Kentucky Wildcats Football Position Preview: Defensive Line

Who to Watch For

DE Za’Darius Smith

The #1 JUCO defensive end prospect in the 2013 class accounted for 66 tackles and 11 sacks in two seasons at East Mississippi Community College. During the 2012 JUCO season, he recorded 6.5 sacks and forced four fumbles on his way to being named to the National Junior College Football All-America Team. He was rated a 4-star prospect by every major scouting service, and was a massive get for the Cats, who graduated both of their starting defensive ends in Collins Ukwu and Taylor Wyndham.

Thr  6-5, 260-pounder has a reported 4.7 speed in the 40-yard dash, and is a freak athlete who will immediately make an impact in the SEC. He has three years to play two seasons

Expect to see Smith as one of the starting DEs when the Cats head to Nashville to open their season against Western Kentucky. With WKU and Miami (OH) on the docket first, Smith will get a chance to ease his way nit to rue college football before facing the grind of the SEC. Expect to see him on one of the All-SEC teams at the end of the year, and don’t be shocked if the NFL comes calling and Smith ends up being “one-and-done”.

With his frame & skill-set, combined with the pedigree Mark Stoops has in getting players to the NFL, there’s no reason to think Stoops can’t get him to the NFL in just one season.

DE Jason Hatcher

Hatcher is an Army All American who fans can expect to step in and play, if not start, right away. Though projected to be a DE in college, Hatcher has the speed to play outside linebacker. He’s tremendously quick off the line and fast in pursuit.

He relies on speed and quickness rather than strength. Because of this skill set, he’ll be able to make an impact early in his college career, because he doesn’t rely on strength as much and won’t need 1-2 years in a college weight-lifting program to develop that strength to where he can use it against SEC-quality lineman.

Speed translates faster into college than strength, and that’s why Hatcher should be expected to be on the field early for UK this season.  He needs to keep working on his ability to take on the double team, which typically involes 1-2 years in a college weight-lifting program. This may lead to him starting out as a situational pass-rusher, but will eventually develop into an every-down d-lineman.