Turns out Arkansas has a badass defensive line, re: losing stars to the draft

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Bo Mattingly ?@SportsTalkwBo 2h2 hours ago
Bielema: There's just depth along the defensive line that's incredible, unlike anything I've had in my coaching career.

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Bijhon Jackson. JaMichael Winston. Deatrich Wise. DeMarcus Hodge. Hjalte Froholdt. Taiwan Johnson. Jeremiah Ledbetter. Tevin Beanum.

Ask eight different people their prediction as to who will be the best defensive lineman on the Arkansas roster and you’ll likely get eight different answers. There is experience, youth, energy, size and quickness.

And nary a star along it.

It’s both a blessing and curse for the unit. Are the linemen being ignored or downplayed across the country because they are not stars, just standard, capable players? Or are they being overlooked and one or two will ultimately be ready-and-willing to take the place of Darius Philon and Trey Flowers?

Even the head coach will cop to saying there is no obvious No. 1. Not yet, anyway.

“Our D-line, although is not the names of the past, there are guys who are filling roles and doing jobs,” Bret Bielema said. “I think our defensive line has eight players the possibility of a ninth with recruiting, depending on the fall, we might have one more guy who can help us, I thought those guys played very consistent. They do a good job of holding their responsibility.”

The most likely to become an all-conference type player is JaMichael Winston. The junior is the only so-called lock for a starting position on the edge. He is a fundamental defensive end who won’t lead the team in tackles-for-loss or sacks, likely, but should play every down.

On the opposite side are Wise and Beanum. Wise is the athletic specimen, but he was called out by Bielema in the spring for having too much going on with track-and-field and his fraternity. Beanum started the spring behind Wise on the depth chart thanks in part to an offseason alcohol-related driving charge. But by the end, Beanum was getting the first-team repetitions.

“I think Deatrich’s plate is full,” Bielema said. “He’s a fraternity guy. He’s also trying to do track. He’s trying to be a student. He’s trying to be a football player and at some point something’s going to give. I think the more he can get focused on what we want him to be, the better off he’ll be.”

Arkansas is hardly short on the outside, but its deeper than anywhere else on the interior.

Jackson is the sophomore whom Bielema praised with the big back side last year. Hodge has mostly been a practice player but jumped into first-team reps by losing weight. Froholdt and Ledbetter are the newcomers, both of whom make Bielema shake his head positively upon mention.

And there’s Johnson. He’s the most likely to lead the team in impressive categories. Although he’s shifting from nose guard – where he had seven TFLs last season – he’ll take over at nose guard. It’s less a play-making spot, but Johnson will probably turn it into one.

Nowhere else on the roster is there less a cause for concern, even if there’s only a slight glimmer for magnificence, than on the defensive line.

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