SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's tenure with the San Francisco 49ers started with two tumultuous losing seasons, they made an important decision ...

At 6-foot-3, 298 pounds, Franklin’s Blake Smythe is a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. That dominance is why ...

Kris Kocurek, center, has led a young defensive line depleted by injury this season. Michael Zagaris / San Francisco 49ers / Getty Images SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It seems like a lifetime ago that Nick ...

The Georgia Bulldogs were forced to play last week's game at Mississippi State without nose tackle Jordan Hall, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. The Bulldogs passed ...

They’re supposed to be the heart and soul of the roster, a defensive line built to terrorize opposing quarterbacks, stuff the run with a vengeance and shut down opposing offenses on a weekly basis.