Position Preview: OSU’s Defensive Line Makes Up Its for Its Inexperience with Sheer Numbers

Jordan Brailford, Darrion Daniels, Cole Walterscheid, Jarrell Owens, Trey Carter and Enoch Smith were synonymous Oklahoma State’s defensive line the past few years, but now they’re all gone.

In their place enters an inexperienced but exciting group. The Cowboys’ defensive line is who we’ll look at next with our position preview series.

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The DL Room

Samuela Tuihalamaka (R-Fr.): Out of the well-respected Mater Dei High School in California, Samuela Tuihalamaka redshirted in 2018. As a senior in high school, he and Mater Dei went 15-0 en route to a state championship. Tuihalamaka had 41 tackles that season with two sacks. He chose OSU over Louisiana, Howard and Idaho State.

Isreal Isuman-Hundley (Fr.): Isreal Isuman-Hundley was Texas’ 134th-ranked recruit in the 2019 class. He had 43 tackles and three tackles for loss as a high school senior last season, playing under his father, Barton Hundley, at Colleyville Heritage. Isuman-Hundley chose OSU over Washington, Baylor, Houston, SMU and Tulane.

Brock Martin (R-So.): Brock Martin played in all 13 of OSU’s games in 2018. As a redshirt freshman, Martin had seven tackles on the year and crucial fumble recovery in OSU’s upset victory against West Virginia. Martin is expected to be a major player for Jim Knowles’ defense in 2019.

Jayden Jernigan (Fr.): An early enrollee, Jayden Jernigan was the Cowboys’ top DT prospect in the 2019 class. Out of Allen High School (Texas), he helped the Eagles to a 58-3 record in his high school career, winning a state championship in 2017 and making the semifinals every other season. Jernigan was the 49th-ranked defensive tackle in the 2019 class, and he picked OSU over Oregon, Washington, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas, Indiana, Colorado and others.

Ben Kopenski (R-Fr.): A walk-on out of McKinney-Prosper, Ben Kopenski is listed at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds.

Xavier Ross (Fr.): Xavier Ross was the 80th-ranked defensive tackle prospect in the 2019 class. As a senior at Cedar Hill High School (Texas), Ross had 11 tackles for loss and five sacks as a senior. He chose OSU over Purdue, Vanderbilt, Indiana and others.

Dylon Carnagey (R-Fr.): A walk-on from Skiatook, Dylon Carnagey is listed at 6-1, 283 pounds.

Kevin Mair (R-Fr.): Kevin Mair is a walk-on out of Independence in Frisco. He is listed at 6-1, 293 pounds.

Vance Mullendore (Fr.): A candidate for the best name on the team, Vance Mullendore is a walk-on out of Holland Hall and IMG Academy. He is listed at 6-1, 217 pounds.

Gordie Geymuller (Fr.): Back-to-back great names. Gordie Geymuller is a 6-2, 192-pound walk-on from Parish Episcopal in Dallas.

Jake Schultz (Fr.): Another walk-on, Jake Schultz is from Prague and is listed at 6-3, 218 pounds.

Tyler Lacy (R-Fr.): After dealing with injuries as a freshman, Tyler Lacy is expected to start for the next four seasons. At 6-4, 265 pounds, Lacy can play at defensive end or defensive tackle.

Braden Cassity (R-Fr.): Braden Cassity is a former three-star prospect out of Westlake in Austin. He redshirted last season without any in-game action. Cassity was Texas’ 6A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in high school. That season with 101 total tackles with 15 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and an interception. He picked OSU over offers from Marshall, Tulsa, Army, Navy, New Mexico and others.

Mike Scott (R-Sr.): The Cowboys’ returning sack leader, Mike Scott had three quarterback sacks in 2018 after transferring in from Trinity Valley Community College. Scott had 10 tackles last season, and he blocked a field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter of the Liberty Bowl. Scott, along with Brock Martin, are expected to move around on the defensive front in 2019, filling the void Jordan Brailford left open.

Cameron Murray (R-Jr.): Cam Murray played in all 13 of OSU’s games in 2018, finishing the year with seven tackles. Four of those tackles came against South Alabama. Entering his fourth season with the program, Murray is expected to be a prominent part of the Cowboys’ defensive line in 2019.

Kyle Junior (R-Sr): Kyle Junior started 10 games last season, but they were with Bowling Green. A graduate transfer, Junior had 48 tackles in 2018. Six of those tackles were for loss, including two sacks. Junior brings 35 games’ worth of experience to an inexperienced defensive line. He finished his career at Bowling Green with 95 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and 10 quarterback hurries.

Trace Ford (Fr.): The top defensive prospect of OSU’s 2019 class, Trace Ford was the 389th recruit in the country last season. Out of Edmond Sante Fe, Ford had 40 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a high school senior. Ford’s offer sheet included Florida State, Oregon, Missouri, Arkansas, Baylor, Cal, Washington State, Iowa State and others.

Israel Antwine (So.): A former Millwood standout, Israel Antwine returns to his home state after spending a year at Colorado. He started 11 games last season with Colorado, finishing the year with 15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. From all accounts since he arrived in Stillwater this spring, Antwine is a terror, physically.

Kody Walterscheid (Fr.): Brother of former OSU defensive end Cole Walterscheid, Kody Walterscheid is said to be further along than what his older brother at this point in their respective careers. Kody’s measurable are eye-popping at 6-6, 230 pounds. He chose Oklahoma State over North Texas.

Amadou Fofana (R-Jr.): Amadou Fofana redshirted in his first season at the Division I level in 2018. Fofana was the 115th-ranked junior college prospect in the 2018 class after a sophomore season that saw him get 43 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, four sacks and three fumble recoveries.

Brendon Evers (R-So.): Brendon Evers got in all 13 of OSU’s games last season as a redshirt freshman. Out of Bixby, Evers finished the year with seven tackles and a sack. He is expected to contribute on the interior of OSU’s D-line in 2019.

Sione Asi (Jr.): The 88th-ranked junior college prospect in the 2019 class, Sione Asi comes to OSU from Snow College in Utah. In Snow’s bowl game, Asi had 13 tackles, and five tackles for loss. He chose OSU over New Mexico.

2019 Expectations

I think OSU’s defensive line looks about as good a group that lost six experienced guys can look.

I think at this point it looks like a by-committee approach with six or seven guys sharing time. Maybe guys break away from the pack a few games in, but that’s what I would expect to start.

I’ve talked to Mike Scott twice this fall, and he has mentioned the phrase, “Fake safety, big linebacker, kinda small D-end.” So, in conclusion, he might win the quarterback battle. I have no clue where he is going to line up.

That’s the same for a lot of guys up front, too. Similar to Scott, Brock Martin is expected to roam around, and guys like Tyler Lacy and Israel Antwine are versatile enough to play defensive end or defensive tackle.

Position Strengths

As you can see with the 22 players listed above, defensive line coaches Joe Bob Clements and Greg Richmond have a smorgasbord of options for 2019

There is a lot of promise there. Surely someone in the group of Mike Scott, Brock Martin, Cameron Murray, Brendon Evers, Tyler Lacy, Israel Antwine, and Kyle Junior will breakout this season, if not multiple of those guys.

This past Tuesday, Gundy said next year there will probably be a lot of excitement about OSU’s defensive line because of those seven I just listed, only Scott and Junior are seniors.

There’s also a group of talented freshmen on campus. Jim Knowles pointed out early enrollee Jayden Jernigan as a guy who could contribute this season. Trace Ford has the talent to be dynamic, and Mike Scott raved to me about Kody Walterscheid’s potential.

Position Weaknesses

If it wasn’t obvious with everyone harping about it since last season ended, the group’s weakness is experience.

There isn’t one start at OSU in the 22 players listed above. OSU’s staff tried its best to nullify that with experience transfers and junior college bodies, but a lot about this unit will be an unknown until they’re in the thick of it.