ASU Football: Who has the advantage in the Sun Bowl?
By Sam Ficarro
Defensive Line
Many NFL scouts will be in attendance Friday to watch stout Wolfpack defensive lineman Bradley Chubb.
The senior pass rusher leads the team with 10.0 sacks, 26 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles this season and is skyrocketing up draft boards as Chubb will likely be a top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
NC State have started the same four starters along the defensive line in every game this season with Chubb, defensive end Kentavius Street and defensive tackles Justin Jones and B.J. Hill.
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Street has recorded 36 tackles, two sacks and a team-high two fumble recoveries; Jones has 30 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss and Hill has tallied 56 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Like NC State, Arizona State has seen a lot of continuity among the defensive line led by Tashon Smallwood, JoJo Wicker and A.J. Latu.
Wicker leads the group with 39 tackles, team-high 12 tackles for loss and six sacks. Right behind Wicker in the tackles category is Latu who has recorded 37 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and a team-high seven sacks.
Smallwood is ASU’s primary run stopper in the middle of the defensive line recording 33 tackles this season, eight tackles for loss and four sacks.
Arizona State ranks 18th nationally in team sacks while NC State ranks 49th nationally. When it comes to tackles for loss, NC State has the edge ranking 35th nationally while ASU sits at 51st nationally.
Similar to pass catchers, despite NC State’s having the best defensive lineman in this game, Arizona State’s depth gives them the nod.