Vote: Who is the Top Returning High School Defensive Lineman in South Carolina in 2025?

Here is our list of top pass rushers in SC heading into the 2025 high school football season

Seth Tillman, Class of 2027 defensive lineman from South Pointe High in Rock Hill, arrives for the 2025 Dabo Swinney Football Camp in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, June 3, 2025. / Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Summer workouts and 7-on-7 scrimmages are well under way as teams prepare for the 2025 high school football season. It’s still early but let’s see who you think is the top returning defensive lineman in South Carolina. Who’s the best at getting to the quarterback and/or stopping the run?

Voting concludes July 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Here are 15 for your consideration in this fun poll:

Julian Walker, junior, Dutch Fork

The 6-foot-6, 252-pound edge is a dominant force the three-time reigning state champion Silver Foxes. Walker has 17 college offers, including South Carolina, Michigan, Southern California and Auburn.

Sawyer Arnold, senior, Oceanside Collegiate Academy

Arnold is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound edge for the two-time defending 3-A state champion Landsharks who is picking up college offers. Cincinnati became the sixth university to extend an offer to Arnold on June 13.

Chris Doyle, senior, Bluffton 

The Appalachian State commit has the size at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds to be a dominant nose guard. In the 2024 season, Doyle had 5 sacks, 26 hurries, and 67 tackles, including 18 for loss.

Jaiden Bryant, junior, Irmo

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound edge has 11 college offers, including LSU, Michigan State, South Carolina and Penn State. Bryant was a huge force in his sophomore season with 14.5 sacks, 6 hurries, 4 forced fumbles and 85 tackles, including 20 for loss.

Seth Tillman, junior, South Pointe

Tillman is a 6-foot-3, 256-pound lineman who overpowers offenses. In the 2024 season, he had 15.5 sacks, 30 hurries, 2 fumble recoveries and 76 tackles, including 25 for loss. Tillman has 14 college offers, including South Carolina, Clemson, North Carolina and Texas A&M.

Terry Radford, senior, Chester 

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound end turned in a great 2024 season with 16 sacks and 116 tackles, including 10.5 for loss. Radford has two college offers from Anderson University and Concord.

Damarea Thurmond, senior, Loris

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound tackle is an imposing force against the run on the defensive line. Thurmond, who has Division I offers from The Citadel and South Carolina State, had 67 tackles last season, including 10 for loss.

Michael Foster, senior, Indian Land

Foster had 15 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 5 pass breakups and 101 tackles last season. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound edge recently received his first Division I offer from Kent State.

Matthew Ponkow, junior, Bishop England

Ponkow, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound end, had 10 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 98 tackles, including 23 for loss in 2024.

Crawford Poole, junior, Cheraw

Poole is undersized for an edge at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds but he led the Braves with 11 sacks while also recording 47 tackles, including 16 for loss, and a blocked punt. 

Alex Johnson, junior, Catawba Ridge

Johnson had 10 sacks, 23 hurries, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles, and 77 tackles, including 13 for loss, for the Copperheads. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound end is also a standout wrestler.

Dexter Johnson, senior, Daniel

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound end had 9 sacks, 4 pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and 93 tackles, including 22 for loss.

Jamarie Haynes, senior, Baptist Hill

The 6-foot-1, 217-pound end recorded 11 sacks, 12 hurries and 136 tackles last season for Baptist Hill. 

Aiden Jones, senior, Greer

Jones had 7 sacks, 26 hurries, and 76 tackles, including 27 for loss  last season.

Lamont Williams, sophomore, Lamar

The 6-foot-6, 180-pound end had 4 sacks, 22 hurries, 2 pass breakups and 51 tackles as a freshman. Williams is also a basketball standout.