ASU Has 3 Non-Transfer Players Who Could Impact Defense

Defense was a strength for the Sun Devils last year. Defensive Coordinator Brian Ward did a really good job with the unit, and even though they have a lot of new faces in there, there are some players who have been on the roster for a year or so that could step up.

C.J. Fite

Entering his senior year, CJ Fite has established himself as a building block for ASU. Not only has he been a great leader and a good example of ASU’s fantastic culture under Head Coach Kenny Dillingham, he has been a very solid defensive tackle. However, there is a bit more pressure on Fite this season due to ASU’s defensive line having so much turnover. Players such as Prince Dorbah and Elijah O' Neal were seniors last year so they are no longer on the team.

ASU’s Defensive line last year was effective at being disruptive and if they went to another good year, Fite will have to be at the core of a unit that has a lot of new players on it. Fite will also be going into his senior year, so if he wants to go high in the draft, this will be the year to show the NFL the talent he has. Overall, CJ Fite has been a fantastic person so far with building up ASU and this season will be a way for him to finish off his time in a sun devil uniform.

Montana Warren

Sticking on the defensive side of the football, safety Montana Warren could have a big role this year. Very much like the defensive line, ASU’s secondary is changing with players like Keith Abney II leaving for the NFL Draft or Javan Robinson transferring to Wisconsin. So Warren will more likely than not have a bigger role and that is good news for Sun Devil fans as Warren ended off the season on a pretty high note.

In the final two games, Warren had a total of 11 tackles, with 8 of those being solo. Additionally, Warren also had a QB hit and a pass deflection in the Sun Bowl against the Duke Blue Devils. Warren is a multi faceted player who can do a lot of stuff very well and it will be exciting to see how he continues to grow in Brian Ward's defense.

Martell Hughes

Even though Keyshaun Elliott and Jordan Crook are departing from ASU’s linebacking core, there should be a tone of hype around Martell Hughes. Hughes had a lot of impactful plays for ASU’s defense last year. Hughes had a total of 39 tackles and 2 interceptions. This shows just how much of a do it all player Hughes is. With linebackers such as Owen Long coming to ASU who in his own right is versatile, ASU could have one of the better linebacking cores in the nation.

Overall, there are some key defensive contributors who could be big impact players next year for Brian Ward's defense.

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