We’re almost done with looking at the 2009 recruiting season. Today we’ll look at the defensive ends. Here’s the 2008 depth chart.

Not listed are Tom Golarz or Jed Hill. Okoli could get moved to defensive tackle this spring, but given our depth there I doubt it.

We actually have a really good mix of experience and youth at defensive end this year. But there are a few questions on this depth chart. Jerome Hayes and Devon Still are both coming back from reconstructive knee surgery. Both of them are doing well in their rehab from what I’m reading, so there is optimism they’ll be ready to go in time for the fall, but I doubt they’ll really be full speed until near the end of the 2008 season. Those ACL tears are so hard to predict.

Gaines is gone after 2008. And let’s face it now. If Evans follows up his 12.5 sacks in 2008 with a 14 or 15 sack performance in 2009 he’s probably going pro a year early. So factor in that along with the iffy status of Hayes and Still and we need to bring in a few defensive ends in this class. I’ll say two. Maybe three. Here are the top targets we’re going after in the early going.

There is a lot of good local talent this year, so we should be able to get some good ones. Here is the updated scholarship allocation table.