Breaking down the top DL classes in the 2027 cycle so far

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Elite defensive line prospects are always coveted and they often have high-profile recruitments. There’s some huge names at the position in the 2027 cycle.

According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies, there are 44 blue-chip DL prospects in the cycle. Of those 44 recruits, 42 are already committed, as of July 16.

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Those 42 commitments have dispersed among 30 schools. That means that some programs have acquired multiple blue-chip disruptors, building impressive hauls at the position in the process.

Rivals takes a look at which schools have the best defensive line classes so far in the 2027 cycle with football season on the horizon:

Note: This exercise only includes prospects listed as a ‘defensive lineman’ by Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings Team. ‘EDGE’ prospects and others are not included.

Ole Miss

4-star Mitchell Turner (No. 66 NATL., No. 6 DL)
4-star Ben’Jarvius Shumaker (No. 83 NATL., No. 7 DL)
4-star Jamarkus Pittman (No. 342 NATL., No. 39 DL)

Ole Miss is the only program to currently hold multiple commitments from DL prospects that rank inside the top 100 nationally. The recruiting process wasn’t always smooth for new head coach Pete Golding and his staff, however.

Shumaker was a big-time early pledge for the Rebels back in March. Last month, he announced on social media that he had shut his recruitment down. That made it extra surprising when he flipped to Colorado the following day on June 23. Just hours later, though, Shumaker retracted his flip and announced that he was re-committed to Ole Miss. The No. 3 player in Mississippi in still in the mix, as of July 16.

Shumaker’s re-commitment also came just hours after Ole Miss landed Turner, the No. 2 player in the Magnolia State. The 6-foot-1.5, 285-pounder reminds Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings Team of Jer’Zhan Newton.

Last month also saw the Rebels go back into the state of Tennessee to land Pittman, the No. 15 player in the state. He chose Ole Miss over Texas A&M and Oklahoma, among many others.

Texas

4-star Kasi Currie (No. 64 NATL., No. 5 DL)
4-star DL Cameron Hall (No. 103 NATL., No. 8 DL)
3-star Tyler Alexander (No. 428 NATL., No. 48 DL)
3-star Jason Johnson (No. 440 NATL., No. 51 DL)

Perhaps the most underrated part of Texas’ No. 5 recruiting class is its haul on the defensive line. The Longhorns have gone from coast to coast to find top talent and Currie is a headliner. The No. 6 player in California chose Texas over Ohio State, Oregon and others last month.

Hall was previously ranked as an ‘EDGE’ prospect, but he now checks in as a top-10 D-lineman. His stock soared in Monday’s Rivals300 update. He’s also now the No. 12 player in Texas and is on the cusp of industry top-100 status ahead of his senior season.

The end of June saw the Longhorns land Alexander, a top-40 recruit in Florida. He’s a 6-foot-4, 315-pounder with a wealth of upside. Johnson was another notable in-state commit for head coach Steve Sarkisian and Co.

Texas Tech

Five-Star Plus+ Jalen Brewster (No. 1 NATL.)
4-star K’Adrian Redmond (No. 190 NATL., No. 23 DL)
3-star Khyren Haywood (No. 575 NATL., No. 68 DL)
3-star Tedricc Calhoun (No. 1,747 NATL., No. 182 DL)

Texas Tech landed an early commitment from Brewster back in the fall and he remains in the mix despite LSU, Florida and others gunning for a big flip. He remains the No. 1 overall prospect according to Rivals and the industry. Getting the elite 6-foot-3, 300-pounder to Lubbock is the top priority for head coach Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders.

Brewster committed in October, just a couple weeks after TTU won out for Redmond. Playing for DeSoto, one of the nation’s top high school football programs, he’s now the No. 28 player in the Lone Star State and forms a top-notch in-state duo alongside Brewster.

Haywood and Calhoun are also in the mix, adding to a class that currently ranks 9th nationally, according to the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Other top 2027 DL classes so far

Texas A&M
4-star Myels Smith (No. 59 NATL., No. 4 DL)
4-star Elijah Patmon (No. 184 NATL., No. 21 DL)

Oregon
4-star Zane Rowe (No. 135 NATL., No. 13 DL)
4-star Cam Pritchett (No. 226 NATL., No. 24 DL)
3-star Achilles Reyna (No. 562 NATL., No. 66 DL)

Auburn
4-star Donivan Moore (No. 173 NATL., No. 19 DL)
4-star Nate Kamba (No. 240 NATL., No. 27 DL)
4-star Marquis Evans (No. 257 NATL., No. 29 DL)

Penn State
4-star Stanley Montgomery (No. 109 NATL., No. 10 DL)
4-star Elijah Guertin (No. 304 NATL., No. 34 DL)
3-star Aniti Paiva (No. 866 NATL., No. 94 DL)

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