The program was already positioned for success on the recruiting trail after a strong 11-2 first season under head coach Curt Cignetti followed by a 12-0 regular season and a Big Ten championship in 2025. Then Indiana went on a sensational run through the College Football Playoff before holding off Miami in the National Championship Game.

Following the departure of defensive line coach Domata Peko, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders could go in numerous different directions.

In the wake of Michigan pummeling Penn State for 418 rushing yards in 2022, then-coach James Franklin infamously called out his own program for not being big enough on the defensive line. It was an inflection point in his push for an athletics-specific cafeteria on campus, which opened officially in 2025.

It seems that Texas Tech will continue to thrive, as Rivals' Steve Wiltfong has predicted that they will land four-star defensive lineman George Toia. The 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive lineman hails from Texas and is ranked as one of the top 60 players in the country by ESPN.

DeShawn Williams was a three-year starter for the Broncos, and now he'll reportedly help the Sooners' defense remain stout.

The Arkansas Razorbacks have brought in raw talent on the defensive line after they were left with a lot of holes to fill following the 2025 season.

When the Dallas Cowboys hired Marcus Dixon, I didn’t see it as a headline move. What I saw was a structural hire, and it tells me exact where this defense is heading.

Thursday, Michigan football defensive line coach Lou Esposito was hired by the Baltimore Ravens to serve the same role.

Jesse Minter has dipped into the college ranks again, as the Ravens are reportedly hiring Defensive Line Coach Lou Esposito, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. Esposito, 48, spent the past two seasons coaching defensive linemen at the University of Michigan. He didn't overlap with Minter, who was the Wolverines' defensive coordinator in 2022-2023.

The Oregon Ducks started National Signing Day by adding former Howard Bison defensive lineman Derrick Brown Jr. via the transfer portal. Brown is set to bolster the Ducks' defensive line depth with his experience.

The 49ers off-season plan was to obtain defensive players through trades and the draft in order to compensate for the veteran players, mostly leaving through free agency. One of those new players was second-round draft pick.