Introducing top-10 defensive linemen in Class of 2023

With Signing Day in the rearview mirror for the Class of 2022, the attention now turns to the junior class. It’s a class that features three Five-Star Plus+ prospects. It also includes 13 defensive linemen in the top 100 in the country. On3 looks at the top-10 junior defensive linemen and where things stand in their recruitment.

No. 1 defensive linemen David Hicks

Allen (Texas) High
On3 Consensus: No. 4
On3 NIL Valuation: $26K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Texas A&M 51.7%, Oklahoma 46.5%
The Skinny: While it seems like Texas A&M and Oklahoma are clearly the two teams on top of five-star defensive lineman David Hicks’ list, we’re going to have to wait a while for his announcement. Hicks reiterated earlier this week that he will announce his decision at the Under Armour All-America Game next January, so that leaves plenty of time for more twists and turns in his recruitment.

“We could see a few of the same schools, but I know David wants to get out West,” Hicks’ father, David Hicks Sr., said. “USC is definitely a school he wants to check out. He had a relationship with Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch from Oklahoma, so the connection is there with that staff. Oregon is a school he is looking at. Arizona State is another one. We are planning to head West for sure in the spring or summer. Nothing has been scheduled yet.”

Schools like Alabama, Grambling, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Texas were also mentioned as potential stops in the coming months.

No. 2 DL James Smith

Montgomery (Ala.) Carver
On3 Consensus: No. 6
On3 NIL Valuation: $14.1K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Georgia 45.7%, Alabama 45.7%
The Skinny: Early on, it looks like this could be a battle between Alabama and Georgia. Five-star defensive lineman James Smith was in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 22 and then in Athens on Jan. 29. He is in Montgomery, and Alabama has made him a priority. It will be hard for Georgia or anyone to get him away from the Crimson Tide,m but he is already planning to be back at both schools in the spring.

No. 3 defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei

Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
On3 Consensus: No. 13
On3 NIL Valuation: $31K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: USC 17.7%, Clemson 17.7%, LSU 17.7%, Texas 17.7%, Oregon 17.7%
The Skinny: Matayo Uiagalelei is one of the most coveted prospects in the country. He is the younger brother of former five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, and like the older brother, he has national options. And just like his brother, it doesn’t appear he’s in a major rush with the decision.

“Matayo is still taking it all in right now,” his father, Dave Uiagalelei, told On3. “There is no top five, top 10, or anything like that right now. He is taking his time with everything. Matayo is an old-school guy and not too caught up in all the recruiting stuff. He is talking with coaches, looking for the best relationships, and seeing how the interaction is with different coaches.”

He did take visits in January to Oregon and USC. Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Texas and Georgia are other schools he has talked about visiting in the spring and summer.

No. 4 DL Peter Woods

Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson
On3 Consensus: No. 19
On3 NIL Valuation: $23K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Alabama 94.7%, Clemson 2.2%, Auburn 1.3%, Georgia <1% Florida <1% Oregon <1%
The Skinny: Alabama rarely misses on in-state targets, especially in-state targets like four-star defensive lineman Peter Woods. Woods said the Crimson Tide has done a great job building relationships with him, and he liked the idea of the added bonuses of going to school close to home like having his family able to visit often. He recently visited Clemson, and Georgia, Florida, Oregon and Auburn are other schools on his top-school list.

No. 5 defensive lineman Jayden Wayne

Tacoma (Wash.) Lincoln
On3 Consensus: No. 29
On3 NIL Valuation: $15.8K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Oregon 43.5%, USC 7.7%, Georgia 7.7%, Miami 7.7%, LSU 7.7%
The Skinny: Four-star defensive lineman Jayden Wayne has more than 40 scholarship offers. But 15 days ago, he narrowed his list to 11 schools – Washington, Florida, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Oregon, Auburn, USC, Miami, Texas and Michigan State. He’s become a priority target for Pac-12 rivals Oregon, USC and Washington. But will he follow in the footsteps of some of the other top recruits in Washington lately and end up at a national program?

No. 6 DL Jason Moore

Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic
On3 Consensus: No. 35
On3 NIL Valuation: $12.6K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Notre Dame 91.9%, Penn State 4.7%, Maryland 1.7%
The Skinny: The battle lines appear to be pretty clear. While Michigan, Maryland, LSU and Ohio State are going to push, it’s sure looks like Notre Dame and Penn State will battle for four-star defensive lineman Jason Moore’s commitment.

No. 7 DL Vic Burley

Warner Robins (Ga.) High
On3 Consensus: No. 38
On3 NIL Valuation: $12.7K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Clemson 84%, Tennessee 4.1%, Georgia 4.1%, Florida 2.1%, South Carolina 2.1%
The Skinny: Four-star defensive lineman Vic Burley was recently at Clemson, and the Tigers appear to have taken an early lead in his recruitment. But he’s also high on Tennessee after a visit to the Vols’ junior day in mid-January and previous trips to Knoxville. He is set to visit Florida State on March 5 for the Seminoles’ Elite Junior Day and is expected also to visit South Carolina in March. It appears that there is plenty of movement left in his recruitment, but the Tigers have early momentum.

No. 8 DL Kelby Collins

Gardendale (Ala.) High
On3 Consensus: No. 42
On3 NIL Valuation: $19.4K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Alabama 45.8%, Auburn 23.2%, Georgia 8.1%, Florida 8.1%, Clemson 8.1%
The Skinny: Four-star defensive lineman Kelby Collins took January visits to Alabama and Georgia. The Crimson Tide are the projected team out in front, but Collins insists he’s “open to all schools” and that “he doesn’t have a leader.” Auburn, Florida, Clemson and Oklahoma are schools also heavily involved.

No. 9 DL Derrick LeBlanc

Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola
On3 Consensus: No. 62
On3 NIL Valuation: $19.9K
Status: Uncommitted
On3 RPM: Florida 53.8%, Ohio State 37.1%, Miami 2.5%, Florida State 1.3%, UCF 1.3%
The Skinny: After multiple visits to UF home games in 2021, Derrick LeBlanc is a familiar face in Gainesville. The new staff picked right up where the old staff left off, keeping the 6-foot-4, 270-pound four-star defensive lineman on top of the 2023 recruiting board. Ohio State, Clemson, Miami and hometown UCF are trying to push the Gators in his recruitment.

No. 10 DL Brenan Vernon

Mentor (Ohio) High
On3 Consensus: No. 63
On3 NIL Valuation: $5K
Status: Committed to Notre Dame
The Skinny: Four-star defensive lineman Brenan Vernon is a big piece of the Irish 2023 class that ranks at No. 2 in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rank. He was a big recruiting win over Ohio State and other national powers.