It’s finally the best time of year again. College football is less than two weeks away. That also means it’s time for us at Last Word to give out our rankings for the best returning SEC defensive linemen. We’ve already handled the best returning defensive linemen from the Big Ten and the ACC, so now we turn our attention to the SEC.
As most of you know, a strong defensive line is one of the most important keys to having an elite defense, and an elite team as a whole. If you can get to the opposing quarterback, good things will happen. In a conference that likes to view itself as the best conference in college football, this is certainly no different. What also makes the SEC unique at the defensive lineman position is just how spread out the talent is. This list features five names from five different schools. That’s something not many other conferences can say.
So without further ado, who are the best returning defensive linemen from the SEC for 2024?
Honorable Mention:
Tim Smith – Alabama
Tim Smith doesn’t quite make our list, but does earn our honorable mention spot. He’s entering his fifth and final season in Tuscaloosa, and this should be his best year to date. Recording ten starts in 2023, he now becomes arguably the most experienced, and most important piece, of the Crimson Tide’s defensive line in 2024. That being said, expect him to be an every-week starter for Kalen DeBoer in his first year at the helm for Alabama.
If there’s one concern with Smith, it comes on the topic of consistency. While there’s no question he is an elite defender, there have been a few questions raised about his inconsistency, at times. If he can become more consistent, expect him to be a force this season.
5. Tonka Hemingway – South Carolina
South Carolina’s Tonka Hemingway showed up as an honorable mention on this list from last season. This year, he’s cracked the top five. As a senior last year, he recorded 32 total tackles, including 4.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Now in his fifth and final year as a Gamecock, expect him to make even more of an impact.
While his stats may not blow you away, what makes Hemingway such a force is his motor and the things you won’t see from many interior linemen. Listed at 6’3″ and close to 300 pounds, he’s not the biggest defensive lineman out there, but he plays bigger than he is. With long arms and sheer explosiveness, he’s shown a knack for knocking balls down at the line of scrimmage. As long as he continues to make the plays that aren’t always flashy, and might not show up in a stat sheet, expect Hemingway to have a tremendous year in Columbia.
4. Walter Nolen – Ole Miss
Texas A&M transfer Walter Nolen makes his way in at number four on our list. Nolen leaving College Station and heading back to his home state of Mississippi was arguably the biggest pickup of the portal season for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. After a decent freshman year, the former number-one prospect out of high school seemed to put it all together in his sophomore season as an Aggie. In 12 games last season, he recorded 37 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Now, in a Pete Golding system that prides itself on being aggressive, the hope for Rebel fans is that he can continue that momentum into the 2024 season. If Ole Miss is going to meet their preseason expectations, it’s safe to say Nolen is going to be a big part of that success.
3. Shemar Turner – Texas A&M
At number three, we have Shemar Turner, a senior from Texas A&M. Much like Nolen, this is Turner’s first time appearing on this list. Following a freshman year that saw him as more of a role player, he’s put together back-to-back solid years in College Station. As a junior, he recorded 33 tackles, with 10.5 for loss and six sacks. Those numbers were good enough to have him named All-SEC Second Team.
Now, Turner has a new head coach in Mike Elko. The former Aggie defensive coordinator returns to Kyle Field as the head coach following a two-year stint at Duke. Elko is also widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the sport. Expect Turner to make Elko’s first year back at Texas A&M a lot smoother than it otherwise may be.
2. Deone Walker – Kentucky
At number two is Kentucky’s Deone Walker. At 6’6″, and 345 pounds, Walker is an absolute mammoth on the defensive line. This size is one of the main reasons he’s so high on this list. As a sophomore in 2023, he recorded 55 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. On top of that, he had 51 pressures, which was good for the most from any interior lineman in all of college football. Those numbers were good enough to get him First-Team All-SEC honors. In other words, while many guys of this size are only known as run-stoppers, Walker decides to get after opposing quarterbacks, too.
For his junior year, the only concern surrounding his numbers would be that he’s likely going to face plenty of double teams. This could potentially see his actual numbers take a slight drop off. However, even if that were to happen, his impact won’t see a hit. Whether he’s the one making the play, or garnering enough attention to allow one of his teammates to make a play, Walker might as well pay rent in the opponent’s backfield.
This leads us to the best returning defensive lineman in the SEC for the 2024 season…
1. James Pearce Jr. – Tennessee
For anyone who follows college football, this should come as no surprise. Not only is James Pearce Jr the best returning defensive lineman in the SEC, but he may be the best defender in all of college football. In his first two seasons in Knoxville, he’s only tallied three starts. Despite that, he’s made the most out of every time he steps on the field. As a sophomore in 2023, he only recorded 28 tackles, but 14.5 of those were for loss, with 10 sacks.
Listed at 6’5″, 243 pounds, he’s considerably smaller than most linemen or edge rushers, but this ends up working to his advantage, as he has the speed to get around the end and live in the backfield. Or he can also drop back into coverage if needed. And with extremely long arms, he’s always looking to knock balls down. Last year, in addition to tackles and sacks, he added a pick-six and two forced fumbles.
As one of those most versatile players in college football, if you don’t know his name yet, you need to learn it. There’s no doubt it’s going to be a household name before long. More importantly, if Josh Heupel and the Vols plan on taking that next step forward in 2024, Pearce Jr. will absolutely be a big reason why.
