2025 Oregon State football positional preview: Defensive Line

Published 5:57 pm Monday, August 4, 2025

Oregon State football’s defensive line can only improve after a dreadful 2024 season.

The Beavers had just seven sacks in 12 games a season ago, ranking dead last amongst the nation’s 134 FBS programs. No other team in the nation finished with fewer than 10 sacks. Additionally, opposing offenses averaged 185 rushing yards a game against Oregon State, the 26th-most in the country.

Injuries and inexperience led to the poor play. Only two players on the defensive front, Semisi Saluni and Nikko Taylor, played in all 12 games. Likewise, underclassmen accounted for nearly half of the defensive line’s in-game snaps. Two offensive players, tight end Andy Alfieri and offensive lineman Dylan Sikorski, changed positions midway through the season to help bolster the group.

Getting more production out of the group in 2025 is a major priority for head coach Trent Bray — who also returns as defensive coordinator — and his staff.

Bray hired Kharyee Marshall, who will serve as the edge rushers coach, for the 2025 season to support defensive line coach Ilasisa Tuiaki. The unit returns a majority of the 2024 roster, but is supplemented by three transfers, five freshmen and a full offseason to get healthy, bigger and stronger.

Offseason Transactions

The Beavers classify defensive lineman into two groups on their roster — outside linebackers and defensive lineman. The titles are generalizations and the individual roles are more intricate, but those rostered as “DL” play on the interior, while “OLBs” play off the edge. They’re categorized as such below.

Returning starters (DL): Tevita Pome’e, redshirt-sophomore; Thomas Collins, redshirt-sophomore

Returning starters (OLB): Nikko Taylor, redshirt-senior

Returning Players (DL): Tiger Black, redshirt-sophomore; Jacob Schuster, redshirt-senior; Jojo Johnson, redshirt-sophomore; Nick Norris, redshirt-senior; Tygee Hill, redshirt-junior; Luke Levengood, redshirt-junior

Returning Players (OLB): Zakaih Saez, redshirt-sophomore; Shamar Meikle, sophomore; Takari Hickle, redshirt-junior; Tyree Blake, redshirt-junior; Will Haverland, sophomore; Kelze Howard, redshirt-sophomore; Andy Alfieri, redshirt-senior

Departures: Semisi Saluni (DL); DJ Wesolak (OLB, transferred to Missouri State); Oluwaseyi Omotosho (OLB, transferred to West Virginia); Kai Richardson (OLB, transferred to Idaho)

Transfer Additions: Tahjae Mullix, redshirt-junior (DL; transfer, Western Carolina); Walker Harris, redshirt-senior (OLB; transfer, Southern Utah); Kai Wallin, redshirt-junior (OLB; transfer, Nebraska)

Freshman arrivals: Jesse Myers (DL); Jaylen Hill (DL); Niklas Fisher (DL); Logan Knapp (OLB); Bleu Dantzler (OLB)

Ten-thousand-foot view

Taylor’s return, thanks to the NCAA’s waiver for junior-college athletes, is big for the Oregon State defensive line. His 2.5 sacks and eight tackles-for-loss led the team, while his 46-total stops ranks second amongst returners. Taylor is projected to start at one of the edge positions.

Nebraska-transfer Kai Wallin is the leading candidate to play opposite of Taylor. The redshirt-junior hasn’t seen much action at the FBS level, but earned rave reviews from the staff and teammates in his short time on campus.

“(Wallin) had a great (showing in) spring ball and then he followed up with a really good summer,” Bray said. “(He) gives us a long, athletic body on the edge that can rush the passer.”

Tevita Pome’e, Jacob Schuster and Thomas Collins played bulk snaps on the interior a year ago and are all back with an extra season of experience under their belts. Bray cited Pome’e — who lost nearly 20 pounds this offseason — as someone he’s particularly excited for.

“He got himself down to 310 (pounds) and he’s moving and doing really well,” Bray said of Pome’e.

Takari Hickle, Tygee Hill and Tahjae Mullix all gained between 10-20 pounds in the offseason and add depth, if not starting-caliber play, on the interior.

Zakaih Saez scored Oregon State’s only defensive touchdown of the year with his pick-six against Purdue, but was limited to just nine games. He’ll be a redshirt-sophomore this season, but it’s unknown how much he’ll factor in to the equation.

Bray raved about sophomore Shamar Meikle in the spring. He gained 20 pounds this offseason and should play rotationally, at least. He’s still light (listed 228 pounds) and needs to continue gaining weight.

Projected two-deep depth chart

Defensive End: 

Kai Wallin (6-foot-5, 247 pounds)

Takari Hickle (6-foot-3, 289 pounds)

Defensive Tackle: 

Thomas Collins (6-foot-1, 282 pounds)

Jojo Johnson (6-foot-2, 288 pounds)

Nose Tackle: 

Tevita Pome’e (6-foot-2, 310 pounds)

Jacob Schuster (6-foot-1, 333 pounds)

Jack Linebacker: 

Nikko Taylor (6-foot-5, 264 pounds)

Zakaih Saez (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) OR Shamar Meikle (6-foot-3, 228 pounds)

Most Interesting storyline: Their play and health as a whole. They get a mulligan on 2024’s performance for now, but it’ll raise eyebrows if they aren’t more consistent.

Keep an eye on: True freshman Bleu Dantzler enrolled early and flashed in spring scrimmages. He could push for playing time early.