After being viewed as one of the team’s weak points in the not so distant past, the the defensive line at Arizona State hopes to silence concerns surrounding the group. The group will look to fill the voids left behind by transfers and fourth-round draft pick Renell Wren through a variety of avenues including transfers into the program.

Enter Roe Wilkins. A former member of the Rice football team who will look to make an immediate impact in his last season of eligibility.

“It’s a different atmosphere here,” Wilkins said. “Guys want to win and know how to win. I loved Rice, it will always have a place in my heart, but I was on a shorter timeframe than they’re looking at.”

The culture that Wilkins speaks of, is naturally a selling point to almost all recruits but was a particularly important piece of the puzzle for Wilkins. The graduate transfer suffered through three straight losing seasons at Rice where the team went a combined 6-31 during his tenure.

The prospect of winning in Tempe was one sold to Wilkins by head coach Herm Edwards and reaffirmed by first-year defensive line coach Jamar Cain who was essential in recruiting the graduate transfer, convincing the two-time Conference USA Honorable Mention selection to transfer to ASU.

“He seemed like somebody that was a high character, high energy guy that was going to put forth a lot of effort,” Wilkins said of his first impressions of Cain. “I want somebody that I can trust and is going to give it to me straight and not beat around the bush.”

The move was also one that gave Wilkins a chance to come in and compete for playing time right away given the depleted depth chart at the defensive line position coming into preseason practices.

A combination of his relationship with Cain and the chance to compete proved to be a winning formula in pursuing ad ultimately landing the lineman.

As much as Wilkins is enjoying his new surroundings, like all newcomers he has some adjustments to deal with.

“I’m adjusting to Arizona heat for one, that’s a little different,” Wilkins said. “I’m just trying to get into the pro mindset out here. Coach Herm stresses that and that’s really what we’re ultimately here to do is play football and play it at a high level.”

And if the move from the group of five conference to the power five wasn’t challenging enough, Wilkins already has his work cut out for him every day in practice, having the daunting task of lining up against some of the Pac-12 best on the Sun Devils’ offensive line led by 2018 Second Team Pac-12 All-Conference selection Cohl Cabral who is now playing left tackle and at times is the primary player facing Wilkins in the trenches.

Nonetheless, it’s a challenge that Wilkins embraces.

“You want to go against competition whenever you can and get the reps in,” Wilkins commented. “That way when you get in the game it feels natural, there’s not a step up. It’s nothing that we won’t be able to handle, and we haven’t seen.”

As Wilkins looks for playing time in a 3-3-5 scheme that features only three traditional down linemen, he looks to maintain the versatility he showcased having played across multiple positions in the defensive line at Rice.

This adaptability trait will be an imperative factor in determining both the Sun Devils’ success along the line of scrimmage and the success of Wilkins playing his last season of college football and his desire to finally be part of a winning season.

“I’ve played everywhere,” Wilkins noted. “I started at nose, went to defensive tackle, and play at end at Rice. I feel really comfortable anywhere as long as my hands in the dirt.”

A group that in the off-season has often been overlooked, overshadowed, and in their eyes overly doubted is looking to rewrite the narrative that has surrounded them heading into the season.

“We’re as coach Cain says the “and”. Defensive backs are good, linebackers are good, AND the defensive line is good also,” ‘Wilkins explained. “…kind of got a chip on our shoulder, we’re looked at as the underdogs and that’s kind of where we want to be.”

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