Risers In The CFB Saturdays College Football DE Rankings: December 9, 2020

As the season winds down and with a larger sample size to see the best players, we have updated the College Football DE rankings. A few notes before we discuss the rankings themselves.

• The rankings will be updated throughout the season.
• Players who have not played college football are not eligible for the rankings.
• Players are graded on their college ability, not their pro potential.
• We are judging players on their film, production and physical tools.

You can view the college football DE rankings here.

Here is a look at a few of the defensive ends who have made big moves up in the rankings.

Jaelan Phillips – Miami

Phillips was one of the risers in our October 16 update as well but has continued to get better as the season has progressed. Phillips’ return to football continues to be a huge success. He gets better every week and his game is more refined today than it was just two months ago. The production over that span speaks for itself, Phillips has made 9.5 tackles for loss and 6 sacks in the last three games Miami has played, at least doubling his totals from the season in those three games. Phillips has taken a long journey to this point but is making up for lost time quickly, he continues to add to his arsenal of pass rushing moves and improve his technique on an almost weekly basis. Phillips has validated his recruiting ranking coming out of high school and has a bright future on the football field.

Joseph Ossai – Texas

Texas’ season has not gone as the Longhorn faithful would have liked, but Ossai has been a bright spot on defense. Ossai is a defensive end/ linebacker who is more of a hybrid player than a true defensive end or linebacker. His combination of size, speed and athleticism make him tough for offensive tackles to block. Ossai has an explosive first step and a relentless motor in pursuit, he can create mismatches and make big plays in bunches. His versatility allows Texas to create confusion and use Ossai in a variety of packages and spots so the offensive line cannot lock in on him. Ossai is one of the best pass rushers in the Big 12 and has had an excellent season in 2020.

Ossai has been the Longhorn’s best defensive player in 2020. Through nine games this season, he has recorded 55 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 3 fumbles forced and 1 fumble recovery. His 16 tackles for loss lead the Big 12 and his 5 sacks rank him 8th in the Big 12. Ossai was tremendous in Texas’ win over Oklahoma State, racking up 12 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and a fumble forced. Ossai has shown the ability to pressure the quarterback and almost single handedly wreck the offensive game-plan.

Zion Tupuola-Fetui – Washington

Tupuola-Fetui was a member of the Huskies 2018 recruiting class and had not played much during his first two seasons with the team. He was busy in the weight room adding the strength and weight that helped him win the starting job in 2020. Tupuola-Fetui is an athletic and nimble athlete who defies the norms for a player that is 6’3″ 280 lbs, as evidenced by his history as a high school volleyball player. He has excellent pass rushing skills and a competitive streak that is evident in the way he plays. Tupuola-Fetui is off to an excellent start for the Huskies and still has plenty of room to get better as he gains experience.

Tupuola-Fetui put Pac 12 defenses on notice quickly this season recording 13 tackles with 7 sacks, 3 fumbles forced and a pass breakup through four games. Tupuola-Fetui has multiple sacks in each of his first three games, all wins for the Huskies. His impact as a pass rusher has been tremendous for a Washington team that lost two key defensive linemen before the season when Joe Tryon and Levi Onwuzurike opted out. Expect Tupuola-Fetui to continue to excel for the Huskies and become a star in the Pac 12.

Jonathan Cooper – Ohio State

Jonathan Cooper red-shirted after playing in four games during an injury plagued 2019 to attempt to have a healthy 2020 season to showcase his abilities. That opportunity almost didn’t come to fruition as the Big Ten originally cancelled the 2020 season. The season has since been reinstated and Cooper has taken full advantage of his opportunity. He is an intelligent, high effort player who is effective as a pass rusher and against the run. Cooper is the undisputed leader of a talented Ohio State defensive line that leads one of the best run defenses in college football. Cooper is a complete and balanced player who is almost always in position to make the play.

Cooper’s stats do not tell the full story of how impactful he has been for the Buckeyes. Through five games, he has made 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass break up. Cooper has been key to Ohio State’s ability to defend quarterback run recently, an area the Buckeyes struggled in against Nebraska in the season opener. He leads a defensive line that lost three starters from a year ago, including the second pick in the draft, Chase Young. Cooper has a couple more games to impress in 2020, but his play has moved him into the top 25 of our rankings.

Click here for the Top 25 DE Rankings.

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