Spring football is peaking from around the corner as February dissolves into March. The state of Texas is primed for a memorable year of football at the FBS level with Baylor and UTSA coming off conference championships, Houston returning most of its key players from a 12-2 squad, and Texas A&M loading up on five-star recruits. 

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football will look at the 10 best players at each position on the football field continuing with the defensive line. We began the series by examing the top 10 quarterbacks in the FBS ranks on Monday. 

Previous positions: QB | RB | WR | OL | TE

1. Siaki Ika, Baylor

2021 review: 25 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks 

2022 outlook: Ika, a transfer from LSU, paid immediate dividends for the Baylor defense. His impact is hard to measure with simple stats. The 6-4, 350-pound nose tackle might not record as many tackles or sacks that others on this list compile, but he takes on double teams and does the dirty work that allowed Baylor’s linebackers and safeties to roam free and make plays. Ika was the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2021 and should be a preseason All-Big 12 selection to start the 2022 season. 

2. DeVere Levelston, SMU 

2021 review: 38 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery 

2022 outlook: Levelston was left off All-AAC teams despite an impressive stat line. The DeSoto native started 11 of the Mustangs’ 12 contests in 2021, leading the team in tackles for loss and sacks. His 6.5 sacks were second in the AAC. Levelston provides experience and leadership, as well as pass rush ability, to a new-look SMU staff for the 2022 season. 

3. Praise Amaewhule, UTEP

2021 review: 39 tackles, 13 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles

2022 outlook: The Katy, Texas product is making a name for himself in West Texas. Amaewhule was awarded first-team All-Conference USA after an impactful sophomore season that helped UTEP reach a bowl game for the first time in years. He led the team with 13 tackles for loss and was tied for fifth in C-USA with 5.5 sacks. He also led the team with 10 quarterback hurries and was tied for second in the league with three forced fumbles. 

4. Derek Parish, Houston 

2021 review: 56 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks

2022 outlook: Parish was a second-team All-AAC selection after a strong junior campaign in 2021 that included 56 tackles and over five sacks. He’s a versatile player with starts at defensive end, linebacker, and fullback during his career at Houston. The Pearland native is a tenacious and aggressive defender who utilizes his lack of ideal height by winning leverage battles at the line of scrimmage. Houston lost a pair of talented defensive linemen to the NFL process after the 2021 season, so Parish’s role should only grow in 2022. 

5. Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech 

2021 review: 38 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 

2022 outlook: Wilson quietly posted seven sacks in 2021, which is more than anyone else on this list. Wilson, a senior from West Rusk High School, must be an every-down force for the Red Raiders in 2022 under a new head coach and defensive staff. Wilson spent his first two seasons of college football at Texas A&M prior to a transfer to Texas Tech before the start of the 2020 season. 

6. Ikenna Enechukwu, Rice 

2021 review: 48 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks 

2022 outlook: Enechukwu was honorable mention All-Conference USA as a sophomore in 2021. He’d likely be on the first or second team if the Owls won more than four games. He started all 12 games in 2021, nine at defensive tackle and three at defensive end. Enechukwu was effective in both roles, leading the team in quarterback hurries with 20, as well as in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks. Enechukwu is an emerging star on the Rice defensive line who should help ease the loss of Elijah Garcia. 

7. Dylan Horton, TCU

2021 review: 52 tackles, 9 TFL, 4 sacks

2022 outlook: Horton transferred from New Mexico to TCU prior to the 2020 season, and he immediately made an impact as a junior. That role grew in 2021, and he’ll take advantage of the extra year of eligibility offered due to the pandemic to become a household name in the Big 12 as a super senior in 2022. A product of Frisco High School, Horton is a physical defensive end who can hold the edge against the run and beat tackles as a pass rusher. Any defensive lineman with over 50 tackles plays with a high motor. 

8. Byron Murphy II, Texas 

2021 review: 15 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks

2022 outlook: Murphy is a budding star at Texas. He was impressive in his opportunities as a true freshman in 2021, and he’ll push for a starter’s load of snaps as a sophomore. The DeSoto product possesses a rare blend of strength and athleticism for a defensive tackle. He doesn’t possess ideal height or length, but that allows him to win leverage battles. He’s excellent with his hands at the point of attack and is a big favorite of defensive line coach Bo Davis. Murphy oozes NFL potential and is poised for a breakout season in 2022 as a sophomore. 

9. Jaxon Player, Baylor 

2021 review: 49 tackles, 14 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery 

2022 outlook: Player, a Waco native, returned home to play at Baylor for his final collegiate season after spending his first few years at Tulsa. He became an all-conference player in the AAC over the last two seasons. He’ll play alongside Ika to form the best defensive tackle duo in the Big 12. Player recorded a team-high 14 tackles for loss at Tulsa in 2021. 

10. Elijah Chatman, SMU

2021 review: 40 tackles, 10 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 fumble forced 

2022 outlook: Chatman and Levelston provide SMU with a pair of legitimate playmakers along the defensive line heading into the 2022 season under the direction of a new coaching staff. Chatman was named second-team All-AAC despite fewer sacks and tackles for loss as Levelston. The big man from Louisiana is a handful against the run and a tone-setter for the Mustangs defense because of his physical presence.