CFB Future 100: Top 12 Defensive Ends in Class of 2016
After thorough study using specific scoring criteria, Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analysts Damon Sayles, Sanjay Kirpalani and Tyler Donohue have graded the top 100 players in the 247Sports composite rankings and provided in-depth analysis on each young athlete. Bleacher Report will run a position-by-position breakdown series of the best college football recruits in the class of 2016. Here we present the Top Defensive Ends.
Other Positions
Among the group of rising seniors around the nation, one of the deepest positions in the 2016 class is pass-rusher.
In fact, 12 edge-rushers make up the Top 100 players overall in the 2016 class.
A Sunshine State standout and 5-star defensive end, Shavar Manuel headlines the 2016 crop at his position, but the class as a whole has its share of lighter, more explosive rushers and bigger bodies who can also excel against the run.
The latest edition of the CFB Recruiting Future 100 series will dig deep into the 2016 class of defensive ends.
Bleacher Report scored the defensive end class on traits such as pass-rushing ability (15 points), tackling (15 points), strength (20 points), run defense (25 points), hands (15 points) and motor (10 points). The cumulative figures from those traits resulted in our overall grade for each prospect.
How do the nation’s top defensive ends measure up to one another?
*All analysis provided by B/R National Recruiting Analyst Sanjay Kirpalani. All rankings courtesy of 247Sports Composite Rankings. WDE denotes weak-side defensive end, SDE denotes strong-side defensive end.
12. 4-Star Erick Fowler
1 of 12Height/Weight: 6’3”, 210 lbs
High School: Manor High (Manor, Texas)
247Sports Ranking: No. 6 WDE, No. 83 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Considering Baylor, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas and UCLA
Erick Fowler is a prospect who can play defensive end or outside linebacker on the college level.
The No. 11 prospect from the state of Texas in 2016 recorded 75 tackles (17 for loss) and 12.5 sacks as a junior.
Colt Barber of Horns247 notes that his skill set is reminiscent of current Oklahoma star linebacker Eric Striker.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Fowler needs to add some weight, but what makes him a special prospect is his speed. In particular, his first step is lightning quick and helps him get around offensive tackles with ease on the prep level. His length is also a factor that allows him to disrupt pass plays and corral ball-carriers with equal effectiveness. The biggest question is whether or not colleges will want him to stand up as a linebacker, put his hand in the dirt or maybe even do both.
11. 4-Star Prince Sammons
2 of 12Height/Weight: 6’8”, 280 lbs
High School: Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio)
247Sports Ranking: No. 6 SDE, No. 72 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 90/100
Considering Ohio State, Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia
Prince Sammons is the No. 4 prospect from the state of Ohio in the 2016 cycle.
Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports notes that some colleges are telling the hulking defensive end he has the size and athleticism to play offensive tackle.
Wiltfong notes that Sammons is originally a native of Nigeria who moved to the U.S. back in 2012.
Bleacher Report Analysis
When it comes to athletic ceilings in the 2016 cycle, Sammons may be at the top of the list. He’s still raw, but it’s hard to deny his physical skill set. His body type and quick feet make him an intriguing prospect at offensive tackle. As a defensive end, Sammons bullies blockers with his strength and has a quick first step off the ball. He can play high at times, and his technique is nowhere near where it needs to be, but his potential on either side of the ball is simply tantalizing.
10. 4-Star Rahshaun Smith
3 of 12Height/Weight: 6’3”, 225 lbs
High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
247Sports Ranking: No. 5 WDE, No. 61 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 88/100
Considering Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Oklahoma and Penn State
Rahshaun Smith is one of a handful of top players nationally who have transferred schools in the offseason.
Smith has relocated to IMG Academy in Florida after spending his first three prep seasons in his native Maryland. His first two years were at Calvert Hall High School while he spent his junior season at St. Frances Academy.
Smith checks in as the nation’s No. 5 weak-side defensive end in the 2016 class.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Smith is a lanky edge-rusher who can also play outside linebacker. He could still add some weight, but he uses his reach and quickness to disrupt run plays. He does a good job of shedding blocks and getting his hands up to take away passing lanes. Overall, he’s a solid prospect with room to grow into a stout edge-rusher.
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9. 4-Star Shane Simmons
4 of 12Height/Weight: 6’4”, 221 lbs
High School: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Maryland)
247Sports Ranking: No. 5 SDE, No. 60 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 92/100
Committed to Penn State on July 30, 2014
Shane Simmons rates as Maryland’s top prospect in the 2016 cycle.
He committed to Penn State over offers from Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State and Maryland, among others.
At the Elite 50 Underclassmen Camp in Orlando in January, Simmons separated himself as one of the top talents in the 2016 cycle with a dominant performance, per 247Sports.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Simmons is extremely quick off the ball. He does a great job of shooting gaps with his quickness. His length is also a plus in helping him make tackles in the run game and helping him shed blocks and clog passing lanes on passing plays. He’s athletic enough to play some outside linebacker, but he’s physical enough to stay at end in the long term if he can add some weight.
8. 4-Star Chauncey Manac
5 of 12
Height/Weight: 6’3”, 220 lbs
High School: Clinch County High (Homerville, Georgia)
247Sports Ranking: No. 4 WDE, No. 53 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Committed to Georgia on Sept. 27, 2014
Chauncey Manac’s commitment to Georgia may not have resonated nationally in the same manner as the pledges of fellow 2016 UGA commitments Jacob Eason and Ben Cleveland—a pair of 5-star prospects—did two months earlier.
However, the nation’s fourth-best weak-side defensive end prospect has the potential to add a pass-rushing dimension to the Dawgs defense that has been missing since Jarvis Jones departed Athens for the NFL.
Manac chose the Bulldogs over offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida and Florida State, among others.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Manac plays bigger than his listed size of 220 pounds. He aggressively attacks the line of scrimmage, and his length and speed make it hard for offensive linemen to keep him from entering the backfield and creating havoc. He’s also a good tackler in open space, and he has great quickness when he’s pursuing plays laterally. He’s another player who could play outside linebacker if he can show that he can be effective in pass coverage.
7. 4-Star Damion Dickens
6 of 12Height/Weight: 6’4”, 225 lbs
High School: Holmes County High (Lexington, Mississippi)
247Sports Ranking: No. 3 WDE, No. 51 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Considering Mississippi State, Oklahoma and Southern Miss
Damion Dickens is a player who has the chance to emerge on the national scene in the spring, according to Barton Simmons of 247Sports.
Simmons notes that Dickens is still a raw talent, but his explosiveness should help his offer list swell sooner than later.
Mississippi State is the early favorite for the Magnolia State's No. 2 prospect in the 2016 cycle.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Of the pass rushers in this class, Dickens may possess the quickest first step off the ball. He's also got great length and uses his hands well to get off blocks. He's at his best when he's pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback, but he could stand to add some bulk to his frame in order to be a physical presence against the run in college. With that said, he's a dynamic edge rusher who can a be a disruptive force at the next level.
6. 4-Star Josh King
7 of 12
Height/Weight: 6’6”, 250 lbs
High School: Hinsdale South High (Darien, Illinois)
247Sports Ranking: No. 4 SDE, No. 49 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 89/100
Considering Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan
Josh King is the top 2016 prospect to emerge from the metro Chicago area.
He’s one of the few juniors who have already been invited to the U.S. Army All-American-Bowl, per Wiltfong.
King has a host of Big Ten schools and Notre Dame among the programs vigorously pursuing him.
Bleacher Report Analysis
King’s athleticism is highlighted by the fact that he has taken snaps at tight end in his prep career. As a defensive end, his long arms are troublesome for offensive linemen and help him close off passing lanes for quarterbacks. He’s still raw, and he needs to get stronger at the point of attack. However, he has a frame that could stand to add weight, and his long-term potential at the position is high.
5. 4-Star Janarius Robinson
8 of 12Height/Weight: 6’5”, 232 lbs
High School: Bay High (Panama City, Florida)
247Sports Ranking: No. 2 WDE, No. 43 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 89/100
Committed to Florida State on Sept. 21, 2014
Janarius Robinson became one of the earliest pledges in Florida State’s class when he committed last September.
The in-state pass-rusher committed to the Noles over offers from Clemson and Miami, among others.
However, he has since unofficially taken visits to Alabama and Miami, which are two of the schools still in contention to flip the talented defensive end.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Robinson has a quick first step that helps him get around the edge when he’s rushing the passer. He has good strength at the point of attack, and he’s adept at making plays in pursuit. He needs to add more power to his game and be a little more physical in setting the edge in the run game. If he can add some size, the traits in his game translate well to the college level.
4. 5-Star Marlon Davidson
9 of 12Height/Weight: 6’4”, 260 lbs
High School: Carver High (Montgomery, Alabama)
247Sports Ranking: No. 3 SDE, No. 28 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Considering Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Clemson and Georgia
Marlon Davidson is the younger brother of former Auburn defensive end Kenneth Carter.
Despite his brother’s connection to the Tigers, it’s in-state rival Alabama that has turned the heat up on Davidson, per BamaOnline.
Davidson checks in as the third-best prospect from the state of Alabama in the 2016 class.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Davidson has the size and frame that can help him play early in his career regardless of where he lands. He does a great job of setting the edge versus the run, and his power is tough to handle for linemen who are trying to keep him away from the quarterback. He needs to work on developing more pass-rushing moves among other things, but the tools are there for him to be dominant player in the future.
3. 5-Star Breland Brandt
10 of 12Height/Weight: 6’4”, 220 lbs
High School: Windward School (Los Angeles, California)
247Sports Ranking: No. 1 WDE, No. 27 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Committed to UCLA on Oct. 5, 2014
Breland Brandt is the third-best prospect from the state of California in the 2016 class.
He committed to UCLA over offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Miami and USC among others.
The talented pass-rusher should pair well in Westwood with 2015 5-star defensive end Keisean Lucier-South.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Brandt is a rangy athlete with potential to stand up and play outside linebacker. As a defensive end, he’s got great length and quickness that help him attack the line of scrimmage aggressively. However, he needs to add more weight and strength since he can get stonewalled at times. Overall, Brandt is a versatile prospect with room to grow into a dominant pass-rusher.
2. 5-Star Nick Bosa
11 of 12
Height/Weight: 6’3”, 250 lbs
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas High (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
247Sports Ranking: No. 2 SDE, No. 10 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 95/100
Considering Ohio State, Florida State and Alabama
Nick Bosa is the younger brother of Ohio State All-American defensive end Joey Bosa.
The younger Bosa is rated as the nation’s top weak-side defensive end prospect in the 2016 class.
The Buckeyes are the heavy favorite to land Bosa, but FSU and Alabama are among the schools still pursuing him.
Bleacher Report Analysis
There are similarities between Nick and his brother. Nick may even be a bit faster off the snap. He already has a good swim-and-rip move. He’s physical in setting the edge versus the run, and he has the speed to get around most tackles. His motor is high as well. Overall, there’s a lot to like about Nick and his ability to be a dominant player in college.
1. 5-Star Shavar Manuel
12 of 12Height/Weight: 6’5”, 262 lbs
High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
247Sports Ranking: No. 1 SDE, No. 3 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 93/100
Considering Alabama, Florida State and Miami
Shavar Manuel is the nation’s top overall defensive end, and he’s the No. 3 player overall in the 2016 class.
He transferred from Blake High School in Tampa to IMG Academy in the offseason.
Manuel will team with Rahshaun Smith to give IMG a set of bookends who rate among the nation’s top pass-rushing duos.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Blake is a powerful force who overwhelms most offensive linemen on the prep level. He’s got a nice burst off the line of scrimmage, and he’s deceptively fast coming around the edge. He’s a physical specimen with a lot of raw ability. He can improve on techniques such as using his hands to shed blocks and setting the edge against the run. His ceiling is high if he continues to develop.
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