Zion Elee, Lamar Brown headline top 10 defensive linemen in high school football

Georgia leads the way with four selections led by Blessed Trinity's D.J. Jacobs.

Top 10 Defensive Linemen heading into the 2025 Season 412,469 views 1:03

The focus shifts to defense in our position-by-position breakdown of the 2025 high school football season. We already looked at the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen. 

Up next, we go to the trenches and zone in on the top 10 defensive linemen. 

Zion Elee of St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), Lamar Brown of University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) and Tomuhini Topui of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) headline the selections. 

Elee is the No. 1 player according to 247Sports and had a standout junior season in his first year with the Panthers. 

Brown is the only player featured on two of our position-by-position lists as he checked in at No. 5 for top 10 offensive linemen. 

Topui dominated in the trenches for Mater Dei last season as the California power went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25. 

D.J. Jacobs of Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.) and LaDamion Guyton of Benedictine (Savannah, Ga.) were the only non-seniors selected.

1. Zion Elee, St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 220

Status: Committed to Maryland | Class: Senior (2026)

The Panthers played one of the toughest schedules in the country last season and Elee showed why he is a five-star prospect. 

2. Lamar Brown, University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.)

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 290

Status: Committed to LSU | Class: Senior (2026)

As dominant on both sides of the ball as any player in high school football. 

3. Tomuhini Topui, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 320

Status: Committed to USC | Class: Senior (2026)

Made a huge impact in the trenches for the best team in the country last season. 

4. Richard Anderson, Edna Karr (New Orleans)

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 330

Status: Committed to LSU | Class: Senior (2026)

Had a tremendous junior campaign and led the Cougars to their first undefeated season since 2018. 

5. Richard Wesley, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)

Height: 6-5 | Weight: 250

Status: Committed to Texas | Class: Senior (2026)

The five-star EDGE reclassified to the Class of 2026 in March and has racked up at least nine sacks in each of the last two years.

6. D.J. Jacobs, Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.)

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 235

Status: Uncommitted | Class: Junior (2027)

Led a 9-3 team in tackles (116), tackles for loss (31) and sacks (11) as a sophomore. 

7. Bryce Perry-Wright, Buford (Ga.)

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 250

Status: Committed to Texas A&M | Class: Senior (2026)

Headlines a talented defense that begins the year ranked at No. 13 in the MaxPreps Top 25. 

8. Deuce Geralds, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 265

Status: Committed to LSU | Class: Senior (2026)

Enters senior year with 261 career tackles, 77.5 tackles for loss and 37.5 sacks. 

9. LaDamion Guyton, Benedictine (Savannah, Ga.)

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 225

Status: Uncommitted | Class: Junior (2027)

Has already landed over 20 FBS offers and expect a lot more to come for the five-star recruit. 

10. Luke Wafle, Hun (Princeton, N.J.)

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 260

Status: Committed to USC | Class: Senior (2026)

The four-star EDGE finished junior season with 53 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 10 games.