Under Armour Defensive Line Preview
Melvin Fellows
Melvin Fellows
Louisiana Recruiting Analyst
Posted Dec 30, 2008


Many of the country’s premiere college football prospects will be in Orlando this week for the 2009 Under Armour All-American Game and the men in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball are as good as they come.

Ohio State commitment Melvin Fellows (6-5, 245) headlines the D-linemen on the White Squad and it will be interesting to see how the offensive tackles for the Black Team fare in blocking the 5-star prospect coming off the edge.

 

A pair of Sunshine State products will push Fellows for the starting spots in Dyron Dye and Demonte McAllister.

 

Dye, a 6-5, 225-pounder, is ranked No. 24 in the country at his position, and while all eyes will be on the Seminole product when he’s on the practice field there will be just as much focus on the 4-star end when he announces his decision on Jan. 4. Many feel that Dye will choose between LSU and Miami with the Hurricanes being the odds-on favorite.

 

McAllister (6-3, 245) has been committed to Florida State since July, but says he will take some official visits in January. He’s quick off the ball and some schools are now saying that he could wind up playing inside rather than on the edge.

 

The inside push that the White Team should get from 5-star tackles Abry Jones and Jacobi McDaniel, along with Joshua Downs will only make the standout ends tougher to block.

 

Jones (6-4, 250) and Downs (6-2, 265) are a little undersized, but they utilize their quickness to cause havoc to the opposition, while McDaniel (6-1, 280) is a huge clog in the middle that often draws double-teams.

 

With Jones and Downs heading to Georgia and LSU, respectively, and McDaniel staying in-state and going to Florida State there will not be as much drama surrounding this group as to their college destinations.

 

The defensive tackles for the Black Team may not have the star-studded appeal that the White Squad possesses, but the quality is still there.

 

Antwan Lowery, a 6-3, 330-pounder who could end up at offensive guard at the next level, will line up inside along with 5-star tackle Corey Adams (6-3, 288, 5.08) and 4-star prospect Gary Brown (6-4, 275).

 

Lowery and Brown are headed to Rutgers and Florida, respectively, while Arizona State, Ohio State and USC are still in the mix for Adams.

 

The tackles for the Black Team have more size than their counterparts, and Adams and Brown’s quickness will be under the microscope this week.

 

The edge rushers playing alongside Adams, Brown and Lowery will be fun to watch as they all have a nice complement of size and speed.

 

Sam Montgomery (6-3, 240, 4.65), who is still trying to figure out when he will take his official visits, has a list of possibilities that includes LSU, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Michigan, while Clemson and South Carolina are still in the mix as well.

 

Coaches love Montgomery’s burst off the line and his aggressive nature, and the same can be said for Michigan commit Craig Roh.

 

Roh (6-5, 225, 4.6) had numerous offers to choose from and along with his quick first step coaches like his frame and the intensity he brings on every play.

 

Oklahoma commit Justin Chaisson (6-5, 265, 4.7) has a little more size than Montgomery and Roh, but moves just as well. He has good feet, gets off the ball well and has a motor that never stops.

 

The defensive lines for both teams will be fun to watch over the coming days and Scout.com will bring you tons of coverage for the remainder of the week on the men in the trenches.


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