During last year’s Red Wolves Spring Game, one guy on the defensive side stood out to me more than anybody: sophomore defensive end Keyron Crawford. Only in his second year, Crawford looked the part. He was violent at the point of attack. At 6’4″, 244 pounds, he had size. He had reasonable speed. By year’s end, Crawford collected five and half sacks and 22 solo tackles, which wasn’t quite enough to rank him among the Sun Belt’s best, but enough to attract the attention of Auburn head coach (and former Red Wolves head coach) Hugh Freeze.

The Red Wolves have a history for developing successful and aggressive (if undersized) defensive ends like Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, William Bradley-King and Ronheen Bingham. Crawford seemed to be positioned to seize the mantle, but it wasn’t too be. Rather than gnash his teeth and shake his fist to the heavens, Butch Jones worked over the off season to stack the position. Last season, the Red Wolves listed eight players at defensive end. This year, the roster cites twelve – a mixture of familiar talents, welcome transfers, and promising freshmen.

Significant Losses: Keyron Crawford, Dennard Flowers, Thurman Geathers

Dennard Flowers (transferred; currently unclaimed) wasn’t as prominent on the defensive edge as Crawford, but losing the experience and depth wasn’t ideal – especially for a defensive line that has struggled to menace the quarterback (Arkansas State finished last season 11th in the Sun Belt for sacks).

Ending his career in Jonesboro was reliable defensive end Thurman Geathers, who dished out three sacks and 26 solo tackles last year. While the combo of Crawford and Geathers didn’t produce a great many nightmares for opposing QBS, the two were a dynamic and dependable presence who were part of a defense that made significant improvements in 2023.

Significant Retentions: Blayne Toll

Blayne Toll (6’6″ 270-pounds), a highly touted talent from Hazen, AR, was offered by Tennessee, Auburn, Baylor and Arkansas State before choosing Arkansas. He’d transfer to Colorado the next season, then transfer again to Arkansas State for 2022. He enters the season a senior.

Toll saw his reps at defensive end increase as the season grew in 2023, when he recorded 11 tackles and a couple of sacks. Over the past couples seasons, Defensive Coordinator Rob Harley has moved away from the traditional “two DE sets,” preferring to focus more on trench warfare. This year, Toll is expected to play deeper inside the defensive line interior alongside senior Ethan Hassler, another lightish DE/DL hybrid.

Notable Transfers: Kamari Stephens, Bryan Whitehead, Noah Collins, and Micaiah Overton

Like Toll, Micaiah Overton (Texas A&M, 6’4″ 304-pounds) is listed as a defensive end, but the big man is projected to see more time in the interior platooning with returning junior Nate Martey (6’1″ 288-pounds). Bryan Whitehead (Liberty, 6’1″ 252-pounds) and Noah Collins (Georgia Tech, 6’5″ 248-pounds) are both 2-deep guys who should see their share of reps.

The man to look for may be Kamari Stephens (Florida A&M/Jacksonville State, 6’3″ 251-pounds), who in 2022 delivered 8.5 sacks and thirteen tackles for the Florida A&M and was named to the All-SWAC First Team. In 2023, Stephens appeared in 12 games for his new team Jacksonville State, recording 12 tackles on the season, including 5.5 for a loss and 3.5 sacks. Recruited in 2019, Stephens is the most experienced member of the defensive end squad.

Intriguing Newcomers: Marcus Bradley and Jayden Jones

Marcus Bradley (UMass, 6’3″ 242-pounds) was a 24/7 four-star recruit in 2021 with offers from Arizona and Arkansas before signing with Vanderbilt. The next season, he transferred to Massachusetts and totaled 21 tackles and 3.5 sacks in two years of play. Now rostered with the Red Wolves, is this the season Bradley wields his four-star potential?

A three-star recruit in 2021, Jaden Jones (SMU, 6’5″ 262-pounds) fielded offers from Arizona and Colorado before signing with the Mustangs. Jones played in 20 career games with the Mustangs, making 16 total tackles, battling injuries while struggling to break the two-deep. A fresh start in Jonesboro could be what the doctor ordered.

Freshmen to Watch: Drew Collins and Gideon Herbert

True freshman tend to find playing time under Butch Jones only out of extreme necessity. Thanks to the depth of position, we wouldn’t expect to see much this year from Drew Collins (6’4″ 235-pounds), a three-star talent out of Adamsville, AL. Collins was popular on the recruiting circuit, fielding offers from Austin Peay, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Troy, UAB and Western Kentucky.

Gideon Herbert (6’3″ 239-pounds) is an ESPN 3-star recruit out of Georgia who enjoyed offers from Appalachian State, Austin Peay, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Columbia, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Georgia State, James Madison, Liberty, Miami (OH), Middle Tennessee, Princeton, Samford, South Alabama, Southern Illinois, Troy, Tulane, Western Kentucky and Yale. Both he and Collins saw action in the Spring Game this year.

Verdict

Much in the way he was compelled to fix the offensive line, Jones has dipped into the transfer portal for an influx of bodies as he waits for recruited talent to mature. Stephens and Whitehead look like solid contributors, and Bradley and Jones could be surprise hits. Toll and Overton may be more interior guys than edge, but the Red Wolves should deliver significant production. However, this is a largely unknown unit loaded with mercenaries.

GRADE: B-

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