Some of the county’s best skill position and specialist talent (don’t get too excited for the punter Iowa fans; it’s all about the drive to 325). reside in the Big 10 conference. When a defensive lineman resets the line of scrimmage, it is debilitating to an offense. Seeing an offensive lineman get worked backward on a run play throws off the timing for the running back. A powerful pass rush disrupts a quarterback’s rhythm. In the Big 10 especially, having true anchors up front on a defense presents a major challenge to offensive coordinators. So which five linemen comprise the best Big 10 defensive linemen returning for the upcoming 2023 season?
Best Returning Big 10 Defensive Linemen
5. Aaron Lewis – Rutgers
The first of our Best Returning Big 10 defensive linemen isn’t widely recognized due to his team’s lack of victories. But make no mistake, Aaron Lewis was a big problem for Big 10 offensive units. Lewis originally signed with Michigan out of high school but transferred to Rutgers before playing a game with the Wolverines. 55 tackles with eight for loss, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. His individual efforts shined bright enough in a four-win season, earning him an All-Big Ten third-team selection. The long-term rebuild by Greg Schiano hasn’t shown a ton of progress in three seasons. However, if Lewis can continue to improve, it will go a long way to pulling Rutgers out of the Big 10 basement.
4. Adisa Isaac- Penn State
Adisa Isaac saw the field the moment he joined the team in 2019. The former four-star recruit and top 100 player appeared in every game from the 2019 and 2020 seasons but missed the entire 2021 season due to injury. In his comeback year, he started all 13 games at defensive end and earned All-Big Ten third-team honors. His final statics from the 2022 season included 28 tackles (15 solo), 11 tackles for loss, and 8 quarterback hurries. Those 11 TFLs ranked him tied for third among defensive linemen in the Big Ten. Even with Michigan ascending to the top of the conference, Penn State is in a prime position to jump up to be the conference’s best in 2023. If James Franklin and his squad are going to make that step, it would be mighty helpful if Isaac continued to take his game to the next level
3. Keith Randolph Jr. – Illinois
Illini head coach Bret Bielema has quite a building block on his defensive line. To be precise, he has two big men up front that have landed on our best Big 10 defensive linemen unit. The first disrupter up front finished last season with third-team All-Big 10 honors and have landed on multiple pre-season first-team All-Big 10 units this offseason. Keith Randolph Jr. finished the 2022 season with 53 tackles, 13.0 TFLs, one interception, one pass breakup, five quarterback hurries, and one blocked kick. Randolph Jr. will be playing in his fifth season with the Fightin’ Illini and will lean on his veteran leadership to build on an eight-win campaign.
2. JT Tuimoloau – Ohio State
Avert your eyes Penn State fans! JT Tuimoloau single-handedly ripped away a much-needed signature win (which likely would have turned out to be an at-large playoff spot) for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions. Tuimoloau arrived on campus with high expectations. As the nation’s number one overall recruit in 2021, he became the highest-rated defensive prospect to sign with Ohio State in the modern recruiting era. Tuimoloau played in all 12 games in his freshman season, totaling 17 tackles and 4.5 TFLs.
He started to live up to his number one recruiting ranking last season, with his Penn State game being one of the best single-game performances (offense or defense) of the 2022 season. He recorded six tackles, three TFLs, two interceptions (including a pick-six), one pass breakup, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Tuimoloau’s productive 2022 season earned him first-time All-Big 10 honors, but he came just short of the top spot of our best Big 10 defensive linemen.
The Best Big 10 Defensive Linemen Is Jer’Zhan Newton – Illinois
While Tuimoloau had the single-best performance last year, Jer’Zhan Newton has demonstrated he is the best Big 10 defensive lineman coming back for the 2023 season. He arrived to Champagne as just a three-star recruit from St. Petersburg, Florida. But he has flourished in Bielma’s program. He entered last year with 73 tackles and 5.5 TFLs in 20 career games. But Newton took his game to a whole different level in 2023. He finished the season with 62 tackles, 14 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, and two fumble recoveries. And possibly his most impressive statistic resides in his availability and stamina.
He was the only defensive lineman in the Big 10 in 2022 to play over 400 snaps. His first team all-Big 10 selection was also supplemented with landing on four different all-American teams (each a 2nd team selection). According to Pro Football Focus, Newton is the number one returning defensive tackle in all of college football. Plenty of offensive linemen will have their hands full with Newton this season.
Photo courtesy: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
