2026 Positional Breakdown: CJ Fite leads a deep defensive line room

College football has officially come back into our lives, with Week Zero delivering at least one thrill in the form of North Carolina upsetting TCU. But as the Sun Devils prepare for their own season opener, we turn the corner on our positional breakdown series and focus on the defensive line.

CJ Fite is ready for the next level

Earlier this year, Arizona State saw two players hear their names called in the first round of the NFL Draft. Asked at the Big 12's Football Media Days who could be next, Kenny Dillingham was quick to mention one name: CJ Fite.

One of the very first players to commit to the Dillingham era of Sun Devil football, Fite has gotten better each year as his role has expanded. Defensive coordinator Brian Ward likes to rotate his defensive linemen as much as possible to keep guys fresh, but Fite has blossomed into the kind of guy who could change that.

Physically speaking, Fite plays much stronger than his measurements indicate. At the Football Media Days, he listed Aaron Donald (suddenly back in the NFL) as the player he most models himself after. Like Donald, Fite adjusts to his smaller frame by being as strong and intellectually gifted as possible.

The one thing Fite doesn't have yet is the gaudy stats. But as the most highly touted player on this Arizona State defensive line - he was the only Sun Devil defender named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team - Fite is hoping to lead the charge and rack up the stats as a natural byproduct.

The depth inside offers high potential

As alluded to, Ward likes to rotate his guys on the defensive line. He may dial it down a little this year just because of how good Fite will be, but the Sun Devils have some guys they want to get on the field.

Zac Swanson was one of a handful of local products who committed elsewhere out of high school and then came back home via the transfer portal to play for Dillingham. The former Longhorn was a key rotational pass rusher for the 2024 playoff team, but injuries held him to just two games last year.

Now, Swanson is healthy and looking quicker than ever. He and Fite would make for a dangerous tandem inside in obvious pass rushing downs, and Swanson has more than enough heft to him to hold up against the run on occasions.

Blazen Lono-Wong initially committed to Arizona State when Herm Edwards still coached the team, but the Hawaii native has stuck around through it all and grown each year. He's been a key piece on special teams each of the last two years, but this offseason has featured a huge jump in ability as a defensive tackle, too.

Lono-Wong is well-liked in the locker room and his loyalty to the program has helped him become a leadership presence. Combined with his versatility and hard-earned development, Lono-Wong is primed for a key role in the rotation this season.

Beyond this trio, which are likely to command a majority of defensive tackle snaps, there are a couple younger players that we can expect to see get some work. Sophomore Hyrum Vaeono has consistently held up well in padded practices, while junior Ramar Williams is primarily an EDGE but has the frame to slide inside in some pass rushing packages.

Plenty of edge rushing juice

Ward and defensive line coach Diron Reynolds will have plenty of options to choose from when assembling their edge rushing plans.

Clayton Smith, who's tallied 4+ sacks in each of his three years as a Sun Devil, returns for his final season of eligibility. Despite being a mainstay in Tempe, Smith is going to be competing for snaps, which says more about the talent level of this group than it does Smith himself.

Jalen Thompson transferred in from Michigan State, where he notched 2.5 sacks in a limited role. Thompson has been the EDGE that's turned the most heads in practices this offseason, and he's likely to get a lot of run.

Fellow transfer Emar'rion Winston - who came to Tempe from the Oregon Ducks - offers a larger frame and greater experience. He's likely to get more work in earlier run downs, but don't discount Winston's pass rush ability.

Junior Albert Smith fits the profile of a designated pass rusher, with a frame still too slender to hold up regularly against the run, but the coaching staff is excited about his pass rush. Expect to see him get in on a lot of action on third downs.

Roman Pitre and the aforementioned Williams are two other guys that have been around the program for a few years and feel primed to get some work after honing their craft. Pitre has made a noticeable jump from last year to now, while Williams may very well be the most improved player on this whole roster.

True freshman Julian Hugo is another name to keep an eye on.

With such a deep bench on the edges, it's hard to justify rushing a freshman out there, but Hugo has held his own time after time in practices. It's obviously still very early, but Hugo has flashed superstar potential, and he'll be hard to keep off the field.

Even so, Hugo profiles as arguably the sixth or seventh best EDGE right now. It's a very deep group, which is exactly what Ward wants to see. Expect to see quite a bit of variation here, especially early on in the season, as the coaches figure out their best players.