Alijah Carnell is a big-bodied Iowa State DL with real upside, and he’s starting to earn more run
Carnell is a 6-foot-5, 290-pound defensive lineman whose 2025 role grew after a quiet freshman year, when he played in four games and finished with two tackles in 2024. In 2025, he more than doubled his freshman workload, showing better disruption and finishing ability, including a 2025 game where he earned strong marks from independent evaluators for run defense and pass-rush impact. The appeal is simple: size, power, and a trajectory that suggests more production could be coming, especially for a defense that values tough, rotational linemen.
