Spring Ball Notebook: Defensive Line
The UConn defensive line lost its best player in potential early-round NFL draft pick Travis Jones. Though Jones has departed, the team has done a great job to fill his role, as well as developing a game plan for the players at the helm. The Huskies' defensive line has taken shape and the starters seem to be set, at least for the Spring Showcase.
Projected Spring Game Depth Chart:
No. 95 Eric Watts, Jr, Defensive Tackle, Sumter, SC
No. 99 Sokoya McDuffie, rJr, Defensive Line, Florence, SC
No. 48 Kevon Jones, Sr, Defensive End, East Hartford, CT
The best piece the Huskies have returning is hybrid defensive end Kevon Jones. He will serve as a jackknife for the defense, playing what head coach Jim Mora calls the Razor position. Jones will be dropping more this year, playing a bit of outside linebacker, though his primary role will be to attack, something Mora says Jones is best at.
“We are having him do what he is best at doing, which is attacking more than dropping," Mora said. "He’s got heavy hands and can set the edge.”
Mora went on to talk of Jones’s versatility:
“He has the athleticism to drop on the flat and make a tackle, so I think that position is perfect for his skill set.”
Jones could be used as a blitzer roaming the line of scrimmage and has proven to be a key contributor in the run game. The East Hartford native is primed to be a key cog in the team's defensive plans and plans to improve on his 60 tackles and eight tackles for a loss from 2021.
Eric Watts is also returning after being a key contributor in 2021. Watts has great size, strength and quickness, and should be a key contributor in the middle of the defense. Watts finished 2021 with 40 tackles with six for a loss. Though it did not show up in the box score as often, Watts was a serious disruptor in the backfield and added eight quarterback hurries.
Sokoya McDuffie was added through the transfer portal, and after they lost one defensive lineman to the NFL, the Huskies may have added another future NFL lineman to the team. McDuffie has great size at 6-foot-5 and nearly 330 pounds and has shown tremendous athleticism. The South Carolina native has been lining up at 5-technique (defensive end), which shows that the Huskies are trending toward a base 3-4 defense for 2022. McDuffie finished the 2021 season with 28 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss and is looking to improve during the upcoming season.
With the Spring Showcase coming this Friday, the defensive line is set and there is excitement to see how strong and aggressive these three are going to be. Keep your eyes glued to Jones. I believe he is going to be an absolute force for the Huskies' defense for 2022.
