Vote: Who is the top returning defensive lineman in 2025 Texas high school football season?

Read through the candidates and cast your vote!

Bastrop Bears defensive lineman Tiki Hola (55) rushes toward Cedar Creek Eagles quarterback Blaze Orr (11 in the first quarter )at the District 13-5A football game on Friday, October 6, 2023, at Bastrop Memorial Stadium - Bastrop, Texas. / John Gutierrez / USA TODAY NETWORK

Texas high school football is full of top talent, and High School On SI has listed some of the top defensive lineman returning for the 2025 season.

Fans will get an opportunity to vote on who they think is the best. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. There are many outstanding players in Texas, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Voting will close on June 13 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Editor’s Note: High School On SI voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll.

Vote: Who is the top returning defensive lineman in 2025 Texas high school football season?

Kevin Ford Jr., Sr., Duncanville

One of the top prospects in Texas, Ford Jr. has offers from Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Alabama and Auburn. 

Jaimeon Winfield, Sr., Richardson

In 2024, Winfield had 22 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Winfield recently committed to USC.

Jesse Ford, Sr., Arlington Martin

In 10 games last season, Ford had 49 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He is committed to TCU.

Tiki Hola, Sr., Bastrop

Hola had over 10 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles last season. He is committed to Notre Dame.

Julian Hugo, Sr., Cibolo Steele

Hugo had a strong junior season with 83 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He is committed to Arizona State. 

Jake Johnson, Sr., Prosper

Johnson is the second USC commit on the list, and at 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, Johnson is a true nose tackle.

Jamarion Carlton, Sr., Temple

Carlton is a highly recruited defensive lineman. In 2024 he had 57 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Landon Barnes, Sr., Duncanville

Barnes is an edge rusher with offers from Ohio State, Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas, among others.

Zane Rowe, Jr., Guyer

Rose was a sophomore and he posted 75 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, nine sacks and four forced fumbles in 2024. 

Khyren Haywood, Jr., Denton Guyer

Haywood had 22 tackles for loss and five sacks as a sophomore for Denton Guyer. 

DJ Rumph, Jr., Desoto

Rumph has had the attention of top schools after his freshman season, and this year he’s picked up offers from Sacramento State and Pittsburgh. 

Ezekiel Ayangbile, Jr., Langham Creek

Ayangbile had 40 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks in 2024. 

Kaden McCarty, Jr., Cy Falls

McCarty had 60 tackles, 11 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in 2024. 

Alister Vallejo, Sr., Liberty Hill

Vallejo had 51 tackles, nine tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2024. He is set to commit to a college on June 10. 

Daryl Campbell, Sr., Paetow

Campbell had more than 25 scholarship offers, but he recently committed to Vanderbilt. 

Keith Dotie, Sr., Poteet

Dotie is an interior defensive lineman committed to SMU on April 25, and he recently received an offer from Texas. 

Jalen Brewster, Jr., Cedar Hill

Brewster was an edge for Cedar Hill, but he has the athleticism to be an occasional ball carrier for the Longhorns. 

Hudson Woods, Sr., Smithson Valley

Woods helped Smithson Valley to a 2024 Class 5A Division 1 championship. He had 66 tackles, 13 sacks and 20 tackles for loss as an edge rusher. 

Kordae Houston, Sr., South Oak Cliff

Houston made the Texas Sports Writers Association’s 2024 Class 5A second team all-state. He recently picked up offers from Miami and LSU. 

Uzziah “Cookie” Warmate, Sr., Denton Ryan

Warmate was the Texas District 3-5A Division 1 defensive MVP as a junior. He had 90 tackles, 36 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

Cooper Cyphers, Sr., Aledo

Cyphers is an edge rusher who had 55 total tackles, 40 of them solo, and nine sacks in 2024. 

Brayden Booth, Jr., South San Antonio

Booth had 35 tackles, seven tackles for loss and one sack in seven games last season.

Noe Leos, Jr., Rio Hondo

Hondo was on High School On SI’s 2024 first team All-South. He had 55 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

Julian Hugo, Sr., Cibolo Steele

Hugo had 83 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and one forced fumble last season. He is committed to Arizona State. 

Ben Duncum, Sr., Lake Travis

Duncum recently picked up offers from USF, Kentucky and BYU. 

Cameron Christian, Sr., Kilgore

Christian had 106 total tackles, 11 for loss, and seven sacks in 2024. 

Jimmy-Phrisco Alo-Suliafu, Sr., Katy Jordan

Alo-Suliafu had 70 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He is committed to North Carolina.

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