It’s defensive line season in college football.
Unofficially commenced by a January announcement that Austin Bryant, Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins would return to a Clemson defense that posted a nation-leading 44 sacks last season, the offseason of D-linemen has been hyped up thanks to projections across the collegiate and professional levels.
In CBS Sports’ top 100 NFL Draft prospects for 2019, six of the top 10 reside in the defensive trenches, including the top 4 of Nick Bosa, Ohio State; Ed Oliver, Houston; Rashan Gary, Michigan; and Dexter Lawrence, Clemson. Similarly, Sports Illustrated published a top 100 college football players list that featured six defensive linemen in the top 10.
Auburn fifth-year senior Dontavius Russell is found on neither of these lists.
Russell is entering his fourth year starting on position coach Rodney Garner’s line, but his production is often lost in analysis of Auburn’s unit, as Marlon Davidson, Nick Coe and Derrick Brown tend to demand attention.
If Russell’s coach had to describe him in a word, it would be one that usually motivates: underrated.
“(Russell is) a three-year starter, about to be a four-year starter, which is very rare in our league, very rare at Auburn,” Malzahn said at SEC Media Days on Thursday. “I really feel like he's one of the more underrated players in the league and doesn't get enough credit for what he does. He's a very unselfish player; he's very consistent.”
Malzahn isn’t the only big name to hold that opinion of Russell, a former four-star from Carrollton, Georgia. In a story published by ESPN last month, Russell was named the most underrated Auburn player for next season.
In terms of his unit, Russell is fine with the amount of publicity they’ve been garnering.
“We get enough recognition as it is,” Russell said Thursday in Atlanta. “I think the acknowledgement of people saying we’re overrated is enough.”
Often filed in the category of “elite” with the likes of Clemson, Michigan and Alabama, Auburn’s run stuffers and pass rushers have about as loaded a group as Malzahn could ask for, despite the departure of edge rusher Jeff Holland (9.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles). Davidson (3 sacks, 6 TFL, forced fumble) and Coe (2 sacks, 4.5 TFL) will occupy the ends while Brown (3 sacks, 9.5 TFL, 2 forced fumbles) and Russell (3 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, forced fumble, 2 passes deflected) will look to stifle the center and guards in the middle.
“From a talent standpoint, front seven, I've been at Auburn for I guess nine years, and this is a group that's at least as talented or more talented than we've had,” Malzahn said. “That's the strength of our team. But like we said, we’ve got to continue to get better.”
On the edge, sophomores T.D. Moultry and Big Kat Bryant are vying for Holland’s vacant Buck position. Russell said Thursday that he sees a work ethic in Moultry, Bryant and Coe that reminds him of his younger self, even though they play different positions along the line. Russell added that his backup, Tyrone Truesdell, motivates him more than any other teammate.
“I’m always going to give it my all, but that’s exactly how I feel," Russell said of the quartet. "You don’t have to worry about the situation where it’s coming out of the game because of the caliber of talent we have. We can rotate down and in and down and out, and not have to worry about it. We are in a good spot.”
Already boasting a group that goes nearly 10 deep in a 5-man scheme, Garner will add a hungry group of 2018 commits in the fall, including outside rusher Zakoby McClain, ends Richard Jibunor and Caleb Johnson, tackle Coynis Miller, and Daquan Newkirk, a four-star JUCO transfer who Malzahn says will be limited but back in time for fall camp.
For a workhorse like Russell, knowing capable talent can come in for relief at a moment’s notice is a dream come true.
“I’m always giving it my all, but I like (having depth) feels,” Russell said. “We don’t have to worry about not enough talent coming in. We can just rotate guys in and rotate guys out.”
Sitting at 37 career starts in a Tigers uniform, Russell said getting to 50 this season would be “unreal.” All in a five-year career’s work.
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
