Cincinnati Football's Dontay Corleone, Jack Dingle Make The Athletic's Annual Freaks List

UC is looking for big seasons out of these players.

Cincinnati Bearcats defensive tackle Dontay Corleone waits in line for drills during football practice, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI — The Athletic's Bruce Feldman dropped his annual freaks list this week and two Bearcats football players made the list: Defensive tackle Dontay Corleone (No. 31) and linebacker Jack Dingle (No. 69).

"'The Godfather' was No. 16 on this list last year," Feldman wrote. "In June, Cincinnati announced that its star defensive lineman was out indefinitely and was being treated for blood clots in his lungs. In July, coach Scott Satterfield said Corleone has returned to conditioning work with the team, and I’m told the team is optimistic he will be back this fall.

"The Godfather is a rare talent. He’s 6-1 and 330 pounds. He wears size 18 shoes and has size 11 hands. He benched 485 pounds but moves really well, clocking a 1.71-second 10-yard split and a 2.81 20. He has topped out at 18.7 mph. In 2022, Corleone was PFF’s highest-rated defensive player. His 7.44 3-cone this offseason would’ve been the fastest by another defensive tackle over 300 pounds at this year’s combine, and he’s way over 300. If Corleone isn’t the strongest Bearcats player, another strong Freak-worthy option is Luke Kandra, Cincinnati’s returning All-America right guard who benched 485 pounds and did 32 reps of 225. The 322-pounder topped out at 19.16 mph and had a 4.57-second pro agility time."

Dingle is looking to command the linebacker position more after starting in 2023.

"The son of former NFL player Nate Dingle, a Cincinnati team captain in the 1990s, Jack is 6-3 1/2, 240 pounds and built like an Adonis, coaches say. He benched 395 pounds this offseason and did 26 reps at 225," Feldman wrote. "He clocked a 1.54-second 10-yard split, hit 21.99 mph on the GPS and had a 4.21 pro agility shuttle to go with a 33-inch vertical and a 9-11 broad jump. Last fall, he made 53 tackles and had five TFLs, one sack, one quarterback hurry and two fumble recoveries."

Both players will be key parts of a potential defensive turnaround this coming season.

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