Nebraska Football's All-Quarter-Century Team: The Defensive Line

HuskerMax and Husker fans are putting together Nebraska football's All-Quarter-Century team. The next position group is up for voting, with the defensive line.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) and defensive tackle Jared Crick (94) in action against the Texas Longhorns in the fourth quarter of the 2009 Big 12 championship game at Cowboys Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There have been 25 seasons of Huskers making big plays in the trenches.

Now, as HuskerMax looks to build the Nebraska All-Quarter-Century team, we must decide on the defensive linemen to represent the last 25 years of Cornhuskers. There are 17 players eligible.

The Nebraska All-Quarter-Century team will include four defensive lineman. The full team will be released on Aug. 1.

Vote for four players below. Continue scrolling for information on each of the players.

Defensive Linemen

Pierre Allen started 39 games over three seasons, including all 14 games in 2010. During his first-team All-Big 12 season, he had 65 total tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also led all Nebraska defenders with 13 quarterback hurries.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Pierre Allen rushes the passer against the Texas A&M Aggies in 2010. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ryon Bingham led all Husker intertior defensive lineman with 56 total tackles in 2003, helping him to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors. The prior year, he had 67 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Adam Carriker was named first-team All-Big 12 and the the league's Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2006, capping off a dominant Husker career. In his senior season, he had team-leading seven sacks and ranked second on the team with 16 tackles for loss. His 52 total tackles led all Nebraska defensive linemen, and he also paced the Blackshirt defense with 12 quarterback hurries, while registering his first career interception.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Adam Carriker goes for the sack on Troy Trojans quarterback Omar Haugabook in 2006. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Maliek Collins earned second-team All-Big Ten honors during his sophomore and junior seasons in Lincoln. He finished his three-year career with eight sacks and 23 tackles for loss along with 19 quarterback hurries. During his junior season, Collins’ play helped Nebraska rank ninth nationally in rushing defense, allowing less than 110 yards per game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle Maliek Collins (7) tackles Iowa Hawkeyes running back Mark Weisman (45) in 2014. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Jared Crick missed the majority of his senior season with an injury, but still put together a career that saw him finish in the top 10 on Nebraska's career sacks list and just outside of the top 10 in career tackles for loss. Crick earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2009 and 2010, being named an All-American by multiple outlets for his junior season.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defender Jared Crick (94) lines up against Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Mike Adams (75) in 2011. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Khalil Davis finished his career as a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2019. His senior season saw him post a career-high 45 tackles - the most among NU's defensive linemen - and he led Nebraska with 8.0 sacks and 12 TFLs.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Khalil Davis (94) sacks Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Steven Montez (12) in 2018. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Randy Gregory set the record for most sacks as a first-year Husker in 2013. He carried that momentum into first-team All-Big Ten selections that year and in 2014. In his final year, Gregory had multiple outlets name him as an All-American. His 10.5 sacks in 2013 are ninth-best in program history for a single season, with his 17.5 sacks also ranking ninth all-time.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defender Randy Gregory hurries the throw by Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Brett Smith (16) in 2013. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Chris Kelsay earned multiple All-Big 12 honors during his time in Lincoln, having his 2001 season earn second-team All-America from one outlet. During his junior year, he ranked sixth on the team in total tackles with 52 and first in tackles for loss with 17. Chris and his brother Chad Kelsay served as captains for the Huskers, one of just five sets of brothers to both be elected as Nebraska team captains.

Chris Kelsay attempts to tackle Iowa State quarterback Seneca Wallace in 2002. | Rodney White/THe Register, Des Moines Register via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Eric Martin led Nebraska in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (18) in 2012, earning him first-team All-Big Ten honors. He finished the season with 59 total tackles, including 32 solo stops.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Eric Martin (46) celebrates after stopping the Penn State Nittany Lions on fourth down to seal the 2011 victory at Beaver Stadium. | Evan Habeeb-Imagn Images

Cameron Meredith played in every game from 2009 through 2012, setting the record for games played as a Husker at 56. Playing both tackle and end positions, finished with 196 career tackles, the seventh-best total in school history at the time for a defensive lineman.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defender Cameron Meredith (34) celebrates with Daimion Stafford (3) against the Washington Huskies in 2011. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Jay Moore became a starter for a few games as a sophomore in 2004 and didn't relent the position for the next two seasons. He concluded his career ranked on the Huskers’ career top-10 list for tackles for loss with 38. Moore also led the team in tackles for loss as a senior with 17 for 70 yards and ranked second only to Adam Carriker with six sacks for 43 yards.

Ty Robinson is the most recent Husker on this list, finishing his career in 2024. The 2024 second-team All-Big Ten selection is the current program record holder for games played at 60. Robinson made 47 starts. In his final year, he had career-highs of 37 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks.

Nebraska defensive lineman Ty Robinson bats down a pass from Northern Iowa quarterback Aidan Dunne in 2024. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Jeremy Slechta tight the defensive line record for most pass breakups in a single-season in 2000 with six. In 2001, he earned All-Big 12 honors while helping Nebraska to a BCS Championship game appearance. Slechta finished his career with 97 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss with six quarterback sacks.

Baker Steinkuhler finished his senior season with 47 tackles, including 23 solo stops, with seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. That production earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten second team. The Lincoln native tallied 150 career tackles, something only 11 Husker interior defensive linemen had done before.

Wyoming Cowboys running back Alvester Alexander (32) runs against Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle Baker Steinkuhler (55) in 2011. | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Ndamukong Suh finished his career as one of the most productive defenders in Husker history. A two-time All-Big 12 selection, 2009 saw Suh named Associated Press College Player of the Year, Unanimous First-Team All-American, Rotary Lombardi Award Winner, Bronko Nagurski Trophy Winner, Chuck Bednarik Award Winner, Bill Willis Award Winner, Big 12 Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year, and Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, among others.

As a senior, Suh led Nebraska in tackles for the second straight season with 85 tackles, the most by a defensive lineman since 1974. He also became the first defensive lineman to lead Nebraska in tackles in consecutive seasons. He also led the team in tackles for loss (24), sacks (12), quarterback hurries (26) and blocked kicks (3). His 24 tackles for loss were second on the Nebraska season list, while his 12 sacks ranked third in school history. Suh's 10 pass breakups were second on the team and led the nation's defensive linemen. He also added his fourth career interception, an NU record for defensive linemen.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy in the 2009 Big 12 championship game at Cowboys Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Barry Turner set the Nebraska single-season record for sacks by a freshman with six in 2005. He kept that momentum going while in Lincoln, helping the Huskers on arguably the nation's best front four in 2009. In his senior year, Turner had 51 total tackles, including 16 behind the line of scrimmage and 5.5 sacks, while adding 13 quarterback hurries and four pass breakups.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Barry Turner forces Nevada Wolf Pack quarterback Nick Graziano to hurry his pass in 2007. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Kyle Vanden Bosch earned All-Big 12 honors in 2000. He still holds the record for defensive lineman pass breakups in a game with three, from the 2000 Alamo Bowl.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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