The Missouri Valley Football Conference has consistently been at the top of the FCS in the 2010s. While a lot of key players from last year have moved on to the pros, there’s still a ton of talent in the Valley.
As the season nears, we’ll rank the top five returners at each position group. Today, we give you the defensive linemen.
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MORE TOP 5: QB | WR | TE | RB | OL | LB | DB | DL
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5. Anthony Knighton, Southern Illinois
Knighton certainly didn’t play like a redshirt freshman last year. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound defensive end started all 11 games for the Salukis and broken SIU freshman records with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He added 39 tackles and six quarterback hurries.
Knighton racked up the hardware, being named on a HERO Sports and Phil Steele Freshman All-American. He was MVFC Freshman of the Year runner-up and finished 11th in voting for the Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top FCS freshman. Knighton is on the MVFC preseason All-Conference Second Team.
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4. Rickey Neal Jr., Northern Iowa
Neal is an outside linebacker/defensive end/edge player for the Panthers. Whatever you want to call him, he dominates at the line of scrimmage. An All-Conference Second Team pick last year, Neal started 10 games and led the MVFC with 9.5 sacks. He finished with 51 total tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Add in seven quarterback hurries and Neal was all over the field.
Against Youngstown State on Oct. 21, Neal racked up 3.5 sacks to earn several player of the week awards. The senior enters 2018 on the Valley’s preseason First Team as a linebacker.
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3. Greg Menard, North Dakota State
Menard would likely have an NFL contract right now if he didn’t tear his ACL last August. The d-end used his available redshirt and looks to be full speed for a second go at his senior season. A preseason All-MVFC First Team pick and a HERO Sports preseason First Team All-American, Menard hopes to return as one of the most feared pass rushers in the FCS.
In 2016, he was on our All-American Second Team and on a couple Third Teams after finishing the season with 62 tackles, 11 sacks, four quarterback hurries and 15.5 tackles for loss. He recorded at least one sack in 12 of the 14 games. With 27 career sacks, Menard is 14 away from tying the NDSU record.
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2. Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois
Saunders has quietly become one of the best defensive tackles in the FCS. He looks to earn that respect even more as a senior. At 6-foot-2, 310 pounds, he's coming off a season with All-MVFC First Team and Phil Steele All-American accolades. Saunders had 57 tackles last year with 12 of them for loss, three forced fumbles and 7.5 sacks.
He’s named on the Valley’s preseason All-Conference First Team and is going to have some NFL eyes on him during the 2018 season. The Leathernecks have consistently sent senior defensive players to the next level. Saunders could be that next guy with a big senior year.
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1. Darin Greenfield, South Dakota
Greenfield’s career saw a huge jolt in 2017 as a sophomore. Once a walk-on, the defensive end performed like a HERO Sports Second Team All-American by leading the MVFC and finishing fifth in the FCS with 19.5 tackles for loss.
Greenfield’s nine sacks ranked second in the conference and he also added 59 tackles and 13 quarterback hurries. Deservedly, he’s on the preseason All-MVFC First Team and on our preseason All-American First Team.
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NEXT: The Best Traditions in the FCS
