{"id":88388,"date":"2026-06-15T16:30:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T20:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=88388"},"modified":"2026-06-15T10:19:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T14:19:07","slug":"the-best-returning-big-ten-defensive-linemen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2026\/06\/15\/the-best-returning-big-ten-defensive-linemen\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Returning Big Ten Defensive Linemen"},"content":{"rendered":"

We continue our Best Returning series with a look at the top returning Big Ten defensive linemen. One of the biggest keys to winning football games is having great players along the offensive and defensive line. This is especially true in the Big Ten conference, which is known for its physical brand of football.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Programs such as Ohio State, Oregon, and the defending National Champions, Indiana, made playoff runs largely due to the high level of talent on the defensive front. Those same teams are also predicted to have a similar level of success because of who is returning on the defensive line.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Top Returning Big Ten Defensive Linemen\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Honorable Mention<\/span><\/h3>\n

Before we get into our top four list, there are a few honorable mentions we want to recognize. Starting with a pair of young defensive ends at the University of Maryland that have the potential to take the program a step forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Terrapins have struggled to find consistent success in football since joining the Big Ten conference in 2014. Defensive ends Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis could be the catalyst for getting Maryland over the hump. Stewart and Mathis combined for 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 2025. Both were named Freshman All-Americans for their performances and will look to build on that momentum in year two.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the opposite end of the spectrum as a program from the Terps is Ohio State. Many people will attribute much of the Buckeyes success to the strength of the offense with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Ohio State has always been just as good on the defensive side of the ball, though, especially up front. That trend will continue with defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. The 2025 All-Big Ten honorable mention has been named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watchlist<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jackson had the third most sacks for the Buckeyes in 2025, and the second most tackles for loss. With Caden Curry and Sonny Styles moving on to the NFL, it will be Jackson\u2019s time to step up and lead the defense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Edge Teitum Tuioti – Oregon\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Fourth on our list of returning Big Ten defensive linemen is Oregon edge rusher Teitum Tuioti. He was selected Third-Team All-Big Ten in 2025 after filling the stat sheet for the Ducks. He finished the season with 68 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only was Tuioti the team leader in both sacks and tackles for loss for Oregon, but he also ranked in the top five in each category for the conference as well. He was the best player on the number one defense in the Big Ten last season. Tuoti\u2019s decision to stay with the Ducks for his senior year could be what aids them in winning the national championship. Something they have fallen just short of many times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. DT Bear Alexander – Oregon\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

For diehard college football fans, especially Georgia and USC fans, the name Bear Alexander comes with a bit of controversy. Alexander is a player who\u2019s been seen as one of the faces of the NIL and transfer portal era. He\u2019s been to three different schools in his college career, but that isn\u2019t where the trend started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alexander actually transferred multiple times in high school, before doing the same at the collegiate level. He then began his college career at Georgia, where he spent just one season before transferring to USC for two years. He then hit the portal again to end up with Oregon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, he seems to have finally found his true home with the Ducks. Alexander finished 2025 with a career high number of total tackles with 44, and tackles for loss with six. He was one of the best interior defensive linemen in the Big Ten last season. The Second-Team All-Big Ten selection now has one more season in Oregon to win a championship and prove his worth to NFL scouts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. DT Tyrique Tucker – Indiana\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Moving into the top two, we now talk about one of the two First-Team All-Big Ten players on the list. Defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker was a key piece of Indiana\u2019s national championship run<\/a>. Tucker was one of the many players who started with Curt Cignetti at James Madison and transferred to Indiana when Cignetti took the job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It worked out well for both parties as Tucker became not just a First-Team All-conference selection, but also a Third-Team All-American. His blend of size, agility, and quickness allowed the Hoosiers to be creative up front on defense and put pressure on offenses in many different ways. Tucker has the chance to run it back one more time with Cignetti in 2026. His presence keeps Indiana as a contender both for the Big Ten and the National championship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. DE Anthony Smith – Minnesota\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The second First-Team All-Big Ten player on this list earned the top spot as well. It is Minnesota defensive end Anthony Smith.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s easy for Smith to fall under most people\u2019s radar playing for the Gophers, who always seem to be so close to taking the next step as a program. Minnesota tends not to get much attention outside of head coach PJ Fleck, but Smith deserves this nod.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He finished the 2025 season with 38 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and three pass deflections. Smith led not only the Gophers but also the Big Ten in tackles for loss and sacks. He was also in the top five in the FBS in both categories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s 2025 season was comparable to the likes of David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr, who were first-round picks in this year\u2019s NFL draft. He made the decision to stay and attempt to replicate his performance in 2026. Doing so would put his name amongst the top players in the 2027 NFL draft class.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Main Image: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We continue our Best Returning series with a look at the top returning Big Ten defensive linemen. One of the biggest keys to winning football games is having great players along the offensive and defensive line. This is especially true in the Big Ten conference, which is known for its physical brand of football.\u00a0\u00a0 Programs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4614,"featured_media":88398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,2,35605,35650,35602],"tags":[695,73],"class_list":["post-88388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bigten","category-featured","category-indiana-hoosiers","category-minnesota-golden-gophers","category-oregon-ducks","tag-maryland-terrapins","tag-ohio-state-buckeyes"],"modified_by":"Tony Siracusa, CFB Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4614"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88388"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88399,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88388\/revisions\/88399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}