Eastern and Logan-Redding were all major contributors last year, so it's reasonable to expect the group not to miss a beat.

2. Penn State Nittany Lions

Starters: DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, DT Zane Durant, DT Alonzo Ford Jr., DE Zuriah Fisher

Penn State lost star pass rusher Abdul Carter after the 2024 season. It enters 2025 with a highly ranked NFL prospect in Durant roaming the middle and a terrific defensive end in Dennis-Sutton. Neither Ford Jr. nor Fisher have much experience, but the group's top players are enough for a strong ranking.

Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire

1. Iowa Hawkeyes

Starters: DE Max Llewellyn, DT Aaron Graves, DT Jeremiah Pittman, DE Ethan Hurkett

Iowa returns Llewellyn (22 tackles, eight for loss, 5 1/2 sacks in 2024), Graves (33 tackles, eight for loss, six sacks) and Hurkett (56 tackles, 12 for loss, 6 1/2 sacks) from an elite defensive line. The group should only take a further step forward in 2025. While it doesn't boast the NFL talent of Penn State or Georgia, it could challenge for the best overall line in the country.

Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire

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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten defensive lines from worst to first