Even though the Sun Devils have played more than just a few true freshmen under Herm Edwards, ASU’s head coach has said plenty of times that there is no substitute for experience. Many of the talented newcomers who cut their teeth during Edwards’ inaugural year in Tempe, now spearhead a defensive unit that stands to be one of the most effective groups in recent school history.

Defensive Line

Shannon Forman (End), Sr.

D.J. Davidson (Nose), RS-Jr.

Tyler Johnson (End), RS-Jr.

Corey Stephens (Nose), RS-Jr.

Jermayne Lole (3-Technique), Jr.

T.J. Pesefea (Nose), Jr.

Stanley Lambert (End), RS-So.

Michael Matus (End), RS-So.

Anthonie Cooper (Nose), RS-Fr.

Amiri Johnson (End), RS-Fr.

Stephon Wright (3-Technique), RS-Fr.

Joe Moore (End), Fr.

Omar Norman-Lott (3-Technique), Fr.

A new four-man defensive front brings not only a new scheme to Tempe under Co-Defensive Coordinators Marvin Lewis and Antonio Pierce, but also new faces in the form of position shifts and high-caliber newcomers to accompany returning starters such as Jermayne Lole and D.J. Davidson.

At defensive end, Tyler Johnson and Shannon Forman bring a distinct experience advantage over others in the position group, though the youngsters at end provide great intrigue as well.

After an inspiring redshirt freshman season in 2018 in which he collected 38 tackles, including 8.0 for loss with 4.0 sacks, Johnson had his 2019 season greatly impacted by injury – to a degree so significant that for a short period of time, he had retired from football.

Back to action and shifted from outside linebacker to defensive end, Johnson brings an NFL caliber toolkit to his junior season. If injuries are not an issue and if he acclimates quickly to his alignment adjustment, the Gilbert (Ariz.) Highland High School product has surefire All-Pac-12 stuff on the gridiron.

The only senior of the defensive line group, Forman has quietly been a solid rotation piece on the line the past few years as he played in all 26 games of the 2018-19 seasons. A starter in eight games as a sophomore, Forman took on a reserve role last year with 13 total tackles and a fumble recovery. Though his numbers may not jump off the page, his 34 career games played tie for the second most played at ASU by a defensive player on the current roster.

Not to be lost in the shuffle between veterans like Johnson and Forman and potential impact underclassmen is Michael Matus, who played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman last year. Though he only totaled three tackles in his debut season with the Sun Devils, he could push for a two-deep role in 2020, if not higher on the depth chart.

Redshirt sophomore Stanley Lambert, redshirt freshman Amiri Johnson and true freshman Joe Moore hope to see their first significant collegiate action in 2020 and all bring impressive physical upside to the present and future of the Sun Devil defensive line.

Johnson appeared in three games last season but still maintained eligibility for a redshirt year in 2019. Perhaps most impressive of the first full year for Johnson on campus at ASU is that, according to the team’s online roster, he has added 55 pounds (225 to 280) since he began his freshman season. With his added bulk and game experience – albeit limited – Johnson is a potential starting candidate this season.

Lambert, originally an outside linebacker when he arrived in Tempe, has battled severe injury issues over his two years on campus and has appeared in only five total games the past two seasons. Lambert has added 20 pounds to his frame (215 to 235) since he began his collegiate career in 2018. If healthy, his physical ceiling is tremendously high.

A four-star member of ASU’s 2020 signing class, Moore brings readymade size (6-3, 250) at defensive end and could hear his name called into action sooner rather than later.

Among the interior defensive line positions, the clear headliner of the group – and one of the team’s most capable defenders as a whole – is junior Jermayne Lole, who slides from an end position to 3-technique in ASU’s new defensive alignment.

One of the most productive defensive linemen in recent Sun Devil history in terms of tackles, Lole collected 72 tackles on the year – third-most by an ASU defensive lineman since 1990 – including 10.0 for loss with a team-high 6.5 sacks. Lole has added bulk to accompany his position shift, as he came to Tempe in 2018 at 270 pounds and now tips the scales at 310 pounds, according to ASU’s online roster.

An Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 pick last year if Lole stays on the trajectory established his first two seasons his 2020 campaign could see him perhaps be the most disruptive defensive lineman for Arizona State since Will Sutton in 2012-13.

Though Lole is the unquestioned star of the defensive line, behind him at the 3-technique position are two freshmen with massive potential in former four-star recruits Stephon Wright and Omar Norman-Lott.

Wright had expectations to be an instant impact performer last season as a true freshman but was hampered by lingering injuries and redshirted – though he strategically was able to appear in four games without losing the year of eligibility. As a member of the 2019 class, Wright was the top defensive signee for ASU as he was the No. 165 overall prospect according to Rivals.

Norman-Lott, a four-star member of ASU’s 2020 class, already weighs in at 305 pounds and should push for immediate playing time this season and should create quite the position battle to watch with Wright behind Lole.

At the nose, 320-pound D.J. Davidson returns after starting 12 games last year as a sophomore. Tremendously productive for any lineman – especially one his size – Davidson collected 51 tackles last season to build on a promising redshirt freshman season in 2018 that was cut short after eight games due to injury. Davidson’s size and ability to regularly appear in the stat sheets give him the potential for an NFL future, and the 2020 season is an opportunity for him to continue that ascent.

T.J. Pesefea and Corey Stephens are listed behind Davidson at nose, along with redshirt freshman Anthonie Cooper.

Pesefea was able to become a contributor in his first year with the program by notching 11 tackles in 11 games, while Stephens, a former offensive lineman, appeared in seven games last year.

Linebacker

Kyle Soelle, RS-Jr.

Darien Butler, Jr.

Merlin Robertson, Jr.

Elijah Juarez, So.

Jordan Banks, Fr.

Caleb McCullough, Fr.

Will Shaffer, Fr.

Following a theme that is repeated in the other position groups on defense for ASU, the team’s stable of linebackers enter the 2020 season with intriguing potential due to the combination of a few third-year starters partnered with a group of promising newcomers.

Fast-tracked for success seemingly from the day he signed with Arizona State, Merlin Robertson quickly put the college football world on notice during a sensational true freshman campaign in 2018 that resulted in him being named the Pac-12 Conference Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.

Though on the surface the numbers from 2018 to 2019 aren’t separated by too wide of a gap – 77 tackles in year one versus 72 in year two – objectively, it cannot be said that Robertson’s sophomore season was up to the same level of play as his breakout rookie year. Call it a bit of a sophomore slump, call it what you will, the talent held by Robertson is in no way in doubt but to consistently play in the near dominant fashion he showed for much of 2018 must be a goal for 2020.

Through two seasons at ASU, Robertson has posted 149 tackles, including 13.5 for loss with 7.0 sacks, and has started 23 of 25 games played. He ended the 2019 season on a very high note with undoubtedly his best performance of the season by collecting eight tackles, including 2.0 for loss with 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in ASU’s Sun Bowl win over Florida State.

It seems to be a logical belief that Robertson will look to enter the NFL Draft following his third season at Arizona State, so hopes for all involved are that he showcases his immense skill set on the field on a consistent basis before making that leap.

Though he was not as heralded as his fellow 2018 class signee Robertson, Darien Butler’s first two seasons at ASU have been as reliable – if not collectively better – than those of his four-star teammate as Butler has started 25 of 26 games played the past two seasons with a combined 160 tackles, including 14.5 for loss across the 2018-19 seasons.

Butler’s 90 tackles in 2019 rank as the fifth-highest total by a Pac-12 player returning for 2020, and it would not be a shock if he is in the conversation for first or second-team all-conference honors as a junior.

A dependable depth player the past two seasons, Scottsdale product Kyle Soelle could be in line for a starting spot as he enters his junior season. Soelle posted 15 tackles, including 2.0 sacks as a redshirt freshman in 2018, then pitched in 20 tackles, including 1.0 sack last season. With Khaylan Kearse-Thomas having graduated and Tyler Johnson having shifted to defensive end, Soelle can use his team experience to claim a

first-string role in 2020 potentially.

After seeing action at fullback, Juarez appears to have found a full-time home at linebacker and should not be overlooked in comparison to experienced ‘backers like Butler and Robertson and the exciting newcomers to the 2020 roster. Juarez brings outstanding size (6-2, 255) and physicality that could earn him notable reps during his ASU career.

The 2020 class brings a trio of tremendously productive linebackers in Jordan Banks, Caleb McCullough, and Will Shaffer.

Banks was a four-star prospect and the No. 177 overall recruit of the 2020 class and in 20 games across the 2018-19 seasons posted 128 tackles, including 30.0 for loss with 15.0 sacks. The combination of his high school credentials and size (6-2, 240) gives Banks a shot to potentially vie for a starting role as a true freshman.

An absolute tackling machine, McCullough exceeded the 200-tackle mark both as a junior (211 tackles) and as a senior (217 tackles) in high school. Expectations are high for McCullough to continue to roam sideline-to-sideline at the collegiate level, and he should be a quick contributor to the Sun Devil defense.

A product of local powerhouse Scottsdale Saguaro High School, Shaffer impacted both sides of the ball at the high school level. During his high school career, Shaffer scored 22 total touchdowns, returned kicks and punts and registered 77 tackles in 12 games as a senior while being a member of multiple state champion Saguaro squads.

Cornerback

Jack Jones, RS-Sr.

Chase Lucas, RS-Sr.

Timarcus Davis, RS-Jr.

Jordan Clark, RS-Fr.

Keon Markham, RS-Fr.

T Lee, Fr.

Macen Williams, Fr. Edward Woods, Fr.

A position that less than five years ago contributed to some of the most subpar pass defenses in program history, the reinvention of Arizona State’s recruitment and development at cornerback hope to reach an apex in 2020 with a mixture of heavily seasoned starters and highly qualified young reserves.

One of the most experienced defensive backs in program history in terms of career starts and the most veteran player on the 2020 roster, Chase Lucas has started 35 of his 38 games played across the 2017-19 seasons.

The product of elite local program Chandler High School, Lucas was a Second-Team All-Pac-12 pick as a redshirt freshman in 2016 and across his Sun Devil career, he has totaled 174 tackles, including 11.0 for loss with 2.0 sacks, six interceptions, and 23 pass deflections.

Similar to, say, Frank Darby on offense, with the right focus and continued development Lucas can use this season to leap from a well-above-average defensive back to an elite, NFL-bound performer as part of what hopes to be a dynamic, playmaking pair of starting cornerbacks for ASU.

Though he enters just his second season as a Sun Devil, no player on the roster has the FBS playing experience boasted by Jack Jones, as he has appeared in a grand total of 40 games (27 at USC in 2016-17, 13 at ASU in 2019).

By now, Jones’ story is well known to Sun Devil fans – a former five-star recruit and starter at USC dismissed from the program due to off-field issues who had to resurrect his personal and athletic lives to find a new home last fall at Arizona State.

Year one for Jones at ASU has to be considered a success, as he tied for the conference lead with 13 pass breakups and had three interceptions, as well as 45 tackles in 13 games. The play wasn’t perfect, but his playmaking abilities were abundantly clear and a sign for a potentially memorable senior season.

Though he was a key contributor last season, his role undoubtedly will increase in 2020 after the graduation of three-year starting cornerback Kobe Williams. Packaged with Lucas, Jones gives ASU a starting cornerback duo that is long on experience and even more so on attitude and swagger and ultimately expects to give Arizona State a pair of shutdown specialists.

Former four-star prospect Jordan Clark brought NFL pedigree to Tempe to start his Sun Devil career last fall and figures to be a future fixture at cornerback for the Sun Devils. Due to injury, Clark technically redshirted last season but appeared in the bookend games of the 2019 season as he appeared in the season opener versus Kent State and the Sun Bowl against Florida State. Clark saw extensive time in the season finale and looked good in the process, collecting five tackles including one for loss.

After Lucas and Jones move on from ASU, it would come as little surprise to see Clark be a multi-year starter and all-conference caliber performer. This season, Clark is a very likely candidate to be ASU’s third cornerback behind the two senior starters.

Former Baylor transfer Timarcus Davis appeared in 12 games and posted 14 tackles and a pass breakup in his debut season at ASU after redshirting in 2018. Davis stands an excellent chance to be in the two-deep at cornerback as a junior, though he’ll compete with a group of true and redshirt freshmen, including redshirt freshman Keon Markham.

A trio of true freshmen – T Lee, Macen Williams, and Edward Woods – join the program as members of the 2020 signing class and will enter the battle for immediate playing time.

Each of the three carried a three-star ranking, while Williams was rated the No. 44 cornerback prospect in the nation, and Lee was ranked the position’s No. 59 recruit of the 2020 class.

Safety

DeAndre Pierce, RS-Sr.

Evan Fields, Sr.

K.J. Jarrell, RS-Jr.

Aashari Crosswell, Jr.

Cam Phillips, RS-So.

Willie Harts, So.

Kejuan Markham, So.

Connor Soelle, RS-Fr.

D.J. Taylor, Fr.

A combination of multiple players with starting experience and exciting underclassmen with the added element of a new alignment structure creates a blend of talent with substantial jockeying for position among Arizona State’s safeties in 2020.

Aashari Crosswell and Evan Fields, the expected starting safeties for 2020, both started every game of the 2019 season, and in total, the duo has started 16 consecutive games together as two of the former three-man starting safety lineup.

Through two seasons at ASU, Crosswell has started 23 of 26 games played and has 93 career tackles, 19 pass breakups, and six total interceptions. An Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 pick as a true freshman in 2018, the former four-star prospect should again be in line for postseason honors as he occupies a free safety role.

One of the most veteran players on the roster, Fields has played 34 games across the 2017-19 seasons and figures to be first in line to man the strong safety position after finishing second on the team last year with 83 tackles, while leading ASU in total defensive takeaways (four; two interceptions, two fumble recoveries).

Though he ranked second on the team last year in tackles-per-game (6.44; 58 tackles in nine games), Cam Phillips could be the “odd man out” of the starting lineup in ASU’s shift from a three-safety look to a more traditional two-man set. At worst, however, Phillips, a starter for the majority of last season along with Crosswell and Fields gives the Sun Devils an excellent rotation piece and more likely a player that will heavily push the starters for significant playing time.

Far from a classic case of a father giving his son a spot on the team, Boise State transfer DeAndre Pierce, son of Associate Head Coach Antonio Pierce was a standout defender during his time with the Broncos.

After posting 19 tackles in 12 games as a freshman in 2016, Pierce stepped up to an all-league level as a sophomore by registering 83 tackles and earning Honorable Mention All-Mountain West Conference recognition. Injuries have derailed the past two seasons as he only appeared in nine games (starting all nine) in 2018-19 before transferring to ASU.

Pierce brings tremendous game experience to Tempe, as he appeared in 35 contests for Boise State over the 2016-19 seasons – a total that gives him the third-most career FBS games played by a defensive player on the Sun Devil roster this season behind only Jack Jones and Chase Lucas. In all, Pierce made 21 starts during his tenure at Boise State.

Willie Harts and Kejuan Markham earned quite a bit of playing time last season as true freshmen, with Harts tallying 17 tackles in 11 games with what proved to be the game-winning pick-six in ASU’s Sun Bowl victory over Florida State, while Markham had eight tackles and two pass breakups in eight games.

In all, ASU should have one of the most talented two and three-deep lineups at safety in the entire Pac-12 Conference this season.

Junior K.J. Jarrell presents team experience to the depth chart at safety, while also at safety fellow Scottsdale Saguaro High School grad Connor Soelle and true freshman D.J. Taylor will compete for action in 2020.

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