Position-U · Career-credit methodology
Defensive Line Position-U Rankings
Stars2Stats ranks programs by the production, development beyond recruiting expectations, consistency, and elite outcomes of their eligible interior defensive line signees from the published 2004–2016 recruiting classes.
2004–2016 recruiting classes · 117 ranked programs · Data through 2026-08-16
What the score measures
Stars2Stats evaluates defensive line outcomes associated with each program’s recruited players. Defensive tackle and nose tackle labels are ranked as interior Defensive Line. Defensive ends are never mapped into this group; they are ranked as Edge. Confidence is separate from rank. Earnings do not determine the headline score.
Production · 35%
Total demonstrated outcomes from eligible interior defensive line signees.
Development · 35%
How outcomes compared with recruiting expectations.
Consistency · 20%
How often a program produced positive outcomes across recruiting classes.
Elite Ceiling · 10%
Capped credit for the highest-level outcomes.
Rankings
Official ranks come from the Position-U snapshot. Scores are normalized within the eligible defensive line ranking population.
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| Official rank | Program | Overall | Production | Development | Sample | Confidence | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 24 | High confidence | ||
| 2 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 44 | High confidence | ||
| 3 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 34 | High confidence | ||
| 4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 40 | High confidence | ||
| 5 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 33 | High confidence | ||
| 6 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 32 | High confidence | ||
| 7 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 22 | High confidence | ||
| 8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 35 | High confidence | ||
| 9 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 31 | High confidence | ||
| 10 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 17 | Medium confidence | ||
| 11 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 28 | High confidence | ||
| 12 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 39 | High confidence | ||
| 13 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 24 | High confidence | ||
| 14 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 34 | Medium confidence | ||
| 15 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 16 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 17 | 0.8 | 1.6 | -0.1 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 18 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 19 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 26 | Medium confidence | ||
| 20 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 28 | High confidence | ||
| 21 | 0.7 | 1.7 | -0.4 | 31 | High confidence | ||
| 22 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 41 | High confidence | ||
| 23 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 16 | High confidence | ||
| 24 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 25 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 23 | High confidence | ||
| 26 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 24 | High confidence | ||
| 27 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 38 | High confidence | ||
| 28 | 0.5 | 1.5 | -0.7 | 38 | Medium confidence | ||
| 29 | 0.5 | -0.2 | 0.9 | 19 | High confidence | ||
| 30 | 0.4 | 0.9 | -0.2 | 26 | High confidence | ||
| 31 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 29 | Medium confidence | ||
| 32 | 0.4 | 1.0 | -0.5 | 37 | High confidence | ||
| 33 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 30 | Medium confidence | ||
| 34 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 36 | Medium confidence | ||
| 35 | 0.4 | -0.1 | 1.3 | 22 | Medium confidence | ||
| 36 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 37 | 0.3 | 0.8 | -0.1 | 32 | High confidence | ||
| 38 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 21 | High confidence | ||
| 39 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 26 | High confidence | ||
| 40 | 0.3 | -0.2 | 1.7 | 18 | Medium confidence | ||
| 41 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 25 | Medium confidence | ||
| 42 | 0.3 | -0.3 | 1.1 | 20 | Limited confidence | ||
| 43 | 0.3 | 0.9 | -0.9 | 32 | High confidence | ||
| 44 | 0.2 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 33 | High confidence | ||
| 45 | 0.2 | 0.4 | -0.1 | 21 | High confidence | ||
| 46 | 0.2 | -0.1 | 0.3 | 26 | Medium confidence | ||
| 47 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 33 | High confidence | ||
| 48 | 0.2 | -0.3 | 0.6 | 28 | Medium confidence | ||
| 49 | 0.1 | -0.2 | 0.5 | 23 | Limited confidence | ||
| 50 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -0.3 | 19 | High confidence | ||
| 51 | 0.1 | 0.7 | -0.7 | 27 | High confidence | ||
| 52 | 0.1 | 0.3 | -0.5 | 29 | High confidence | ||
| 53 | 0.1 | -0.0 | 0.2 | 23 | High confidence | ||
| 54 | 0.1 | 0.2 | -0.2 | 33 | High confidence | ||
| 55 | 0.1 | 0.6 | -0.3 | 34 | High confidence | ||
| 56 | 0.1 | -0.0 | 0.0 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 57 | 0.1 | -0.6 | 1.1 | 23 | Limited confidence | ||
| 58 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -0.2 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 59 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 27 | Medium confidence | ||
| 60 | 0.1 | 0.1 | -0.2 | 33 | Medium confidence | ||
| 61 | 0.0 | -0.1 | 0.4 | 28 | High confidence | ||
| 62 | 0.0 | 0.5 | -0.5 | 28 | High confidence | ||
| 63 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -0.3 | 30 | Medium confidence | ||
| 64 | 0.0 | 0.1 | -0.0 | 28 | Medium confidence | ||
| 65 | -0.0 | -0.3 | 0.6 | 31 | High confidence | ||
| 66 | -0.0 | -0.2 | 0.0 | 19 | Limited confidence | ||
| 67 | -0.0 | 0.1 | -0.4 | 33 | High confidence | ||
| 68 | -0.1 | -0.1 | 0.3 | 20 | High confidence | ||
| 69 | -0.1 | 0.1 | -0.6 | 31 | Medium confidence | ||
| 70 | -0.1 | -0.3 | 0.2 | 29 | High confidence | ||
| 71 | -0.1 | -0.3 | 0.4 | 23 | Medium confidence | ||
| 72 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 0.2 | 24 | High confidence | ||
| 73 | -0.1 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 33 | Medium confidence | ||
| 74 | -0.1 | -0.4 | 0.1 | 23 | High confidence | ||
| 75 | -0.2 | -0.3 | -0.3 | 20 | High confidence | ||
| 76 | -0.2 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 77 | -0.2 | -0.5 | -0.2 | 28 | High confidence | ||
| 78 | -0.3 | 0.2 | -0.9 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 79 | -0.3 | -0.5 | -0.1 | 27 | Medium confidence | ||
| 80 | -0.3 | -0.2 | -0.9 | 22 | High confidence | ||
| 81 | -0.3 | -0.8 | 0.0 | 18 | Medium confidence | ||
| 82 | -0.3 | -0.3 | -0.9 | 31 | High confidence | ||
| 83 | -0.3 | -0.5 | 0.1 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 84 | -0.3 | -0.7 | -0.7 | 32 | Limited confidence | ||
| 85 | -0.4 | 0.3 | -1.5 | 35 | High confidence | ||
| 86 | -0.4 | -0.5 | 0.1 | 17 | Medium confidence | ||
| 87 | -0.4 | -0.6 | -0.2 | 29 | Medium confidence | ||
| 88 | -0.4 | -0.7 | 0.1 | 22 | Medium confidence | ||
| 89 | -0.4 | -0.5 | -0.2 | 27 | Medium confidence | ||
| 90 | -0.4 | -0.6 | -0.6 | 27 | Medium confidence | ||
| 91 | -0.5 | -0.4 | -0.6 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 92 | -0.5 | -0.7 | -0.1 | 18 | High confidence | ||
| 93 | -0.6 | -0.8 | -0.7 | 27 | Medium confidence | ||
| 94 | -0.6 | -0.8 | -0.1 | 25 | Medium confidence | ||
| 95 | -0.6 | -0.4 | -0.7 | 31 | Medium confidence | ||
| 96 | -0.6 | -0.3 | -0.7 | 36 | High confidence | ||
| 97 | -0.6 | -0.5 | -0.6 | 33 | High confidence | ||
| 98 | -0.6 | -0.5 | -0.8 | 31 | High confidence | ||
| 99 | -0.6 | 0.5 | -1.8 | 32 | High confidence | ||
| 100 | -0.6 | -0.9 | -0.4 | 34 | Medium confidence | ||
| 101 | -0.6 | -0.9 | -0.5 | 19 | Medium confidence | ||
| 102 | -0.7 | -0.3 | -1.1 | 23 | Medium confidence | ||
| 103 | -0.7 | -0.8 | -0.3 | 24 | High confidence | ||
| 104 | -0.8 | -0.8 | -0.7 | 32 | Limited confidence | ||
| 105 | -0.8 | -0.8 | -0.7 | 30 | High confidence | ||
| 106 | -0.8 | -1.1 | 0.0 | 16 | Limited confidence | ||
| 107 | -0.8 | -0.6 | -1.4 | 39 | Medium confidence | ||
| 108 | -0.8 | -0.7 | -1.2 | 34 | High confidence | ||
| 109 | -0.8 | -0.4 | -1.3 | 40 | High confidence | ||
| Prov. | ArmyProvisional | -0.9 | -1.6 | 0.2 | 11 | Limited confidence | |
| 111 | -0.9 | -1.2 | -0.9 | 19 | Limited confidence | ||
| 112 | -1.0 | -1.0 | -1.0 | 21 | Medium confidence | ||
| 113 | -1.0 | -0.9 | -1.1 | 25 | High confidence | ||
| 114 | -1.1 | -0.9 | -1.4 | 27 | High confidence | ||
| 115 | -1.1 | -1.2 | -1.5 | 26 | Limited confidence | ||
| 116 | -1.2 | -1.3 | -1.4 | 21 | Medium confidence | ||
| 117 | -1.3 | -1.4 | -1.8 | 13 | Limited confidence | ||
| 118 | -1.6 | -1.3 | -1.8 | 23 | Limited confidence |
Limited / not ranked programs
These programs do not meet the competitive sample minimum for an official Position-U rank.
- Air Force — 9 eligible players · Not ranked
- Charlotte — 3 eligible players · Not ranked
- Coastal Carolina — 1 eligible players · Not ranked
- Jacksonville State — 3 eligible players · Not ranked
- James Madison — 5 eligible players · Not ranked
- Liberty — 3 eligible players · Not ranked
- Massachusetts — 5 eligible players · Not ranked
- Old Dominion — 3 eligible players · Not ranked
- Sam Houston — 3 eligible players · Not ranked
- Texas State — 1 eligible players · Not ranked
- UTSA — 6 eligible players · Not ranked
Technical methodology details
Methodology version: position_u_v2_career_credit_60_35_5
Snapshot ID: DL__position_u_v2_career_credit_60_35_5__published-2004-2016__07c2cc12ca02
Data revision: published-2004-2016-cutoff-20260816
Expectation baseline uses star rating first with national-rank fallback. Scoring model is a balanced hierarchical composite (Production 35%, Development 35%, Consistency 20%, Elite Ceiling 10%).
Confidence and sample guidance
- High confidence — solid sample, class coverage, and expectation coverage with balanced contribution.
- Medium confidence — usable sample with some coverage or concentration caveats.
- Limited confidence — interpret cautiously; sample or coverage is thin or highly concentrated.
- Not ranked — below competitive sample thresholds; no official Position-U rank.
Methodology
C1 composite with player-level career outcome and 60/35/5 school credit (college / NFL launch / origin recruiting). Unused launch weight returns only to the college-contribution pool. Top contributors are ranked by schoolPositionUPoints.
- Eligible years: published 2004–2016 recruiting classes.
- A player’s career result can be split across schools. Credit is 60% college contribution, up to 35% NFL launch (gated by participation), and 5% original recruiting. Unused launch share returns only to the college-contribution pool.
- Walk-ons who were not recruited into the cohort are outside the ranking.
- Defensive Line uses the same published methodology version as every other Position-U ranking except QB U.
- Defensive tackle and nose tackle labels are ranked as interior Defensive Line. Defensive ends are never mapped into this group; they are ranked as Edge.
- Headline model: Career-credit Position-U composite (Production / Development / Consistency / Elite Ceiling).
- NFL earnings are supporting evidence only, scaled by schoolCredit, and are not part of the headline score.
- Career-credit: 60% college contribution, 35% NFL launch, 5% origin recruiting. Destination schools may sit outside the published origin window.
- Top contributors are the five highest schoolPositionUPoints at the school, not original-signee outcome.
- Ranked programs need at least 12 eligible players. Provisional band is 10–11 when present.
Rankings cover published recruiting classes 2004–2016. Additional position rankings are added only after data and methodology validation.
Related exploration
- Quarterback Position-U rankings
- Wide Receiver Position-U rankings
- Running Back Position-U rankings
- Tight End Position-U rankings
- Offensive Line Position-U rankings
- Edge Position-U rankings
- Linebacker Position-U rankings
- Cornerback Position-U rankings
- Safety Position-U rankings
- Program directory
- 2016 recruiting class ReRankings