Following up on our look at top incoming offensive classes by position group, here is a look at the defense (and athletes) as ranked by 247Sports analysts with player star ratings according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

USC and Texas lead the way with three top-five groups on the defensive side of the ball, and the Trojans' linebacker group ranks as the nation's best in that category.

Defensive Line

1. Tennessee

- Kahlil McKenzie, 6-3/354, Concord (Calif.) Clayton Valley, 5-star

- Kyle Phillips, 6-3.5/250, Nashville (Tenn.) Hillsboro, 4-star

- Shy Tuttle, 6-3/320, Lexington (N.C.) North Davidson, 4-star

- Andrew Butcher, 6-2/242, Alpharetta (Ga.) High, 4-star

- Darrell Taylor, 6-4/230, Hopewell (Va.) High, 4-star

- Quay Picou, 6-2/271, Buford (Ga.) High, 3-star

2. Clemson

- Christian Wilkins, 6-4/290, Suffield (Conn.) Suffield Academy, 5-star

- Albert Huggins, 6-3/283, Orangeburg (S.C.) Wilkinson, 4-star

- Clelin Ferrell, 6-5/225, Richmond (Va.) Benedictine, 4-star

- Austin Bryant, 6-5/250, Thomasville (Ga.) Thomas County Central, 4-star

- Sterling Johnson, 6-5/281, Clayton (N.C.) Cleveland, 3-star

- Gage Cervenka, 6-1/275, Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald, 3-star

- LaSamuel Davis, 6-3/194, Bamberg (S.C.) Ehrhardt, 3-star

3. Georgia

- Trent Thompson, 6-2.5/313, Albany (Ga.) Westover, 5-star

- Jonathan Ledbetter, 6-4/265, Tucker (Ga.) High, 4-star

- Natrez Patrick, 6-3/259, Atlanta (Ga.) Mays, 4-star

- D’Andre Walker, 6-2.5/209, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes, 4-star

- Chauncey Rivers, 6-2.5/247, Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stevenson, 4-star

- Michael Barnett, 6-5/258, Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland, 4-star

- DaQuan Hawkins, 6-4/285, Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake, 3-star

- Justin Young, 6-3.5/255, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson, 3-star

4. Alabama

- Daron Payne, 6-2/325, Birmingham (Ala.) Shades Valley, 5-star

- Mekhi Brown, 6-4.5/222, Columbus (Ga.) Carver, 4-star

- Anfernee Jennings, 6-3/256, Dadeville (Ala.) High, 4-star

- Christian Bell, 6-4/220, Birmingham (Ala.) Hoover, 3-star

5. USC

- Rasheem Green, 6-5/275, Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra, 5-star

- Jacob Daniel, 6-4/310, Clovis (Calif.) North, 4-star

- Noah Jefferson, 6-5/271, Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Oasis, 4-star

- Christian Rector, 6-3.5/255, Los Angeles (Calif.) Loyola, 3-star

Linebacker

1. USC

- Osa Masina, 6-3.5/230, Salt Lake City (Utah) Brighton, 5-star

- Porter Gustin, 6-5/245, Salem (Utah) Salem Hills, 4-star

- John Houston, 6-3/211, Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra, 4-star

- Cameron Smith, 6-3/225, Granite Bay (Calif.) High, 4-star

2. Texas

- Malik Jefferson, 6-2.5/215, Mesquite (Texas) Poteet, 5-star

- Anthony Wheeler, 6-2/225, Dallas (Texas) Skyline, 4-star

- Cameron Townsend, 6-0.5/195, Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point, 4-star

- Cecil Cherry, 6-0/230, Lakeland (Fla.) Victory Christian Academy, 3-star

3. Auburn

- Jeffery Holland, 6-2/230, Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian Academy, 4-star

- Darrell Williams, 6-3/226, Birmingham (Ala.) Hoover, 4-star

- Richard McBryde, 6-2/210, Troy (Ala.) Charles Henderson School, 4-star

- Montavious Atkinson, 6-1/200, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes, 4-star

4. Notre Dame

- Josh Barajas, 6-3/215, Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean, 4-star

- Asmar Bilal, 6-2/205, Indianapolis (Ind.) Ben Davis, 4-star

- Tevon Coney, 6-1/222, Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High, 4-star

- Bo Wallace, 6-5/213, New Orleans (La.) John Curtis, 3-star

5. Ohio State

- Justin Hilliard, 6-0/225, Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier, 5-star

- Nick Conner, 6-3/225, Dublin (Ohio) Scioto, 4-star

Defensive Back

1. Alabama

- Kendall Sheffield, 6-0/181, Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall, 5-star

- Minkah Fitzpatrick, 6-1/198, Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peters Prep, 5-star

- Deionte Thompson, 6-2/181, Orange (Texas) West Orange-Stark, 4-star

- Ronnie Harrison, 6-3/205, Tallahassee (Fla.) Florida State Univ. School, 4-star

2. Florida State

- Derwin James, 6-2/201, Haines City (Fla.) High, 5-star

- Tarvarus McFadden, 6-2/198, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage, 5-star

- Calvin Brewton, 5-11.5/172, Miami (Fla.) Central, 4-star

- A.J. Westbrook, 6-0/173, Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland, 3-star

3. LSU

- Kevin Toliver II, 6-2/185, Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian Academy, 5-star

- Xavier Lewis, 5-11/188, Reserve (La.) East St. John, 4-star

- Jeremy Cutrer, 6-2/170, Perkinston (Miss.) Mississippi Gulf Coast, 3-star

4. Texas

- Holton Hill, 6-2/184, Houston (Texas) Lamar, 4-star

- Kris Boyd, 5-11.5/185, Gilmer (Texas) High, 4-star

- DeShon Elliott, 6-1/200, Rockwall (Texas) Heath, 4-star

- Davante Davis, 6-3/200, Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington, 4-star

- P.J. Locke, 5-10/189, Beaumont (Texas) Central, 3-star

5. USC

- Iman Marshall, 6-1/190, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, 5-star

- Marvell Tell, 6-1.5/188, Encino (Calif.) Crespi, 4-star

- Ykili Ross, 6-0.5/175, Riverside (Calif.) Polytechnic, 4-star

- Isaiah Langley, 5-11.5/161, Pleasanton (Calif.) Foothill, 4-star

Athlete

1. Ohio State

- Jerome Baker, 6-2/203, Cleveland (Ohio) Benedictine, 4-star

- Torrance Gibson, 6-4/204, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage, 4-star

2. Auburn

- Kerryon Johnson, 6-0/200, Madison (Ala.) Madison Academy, 4-star

- Jason Smith, Perkinston (Miss.) Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., 4-star

- Tim Irvin, 5-8.5/194, Miami (Fla.) Westminster Christian School, 4-star

3. Arizona State

- Stanley Norman, 6-0/180, Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra, 4-star

- Jaason Lewis, 6-2/247, Virginia Beach (Va.) Ocean Lakes, 4-star

- Jay Jay Wilson, 6-3/228, Valencia (Calif.) High, 4-star

- Morie Evans, 5-10/175, Huntsville (Texas) High, 3-star

4. South Carolina

- Jalen Christian, 5-10/165, Damascus (Md.) High, 4-star

- Octavis Johnson, 6-1/181, Homerville (Ga.) Clinch County, 4-star

5. Texas

- DeAndre McNeal, 6-2/228, Mesquite (Texas) Poteet, 4-star

- Kai Locksley, 6-3/188, Baltimore (Md.) Gilman, 4-star

- Kirk Johnson, 6-0/205, San Jose (Calif.) Valley Christian, 3-star

