You can have all the speed you want on defense.
If you can’t win up front, eventually somebody is going to run the football right at you.
The Suburban One League brings back a deep group of defensive linemen and edge defenders in 2026, with proven All-SOL selections, disruptive interior players, veteran edge rushers and several two-way big men who rarely get much of a break on Friday nights.
And this list is exactly why we don’t just copy the All-League teams.
There are players here who piled up 13, 14 and even 15 tackles for loss without receiving First Team recognition.
For this group, we looked at 2025 production, All-SOL recognition, returning-starting experience, disruption behind the line of scrimmage and projected role in 2026.
Top Returning Defensive Linemen and Edge Defenders
Djecy Ngoyi — Souderton — ’27 — DE
Ngoyi enters 2026 as one of the most established edge defenders in the league.
The First Team All-SOL Continental defensive end recorded 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season and returns to headline an experienced Souderton front.
He has the size to play physically against the run and enough burst to create problems off the edge.
And with another Ngoyi lining up next to him?
Souderton’s defensive front should be fun.
Corey Keenoy-Webb — Neshaminy — ’27 — EDGE/TE
Keenoy-Webb may be listed at tight end on the roster, but his defensive production says edge rusher loud and clear.
He finished 2025 with 50 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in 13 games.
Read those last two numbers again.
17 tackles for loss.
10.5 sacks.
That is game-wrecking production off the edge.
At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Keenoy-Webb gives Neshaminy another proven senior playmaker up front and enters 2026 as one of the most productive returning pass rushers in the Suburban One League.
If you’re an offensive tackle, you better know where No. 6 is lined up.
Gavin Sailer — Council Rock South — ’27 — DL
Sailer was a First Team All-SOL Continental selection during Council Rock South’s 10-win season and finished with 10 tackles for loss.
That’s the number that gets our attention.
Ten plays blown up behind the line of scrimmage from a defensive lineman is real production.
CR South loses some major pieces from last year’s front, which means Sailer now becomes one of the veterans expected to set the tone.
Sam Comer — Pennsbury — ’27 — DT/TE
Now this is interior production.
Comer finished 2025 with 33 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six sacks while earning Honorable Mention All-SOL National honors.
Six sacks from a defensive tackle?
Yeah.
We noticed.
Pennsbury believes its defensive front can be one of the strengths of the team, and Comer is right in the middle of it.
Michael Smith — Council Rock South — ’27 — DT/OL
Here’s one of our favorite finds from this entire series.
Smith recorded 45 tackles and 15 tackles for loss last season.
Fifteen.
And somehow, he didn't appear on the 2025 All-SOL defensive team.
Forget the postseason award for a minute.
If an interior defensive lineman is getting into the backfield 15 times, he belongs on this list.
That’s disruption.
Liam Laphen — Central Bucks West — ’27 — DE/TE
Laphen earned First Team All-SOL National honors at defensive end while also being selected Second Team All-SOL at tight end.
That tells you plenty about the type of player CB West has here.
The 6-foot-2 senior returns as a starting defensive end for a West defense loaded with experienced players at all three levels.
He may not have the flashy stat line attached to some of the others.
First Team National speaks loudly enough.
Dan Kirk — Central Bucks East — ’27 — DE/OL
How about 13.5 tackles for loss from a 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive end?
Kirk did exactly that last season while also becoming one of District 1’s better offensive linemen. He has since committed to Monmouth and returns as a three-year varsity starter who will anchor both fronts for CB East.
Thirteen-and-a-half TFL.
At 280 pounds.
That’s a problem.
Kevin Williams — Upper Dublin — ’27 — DL/TE
Williams gives Upper Dublin a big, productive two-way athlete up front.
The 6-foot-3-plus, roughly 240-pound senior recorded 47 tackles and four sacks last season while earning Second Team All-SOL Continental honors on the defensive line.
He also contributes at tight end.
Size.
Production.
Versatility.
Pretty easy inclusion.
Ryan Bennett — Hatboro-Horsham — ’27 — DE
Bennett’s stat line is stronger than his Honorable Mention All-SOL designation might suggest.
He recorded 53 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2025.
That’s production in just about every column you want from an edge defender.
He can get into the backfield, affect the passing game and create turnovers.
Complete résumé.
Chase Tadeo — Plymouth Whitemarsh — ’27 — DL/TE
Tadeo is another player we already know from the offensive side of our series.
He earned First Team All-SOL American honors on the defensive line after recording 19 tackles and 3.5 sacks while also earning First Team honors at tight end.
PW lost several veteran pieces from last year’s defense.
That makes Tadeo’s experience even more valuable in 2026.
Gavin Graham — Central Bucks South — ’27 — DE/RB
Graham might be one of the better two-way players people aren't talking enough about.
He rushed for 561 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
But this is the defensive-line article, so let’s talk about the other side.
26 tackles. Nine tackles for loss. Five sacks.
That's legitimate edge production.
CB South calls him one of its most disruptive returning defenders, and it’s easy to see why.
Chris Guinter — Council Rock South — ’27 — DE/FB
Guinter’s stat line is one of the strangest — and most impressive — in this group.
21 tackles.
But 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Think about that.
More than half of his tackles came behind the line of scrimmage.
When Guinter gets involved in the play, there’s a pretty good chance something bad just happened to the offense.
Dominic Ferrugio — Quakertown — ’28 — DE/TE
Ferrugio earned Honorable Mention All-SOL Continental honors as a sophomore at defensive end.
That alone puts him on the radar.
He enters 2026 as a junior with two varsity seasons still ahead of him, giving Quakertown another young two-way player who has already shown he belongs at this level.
This one feels like we're still early.
Shane Maloney — Hatboro-Horsham — ’27 — DL/OL
Maloney gives Hatboro-Horsham another veteran big man returning in the trenches.
He earned Honorable Mention All-SOL American honors defensively as a junior after also receiving All-League recognition on the offensive line.
We already had him in the offensive-line article.
Now he makes the defensive one too.
Big guys playing both ways deserve some love.
Joey Ott — Bensalem — ’27 — DE/OL
At 6-foot-2, 280 pounds, Ott is difficult to miss.
Bensalem calls him one of its top two-way players and expects him to anchor both the offensive line and a defensive front the Owls believe will be one of their biggest strengths.
There isn't a monster defensive stat line available.
There doesn't always need to be.
A 280-pound returning senior starter at defensive end on a unit being built around the front seven belongs here.
Gary Gorman — Pennridge — ’27 — DL
Pennridge has to rebuild portions of the defensive front after last year’s 13-win season.
Gorman gives the Rams somewhere to start.
The returning senior recorded 20 tackles and a tackle for loss while earning Honorable Mention All-SOL National honors.
His role should grow considerably this season as Pennridge replaces several experienced linemen.
Santino Wade — Central Bucks South — ’27 — DE
This is the right home for Wade in our series.
The returning CB South defensive end finished 2025 with 29 tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Pair him with Gavin Graham and the Titans return two senior edge defenders who already have significant varsity experience.
That’s a good place to start defensively.
Trecy Ngoyi — Souderton — ’27 — DT
Yes.
Another Ngoyi.
Trecy returns at defensive tackle alongside his brother Djecy, and Souderton believes the pair gives the Indians one of the more experienced defensive fronts in District 1.
He doesn't have Djecy’s statistical résumé.
His value is different.
Hold the interior.
Occupy blockers.
Let everybody else eat.
Jackson Lambrecht — Central Bucks East — ’27 — DT/OT
Lambrecht brings something coaches tend to appreciate in the middle of a defense:
305 pounds.
The senior returns as a starter at defensive tackle and offensive tackle and is one of the veterans CB East will rely on to stabilize both fronts.
Not every defensive lineman is going to pile up sacks.
Sometimes your job is to make sure the guys behind you can.
Jacob Garret — North Penn — ’27 — DL
Garret is worth clarifying because we previously discussed him at linebacker.
North Penn’s current 2026 team submission lists the senior as a defensive lineman and specifically groups him with the returning front alongside Tycho Bueters and Jamal Bell.
The Knights describe Garret and Bueters as experienced, athletic edge pieces.
For the defending District 1 champions, that returning experience matters.
Tycho Bueters — North Penn — ’27 — DL
North Penn has plenty to replace from its District 1 championship defense.
Bueters gives the Knights an experienced piece to build around.
The senior returns along the defensive front and is expected to provide leadership and pressure off the edge.
North Penn held four consecutive playoff opponents to 14 points or fewer during its district-title run.
Keeping that identity starts up front.
Jamal Bell — North Penn — ’28 — DL
Now for the big young guy.
Bell enters his junior season at 6-foot, 275 pounds and returns in the middle of the North Penn defensive line.
The Knights want him occupying blockers, controlling gaps and creating room for the rest of the defense.
He doesn't have the big varsity stat sheet yet.
At 275 pounds with two seasons remaining?
We’re keeping an eye on him.
Ryan Zadroga — Central Bucks West — ’27 — OLB/DE
Zadroga is one of those players whose position depends on what front you’re looking at.
CB West lists the 6-foot-3 senior as an OLB/DE, giving the Bucks another experienced edge player in a defense already returning Milleto, Cipollo, Laphen and Darrows.
For this article, we're counting edge defenders.
So Zadroga belongs.
Jamison Dulin — Pennridge — ’27 — DL
Dulin returns alongside Gorman as one of the two veteran pieces of Pennridge’s defensive front.
He finished 2025 with 24 tackles, three tackles for loss and half a sack.
Those numbers don't jump off the page compared with some players above him.
But on a defense replacing several starters, experience becomes valuable fast.
Dulin has it.
Hassan Freeman — Wissahickon — ’27 — DL/OL
Wissahickon went 9-2 last season and brings back an unusually experienced defense.
Freeman is part of the reason.
He returns as a senior starter on both lines and is one of the veterans expected to anchor a defensive front the Trojans believe can become one of their biggest strengths.
Two-way linemen don't always produce pretty stat sheets.
They do a lot of the work that makes everyone else's stat sheet possible.
Henry Nagata — Wissahickon — ’27 — DL/OL
Same front.
Same experience.
Nagata returns as another senior two-way starter and gives Wissahickon another veteran body in the middle of its defense.
Freeman and Nagata have already played plenty of varsity football together.
For an interior defensive line, continuity matters.
Kevin Isales — Wissahickon — ’28 — DL
Isales gives the Trojans some youth among all those seniors.
The junior returns as a defensive-line starter after gaining varsity experience as an underclassman and joins Freeman and Nagata in what should be a veteran-heavy front.
The résumé is still developing.
But with two seasons remaining, he’s exactly the type of player who could look much different by October.
There’s a lot to like about this group.
Ngoyi and Sailer already own First Team All-SOL résumés.
Comer produced 10 tackles for loss and six sacks from defensive tackle.
Michael Smith had 15 TFL.
Dan Kirk had 13.5.
Guinter had 11 TFL and seven sacks.
Graham added nine TFL and five sacks.
And then there are the veteran two-way linemen whose value doesn't always show up neatly in a box score.
That’s life in the trenches.
You don’t always get the headline.
Sometimes your job is just to wreck the play before somebody else gets credit for finishing it.
Who did we miss?
That wraps up the defensive side of SOI’s 2026 Top Returning Players Series.
Now?
It’s time to play football.