Top returning Nashville-area high school football defensive linemen for 2018
Michael Murphy
With spring football practice in full swing, here’s a look at some of the top returning Nashville-area defensive linemen for the 2018 high school football season, as ranked by the USA TODAY Network – Tennessee high school sports team.
► Joseph Anderson, Siegel (6-4, 263, Sr.): Four-star end has received offers from more than 20 FBS programs, including Arkansas, LSU, Notre Dame and South Carolina.
► Christian Cantrell, Oakland (6-0, 240, Sr.): 2017 Tennessean All-Midstate third-teamer tallied a team-leading 101 tackles — 16½ for loss — with seven sacks for last year’s Class 6A semifinalist Patriots.
► Ian Hall, MBA (6-0, 220, Sr.): 2017 all-region selection posted a team-leading 68 tackles — 10 for loss — three sacks and a fumble recovery for last year’s Division II-AAA runner-up Big Red.
► Joseph Honeysucker, Hillsboro (6-2, 217, Sr.): Three-star end and 2017 All-Region 6-5A selection has received offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Tennessee and Tulane.
► Ani Izuchukwu, Davidson Acad. (6-4, 230, Sr.): Four-star end and Mississippi State commitment tallied 23 tackles — nine for loss — and four sacks for last year’s Division II-A semifinalist Bears.
► Zion Logue, Lebanon (6-5, 245, Sr.): Three-star end has received offers from more than a dozen FBS programs, including finalists Memphis, Minnesota, Purdue, Virginia and Western Kenutcky.
► Tymon Mitchell, FRA (6-3, 309, Sr.): Four-star tackle with offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Stanford, Tennessee and Vanderbilt tallied 74 tackles — 11 for loss — and three sacks for the Panthers last season.
► David Reynolds, Ensworth (6-5, 245, Sr.): Three-star end with offers from Charlotte, Eastern Kentucky, Liberty, Stephen F. Austin, UT Martin, TSU and Western Illinois registered 33½ tackles — 8½ for loss — with two sacks a season ago.
► Elijah Simmons, Pearl-Cohn (6-2, 330, Sr.): Three-star tackle with offers from Chattanooga and Memphis tallied 49 tackles for last year’s Class 3A semifinalist Firebirds.
► Jayshon Wilcox, Marshall Co. (6-0, 320, Sr.): 2017 All-Region 4-4A tackle tallied 62 tackles — six for loss — with four sacks and an interception for last year’s Class 4A semifinalist Tigers.
Reach Michael Murphy at mfmurphy@tennessean.com, 615-259-8026, and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.
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