There were some misses and some guys who didn't live up to the hype, but this was, overall, a pretty solid year for SSDE's.
Par for the course, the Huskers managed to completely whiff on their guy on this list.
You would expect more from a guy who was #1 on the Rivals 100 list
1.) Da'Shawn Hand, Alabama; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #1 on the Rivals 100, #1-overall prospect in Virginia; Never quite lived up to the hype; Was a starter for only one season (2017) and was named 2nd-team All-SEC that year; Finished career with ten sacks.
Taken in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft
2.) Malik McDowell, Michigan State; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #26 on the Rivals 100, #1-overall prospect in Michigan; Started 23 games for the Spartans and had 90 tackles, 24.5 TFL, and 7.5 sacks in 36 career games; Named 2nd-team All-Big Ten in both 2015 and 2016; Declared early and was taken in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
The third player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft
3.) Solomon Thomas, Stanford; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #37 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Texas; Two-year starter at DE for Stanford who was 2nd-team All-American and 1st-team All-Pac 12 in 2016; Declared early and was taken #3 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
NC State had two guys on this list
4.) Kentavius Street, North Carolina State; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #43 on the Rivals 100, 2nd-best prospect in North Carolina; A three-year starter on NC State's D-line, but Street didn't deliver the kind of dominance many had expected from him; Finished 2017 with 38 tackles and 6.5 TFL.
5.) Dewayne Hendrix, Tennessee; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #78 on the Rivals 100, 3rd-best prospect in Illinois; Now at Pitt, where he has been a 2-year starter at DE; Had 21 tackles and 3 sacks in 2017; Sustained a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2016 season; Played in seven games as a true freshman for the Vols in 2014 before transferring to Pitt.
The 2014 Edna Karr recruiting class was littered with failures
6.) Gerald Willis III, UFlorida; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #83 on the Rivals 100, 7th-best prospect in Louisiana; Now at Miami, where he missed all of 2017 for "undisclosed reasons"; Appeared in 9 games for the Canes in 2016 and was suspended for two games; He was dismissed from Florida in January 2015 after several incidents in Gainesville, including two suspensions and an altercation with former Gators quarterback Skyler Morningweg; Came from the same New Orleans HS that produced the infamous 'Edna Karr 3' (Glenn Irons/Jariah Tolbert/Jaevon Walton).
7.) Dante Sawyer, South Carolina; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #87 on the Rivals 100, 7th-best prospect in Georgia; Starting DE for the Gamecocks in 2017 and had 30 tackles and 3 sacks on the season; Has 72 tackles in his career; Did not qualify and spent 2014 at East Mississippi CC in Scooba, MS.
8.) Connor Humphreys, Arizona State; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #108 on the Rivals 250, #1-overall prospect in Oregon; Moved to offensive line, where he was the Sun Devils' 2nd-string left guard in 2017; Redshirted in 2014 and did not play in 2015 or 2016.
Three-year starter who was taken in the 5th round of last year's draft
9.) Davon Godchaux, Louisiana State; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #114 on the Rivals 250, 10th-best prospect in Louisiana; A three-year starter on LSU's D-line; Finished LSU career with 145 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks; Declared for his senior season and was taken in the 5th round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
10.) Nifae Lealao, Vanderbilt; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #130 on the Rivals 250, 12th-best prospect in California; Three-year starter at defensive tackle for the Commodores; Finished 2017 with 23 tackles and 4 TFL; Made headlines when he told Alabama "You're next!" after Vandy beat K-State - the Crimson Tide proceeded to pound VU 59 - 0, and Lealao was the laughing stock on Twitter after the game.
Derek Barnett broke Reggie White's career sack record at Tennessee
11.) Derek Barnett, Tennessee; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #169 on the Rivals 250, 5th-best prospect in Tennessee; A three-year starter at DE for the Vols; Husker fans remember this guy, as he was the one who repeatedly beat Nick Gates like a rented mule in the 2016 Music City Bowl; Barnett broke Reggie White's career sack record at Tennessee, and was taken in the 1st round (14th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
12.) Breeland Speaks, Ole Miss; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #179 on the Rivals 250, 3rd-best prospect in Mississippi; Two-year starter and was named 2nd-team All-SEC in 2017; Declared early for the 2018 NFL Draft; Finished career in Oxford with 127 tackles and 9 sacks.
Harold Landry (#7) could be taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft
13.) Harold Landry, Boston College; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #180 on the Rivals 250, 7th-best prospect in North Carolina; A three-year starter whose 2017 season was cut short due to an ankle injury; Was 2nd-team All-American as a junior in 2016, where he compiled 16.5 sacks - a school record; Is projected by some to be a 1st round pick in this year's draft.
14.) Justin Jones, North Carolina State; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #241 on the Rivals 250, 20th-best prospect in Georgia; Two-year starter for the Wolf Pack who had 34 tackles and 8.5 TFL in 2017.
15.) Rick Leonard, Florida State; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 6th-best prospect in Maryland; Moved to offense in 2016, where he was a 2-year starter at right tackle for the Seminoles; Was a reserve DE in 2014 and 2015.
16.) Matt Dickerson, UCLA; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 33rd-best prospect in California; Two-year starter on UCLA's defensive line; Only played 7 games in 2017 due to collarbone surgery; Finished his career with 97 tackles and 7 TFL.
17.) Demetrius Jackson, UMiami; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 49th-best prospect in Florida; Saw action in seven games in 2017 before suffering season-ending injury against Virginia Tech; Still had 3.5 sacks on the season; Started 6 games in 2016 and had 28 tackles and 6 TFL; Appeared in 7 games as a reserve in 2015 and redshirted in 2014.
Two-year starter for Northwestern
18.) Garrett Dickerson, Northwestern; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 10th-best prospect in New Jersey; Two-year starter at Superback for Northwestern; Finished his career with 87 receptions for 887 yards and 9 TDs.
19.) Blake McClain, South Carolina; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 53rd-best prospect in Florida; At one time, McClain was verballed to Nebraska; To date, has yet to play a down of college football; Redshirted at South Carolina in 2014 after numerous injuries; Transferred to Pearl River (MS JUCO) in 2015, then spent 2016 at Northeast Miss. CC (MS JUCO); Is now at Alabama-Birmingham, where he missed all of 2017 with a foot injury.
20.) Trey Carter, Oklahoma State; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 35th-best prospect in Texas; Moved inside to DT for 2017, where he finished the season with 22 tackles, 4.5 TFL, and two forced fumbles; Played sparingly as a reserve in 2016, appeared in one game in 2015, and redshirted in 2014.
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Has appeared in seven games over four seasons in Lincoln
22.) Peyton Newell, Nebraska; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 5th-best prospect in Kansas; Has appeared in seven (7) games in his career and has two tackles to his name.
Rivals' list of strongside DEs in the 2014 recruiting class
Par for the course, the Huskers managed to completely whiff on their guy on this list.
You would expect more from a guy who was #1 on the Rivals 100 list
1.) Da'Shawn Hand, Alabama; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #1 on the Rivals 100, #1-overall prospect in Virginia; Never quite lived up to the hype; Was a starter for only one season (2017) and was named 2nd-team All-SEC that year; Finished career with ten sacks.
Taken in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft
2.) Malik McDowell, Michigan State; 5-stars, 6.1 RR, #26 on the Rivals 100, #1-overall prospect in Michigan; Started 23 games for the Spartans and had 90 tackles, 24.5 TFL, and 7.5 sacks in 36 career games; Named 2nd-team All-Big Ten in both 2015 and 2016; Declared early and was taken in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
The third player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft
3.) Solomon Thomas, Stanford; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #37 on the Rivals 100, 4th-best prospect in Texas; Two-year starter at DE for Stanford who was 2nd-team All-American and 1st-team All-Pac 12 in 2016; Declared early and was taken #3 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
NC State had two guys on this list
4.) Kentavius Street, North Carolina State; 4-stars, 6.0 RR, #43 on the Rivals 100, 2nd-best prospect in North Carolina; A three-year starter on NC State's D-line, but Street didn't deliver the kind of dominance many had expected from him; Finished 2017 with 38 tackles and 6.5 TFL.
5.) Dewayne Hendrix, Tennessee; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #78 on the Rivals 100, 3rd-best prospect in Illinois; Now at Pitt, where he has been a 2-year starter at DE; Had 21 tackles and 3 sacks in 2017; Sustained a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2016 season; Played in seven games as a true freshman for the Vols in 2014 before transferring to Pitt.
The 2014 Edna Karr recruiting class was littered with failures
6.) Gerald Willis III, UFlorida; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #83 on the Rivals 100, 7th-best prospect in Louisiana; Now at Miami, where he missed all of 2017 for "undisclosed reasons"; Appeared in 9 games for the Canes in 2016 and was suspended for two games; He was dismissed from Florida in January 2015 after several incidents in Gainesville, including two suspensions and an altercation with former Gators quarterback Skyler Morningweg; Came from the same New Orleans HS that produced the infamous 'Edna Karr 3' (Glenn Irons/Jariah Tolbert/Jaevon Walton).
7.) Dante Sawyer, South Carolina; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #87 on the Rivals 100, 7th-best prospect in Georgia; Starting DE for the Gamecocks in 2017 and had 30 tackles and 3 sacks on the season; Has 72 tackles in his career; Did not qualify and spent 2014 at East Mississippi CC in Scooba, MS.
8.) Connor Humphreys, Arizona State; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #108 on the Rivals 250, #1-overall prospect in Oregon; Moved to offensive line, where he was the Sun Devils' 2nd-string left guard in 2017; Redshirted in 2014 and did not play in 2015 or 2016.
Three-year starter who was taken in the 5th round of last year's draft
9.) Davon Godchaux, Louisiana State; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #114 on the Rivals 250, 10th-best prospect in Louisiana; A three-year starter on LSU's D-line; Finished LSU career with 145 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks; Declared for his senior season and was taken in the 5th round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
10.) Nifae Lealao, Vanderbilt; 4-stars, 5.9 RR, #130 on the Rivals 250, 12th-best prospect in California; Three-year starter at defensive tackle for the Commodores; Finished 2017 with 23 tackles and 4 TFL; Made headlines when he told Alabama "You're next!" after Vandy beat K-State - the Crimson Tide proceeded to pound VU 59 - 0, and Lealao was the laughing stock on Twitter after the game.
Derek Barnett broke Reggie White's career sack record at Tennessee
11.) Derek Barnett, Tennessee; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #169 on the Rivals 250, 5th-best prospect in Tennessee; A three-year starter at DE for the Vols; Husker fans remember this guy, as he was the one who repeatedly beat Nick Gates like a rented mule in the 2016 Music City Bowl; Barnett broke Reggie White's career sack record at Tennessee, and was taken in the 1st round (14th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
12.) Breeland Speaks, Ole Miss; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #179 on the Rivals 250, 3rd-best prospect in Mississippi; Two-year starter and was named 2nd-team All-SEC in 2017; Declared early for the 2018 NFL Draft; Finished career in Oxford with 127 tackles and 9 sacks.
Harold Landry (#7) could be taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft
13.) Harold Landry, Boston College; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #180 on the Rivals 250, 7th-best prospect in North Carolina; A three-year starter whose 2017 season was cut short due to an ankle injury; Was 2nd-team All-American as a junior in 2016, where he compiled 16.5 sacks - a school record; Is projected by some to be a 1st round pick in this year's draft.
14.) Justin Jones, North Carolina State; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, #241 on the Rivals 250, 20th-best prospect in Georgia; Two-year starter for the Wolf Pack who had 34 tackles and 8.5 TFL in 2017.
15.) Rick Leonard, Florida State; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 6th-best prospect in Maryland; Moved to offense in 2016, where he was a 2-year starter at right tackle for the Seminoles; Was a reserve DE in 2014 and 2015.
16.) Matt Dickerson, UCLA; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 33rd-best prospect in California; Two-year starter on UCLA's defensive line; Only played 7 games in 2017 due to collarbone surgery; Finished his career with 97 tackles and 7 TFL.
17.) Demetrius Jackson, UMiami; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 49th-best prospect in Florida; Saw action in seven games in 2017 before suffering season-ending injury against Virginia Tech; Still had 3.5 sacks on the season; Started 6 games in 2016 and had 28 tackles and 6 TFL; Appeared in 7 games as a reserve in 2015 and redshirted in 2014.
Two-year starter for Northwestern
18.) Garrett Dickerson, Northwestern; 4-stars, 5.8 RR, 10th-best prospect in New Jersey; Two-year starter at Superback for Northwestern; Finished his career with 87 receptions for 887 yards and 9 TDs.
19.) Blake McClain, South Carolina; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 53rd-best prospect in Florida; At one time, McClain was verballed to Nebraska; To date, has yet to play a down of college football; Redshirted at South Carolina in 2014 after numerous injuries; Transferred to Pearl River (MS JUCO) in 2015, then spent 2016 at Northeast Miss. CC (MS JUCO); Is now at Alabama-Birmingham, where he missed all of 2017 with a foot injury.
20.) Trey Carter, Oklahoma State; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 35th-best prospect in Texas; Moved inside to DT for 2017, where he finished the season with 22 tackles, 4.5 TFL, and two forced fumbles; Played sparingly as a reserve in 2016, appeared in one game in 2015, and redshirted in 2014.
*********snip*********
Has appeared in seven games over four seasons in Lincoln
22.) Peyton Newell, Nebraska; 3-stars, 5.7 RR, 5th-best prospect in Kansas; Has appeared in seven (7) games in his career and has two tackles to his name.
Rivals' list of strongside DEs in the 2014 recruiting class
