August is officially here, which means high school football teams are as busy as ever. In fact, Kickoff Classics are right around the corner.
Rosters have taken shape and teams are working on final approaches for the year ahead.
The Palm Beach Post is taking a concentrated look at major positional groups across the local high school football landscape ― tracking the best players in every role while allowing our audience to have their say in who they believe is the best.
Next up: defensive linemen.
Here is our first look at the top 10 defensive linemen to know in Palm Beach County for the 2026-2027 season.
Raphael Acker, Jr., Palm Beach Lakes (Edge)
Acker is expected to be one of the top juniors in the county, and the recruiting world seems to think so, too. The star edge for the Rams already has offers from a number of top college programs, including Miami, Florida State, and Georgia. Last year, he accumulated 49 tackles, including five for a loss, two sacks, and a fumble both forced and recovered.
Tyler Alexander, Sr., Palm Beach Central (DT)
A Texas commit, Tyler Alexander has been on of Palm Beach County’s top recruits for a while now. He is coming off of a season in which he contributed 46 tackles, including 20 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks. His persistent backfield presence as a defensive tackle makes him one of the most coveted interior lineman in Florida.
Jayvon Dawson, Sr., Santaluces (Edge)
Jayvon Dawson, lauded for his coachability, produces in every facet of his game. The Miami commit accumulated 68 tackles, including 22 for a loss, eight sacks, and added a forced fumble last year, leading the Santaluces defense. This year, Dawson is poised to once again lead the Chiefs, with a playoff push on the collective mind of the program.
Javion Herrington, Sr., West Boca Raton (Edge)
Javion Herrington will be at the center of some intriguing story-lines this year. One will be team-focused as West Boca Raton vies for a third straight state championship, and one will be personal as he nears his college commitment. Last year, the edge defender contributed 23 tackles, including 10 for a loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles in helping the Bulls to their second-straight title.
Vinkevious Jones, Sr., Royal Palm Beach (DT)
Vinkevious Jones was a star for Glades Central last year, contributing 50 tackles, including eight for a loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble. He will now spend his senior season as part of a Royal Palm Beach defense that lost several key members, and the Wildcats will be grateful to have him anchoring the line.
Ty Kirkpatrick, Jr., Cardinal Newman (Edge)
Ty Kirkpatrick is just now entering his junior season, but he already has a flood of Division I interest. That’s for good reason ― the star edge transferred from Benjamin to Cardinal Newman and rewarded the Crusaders with 53 tackles, including 20 for a loss, and sick sacks in a championship-winning season last year.
Isaias Matias, Jr., Palm Beach Central (Edge)
Isaias Matias tallied five tackles, a fumble recovery, a defensive touchdowns, and a blocked kick last year, but those numbers are expected to blossom this season as he takes on a bigger role. Matias is one of the county’s top-ranked players in his class, with the Broncos’ edge looking to add to his growing list of college suitors.
Jason Mock, Sr., Spanish River (Edge)
This will be a new, interesting year for Jason Mock. After spending last season playing in the heart of the Spanish River defense, Mock will transition from playing linebacker to taking most of his snaps on the edge in 2026. Last year, he contributed 103 tackles, including 15 for a loss, two sacks, and a fumble both forced and recovered.
Zachary Stelus, Jr., Spanish River (DT)
Armed with nearly a dozen Division I offers entering his junior season, Zach Stelus will spend his junior year helping the Sharks chase a deeper playoff run this go-around. The only underclassman to earn The Post’s Large School All-County Defense honors last year, Stelus enters 2026 a year removed from accumulating 91 tackles, 35 for a loss, 12.5 sacks, three blocked kicks, a forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries.
Jamar Thompson, Sr., West Boca Raton (DT)
Jamar Thompson collected a Division I offer seemingly every other day last year, but alas, Georgia Tech will be the program that reaps the benefits the star defensive tackle has to offer at the next level. He spent last year helping West Boca win a second-straight title on the back of his 42 tackles, 16 for a loss, five sacks, and a forced fumble.
Honorable Mentions: Preston Ricks, Santaluces; Caleb Scroggins, Jr., King’s Academy; Duke Rimes, Sr., Jupiter Christian
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Meet 10 Palm Beach County defensive linemen to watch in 2026
Reporting by Alexander Peterman, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Alexander Peterman, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
