2016 Position Preview - DL

It’s game week, Raider fans. We’ve already taken a look down the depth chart of the Blue Raider offense, but before MT squares off against Alabama A&M this Saturday, it’s time for GoMiddle.com take a look at the defensive depth chart.

We’ll get things started with the defensive line.

The d-line was a fairly experienced group in 2015 and will only be more tenured when the 2016 campaign kicks off. MT only needed to replace one starter from last year and is going field four seniors in the trenches.

Steven Rhodes - A focal point that the team will to lean on in a multitude of ways, Rhodes is well respected and seen as one of MT’s most important leaders. He has all tools one wants to see coming off the edge, and appears stronger than ever heading into his senior campaign. Expect nothing but the best from this 27-year-old in his last season.

Chris Hale - Hale shared the team lead in sacks last season with four while totaling 28 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. After missing out on MT’s Bahamas Bowl appearance last year due to academic reasons, Hale showed maturity, buckled down and finished his degree over the summer. Given his tool set and now a more mature outlook, Hale should finish his career with an excellent season.

Jimal McBride - Having played in 34 games for MT, McBride is getting his first crack at a starter spot this season. He’s a big body in the middle, weighing in at 320 pounds and is great against the run. Everyone is hoping McBride’s patience will pay off this season with a solid performance. He’s been fantastic in his back-up roles up until now, so the staff is certainly not expecting a drop off in performance from him anytime soon.

Shaquille Huff - Huff has started in 25 straight games for MT which speaks volumes about his durability. At 329 pounds, Huff solidifies the middle of the line with McBride, where Huff is excellent against the run. With experience and size on his side, Huff should showcase that again this season.

This unit is arguably the most experienced group coming into the 2016 season and the defense is going to lean heavily on them with major changes going on in the secondary and linebacking corps. However, with all four of these guys being seniors, younger players are going to need to step up to add depth and give fans a glimpse of the future for each of these positions.

There are quite a few players fans will want to keep an eye on this year. While not on the two-deep of MT’s initial depth chart, Tyshun Render, Trae Philpots and Malik Manciel are three players that could see significant snaps as the season progresses. Each player redshirted last year and has had time to get used to the fast pace and physicality of the college game. Stockstill and company will be hoping that time pays off in the form of productive minutes this season.

The future could very well be shaped by these guys and seeing them get some playing time will be huge steps in their development and growth.