#CampCuse Position Preview: Defensive Line

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange have the benefit of starter's experience all across the defensive front line. It's a grouping that came together in 2017 and now heads into 2018 with a common familiarity.

Redshirt senior defensive tackle Chris Slayton said as much at last month's ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte.

"We have so much depth on the d-line," Slayton said. "It's as much as it's been as long as I've been here. (There's) so much depth, and everybody is getting better."

Slayton is the veteran of the bunch. He has started 24 straight games. A three-year letterwinner, he contributed 28 tackles, including 8.5 for losses, last fall. Generally considered the strongest player on the team, a video of Slayton squatting 700 pounds made the rounds earlier this summer on social media. In addition, he's the team's active leader in games started (29), tackles for loss (24.5), sacks (6) and forced fumbles (4).

The top candidate to occupy the other interior spot is McKinley Williams, a junior nose tackle who made five starts and had 25 tackles in 2017. Williams is a bit of an athletic freak in his own right, able to do a back handspring at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds.

At defensive end, junior Kendall Coleman made 19 appearances with the first team the last two years. He was slowed by injuries in 2017 and has been limited again thus far in preseason camp. When healthy, Coleman is one of position coach Steve Stanard's most consistent performers. Coleman logged 28 total tackles a year ago.

Should Coleman be healthy enough to play Week 1, he will likely line up opposite junior Alton Robinson. Robinson arrived last August from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and started the final 10 games of the season. His 30 tackles led all down linemen and his five quarterback sacks, including two against Florida State, topped the team.

The Orange have solid reserves ready behind Slayton in junior Kenneth Ruff and redshirt sophomore Josh Black. Both players have successfully transitioned from other positions. Ruff arrived on campus in January 2016 as a linebacker and also has defensive end experience. Ruff played in all 12 games on the interior last season, while Black, a converted defensive end himself, received a medical redshirt after appearing in just four games. Sophomore Chris Elmore, a fullback/tight end last season, shifted to nose tackle in the spring and has spent portions of fall camp working with defense in addition to his responsibilities on offense.

The other returning lettermen in the unit are defensive ends Brandon Berry, a redshirt junior who logged six starts in 2017, sophomore Kingsley Jonathan, and redshirt junior Jake Pickard. Both Berry and Jonathan have gotten increased reps during camp with Coleman out of the lineup. Pickard is coming back from offseason surgery and is slowly working his way back into game shape.

Sophomore defensive tackle Shaq Grosvenor played sparingly last fall. Also in the mix following their redshirt seasons are Curtis Harper and Zach Morton. Harper plays inside and was rated the No. 3 defensive tackle in Pennsylvania coming out of McKeesport High School. Morton, who suffered an injury early in camp, was listed as one of the top 50 defensive ends in the country by ESPN after starring for Michigan prep powerhouse Cass Technical High School.

Freshman Caleb Okechukwu is making the most of his first collegiate training camp. The Under Armour All-American has seen valuable practice time because of injuries at the defensive end position. Okechukwu had 15 sacks as a senior at St. John's College High School (D.C.), where he led the Cadets to a 9-2 overall record, the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship, and the No. 25 ranking in the final 2017 USA Today Super 25 poll.

Syracuse kicks off the 2018 campaign Friday, Aug. 31 at Western Michigan. The Orange's first home game is Saturday, Sept. 8 versus Wagner.

Season and individual game tickets for Orange football are on sale now online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at $125 for Syracuse's six home games. Single-game tickets start at $20 for Wagner and $25 for the Connecticut game on Sept. 22. For Syracuse's four Atlantic Coast Conference games, tickets are available for as little as $35.

For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).

Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Brandon Berry

Josh Black

Kendall Coleman

Chris Elmore

Shaq Grosvenor

Curtis Harper

Kingsley Jonathan

Zach Morton

Caleb Okechukwu

Jake Pickard

Alton Robinson

Kenneth Ruff

Chris Slayton

McKinley Williams

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