High School

Vote: Who is the 2025 Long Island High School Defensive Lineman of the Year?

Here are eight of the top defensive linemen out of Long Island for your voting consideration

Kevin L. Smith

Trevon Cole-Jenkins, senior linemen for Half Hollow Hills East football.
Trevon Cole-Jenkins, senior linemen for Half Hollow Hills East football. / Trevon Cole-Jenkins

The 2025 high school football season in New York State has come and gone.

Fans will now get an opportunity to vote on who they think is the best in their respective position.

High School On SI recently compiled a list of the best quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and offensive linemen out of Long Island. Next up are defensive linemen.

There are hundreds of outstanding players on Long Island, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Let us know about other athletes worthy of fans’ attention.

Note: Some players may excel at multiple positions. We try to include as many athletes as possible. (Athletes in the poll are listed in alphabetical order)

Voting ends Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT

Patrick Ahern, Bayport-Blue Point, junior

Ahern is a solid edge rusher and one of the Phantoms’ top defensive players in their Long Island Class IV championship season.

Christian Anaya, Carey, senior

Anaya finished his 2025 season with six tackles for a loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and had a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Jovan Bonilla, East Islip, senior

Bonilla tallied 13 tackles for a loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles for East Islip.

Trevon Cole-Jenkins, Half Hollow Hills East, senior

Cole-Jenkins was a star lineman for the RedHawks, capping their season with a Suffolk Division II title.

Matthew Kind, Seaford, senior

Kind tallied 19 tackles for a loss, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception in the Vikings’ Nassau Conference IV title season.

Jake Rivera, William Floyd, junior

Rivera recorded 16 sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles and two pass breakups for the Colonials.

Tristan Tarasi, Massapequa, senior

Tarasi was a solid lineman on both sides of the ball for a Chiefs squad that captured their third Long Island crown in a row.

Nasir Turner, Bellport, senior

One of Suffolk County’s top defensive linemen, Turner had four sacks and two interceptions for the Clippers.

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Published
Kevin L. Smith
KEVIN L. SMITH

Kevin L. Smith, a Rochester (NY) native and a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, has been covering high school sports for over a decade. He started out as a freelance sportswriter in 2013. Since then, he’s held sportswriter and editor positions for newspapers in Coudersport (PA), Sayre (PA) and Oswego (NY). Smith currently covers high school sports in the Greater Syracuse Area for syracuse.com | Post-Standard, a position he’s held since 2021. You can follow him on social media @KevLSmittie. Story ideas can be sent to KLSFreelancing@outlook.com.

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