Jaylin Hicks is a developmental Big Ten DL with size and early game experience
Hicks, a 6-3, 260-pound Minnesota defensive lineman from Harlem, appeared in seven games as a freshman in 2025 and logged at least one tackle, giving the Gophers a young interior body with real college reps already on the résumé.[1][4] His appeal is less about box-score production right now and more about a useful frame, rotational potential, and room to grow in a program that needs defensive-tackle development.[1][2] If you want a prospect who still projects upward rather than a finished product, Hicks fits the “bet on traits and coaching” bucket.[2][3]
