(Photo Credit - UNLV Athletics)
UNLV’s defensive line told two very different stories across the first two weeks of the season. In the Week 0 opener against Idaho State, the unit struggled to control gaps and wrap up, finishing with six missed tackles among the front four. Several defenders posted below-average tackling grades, and only Tummise Adeleye registered a strong all-around performance. By Week 1 against Sam Houston, the group looked more disciplined. Lucas Conti anchored the interior with an elite grade, Elias Rudolph flashed in his increased workload, and Ose Egbase rebounded from a poor opener. While not yet dominant, the trenches showed encouraging signs of improvement, fewer whiffs, steadier assignment football, and some early pass-rush pressure.
Defensive Line / Edge Stat Lines (Via - PFF)
Chief Borders (#D01, DLE)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 67 | RDEF 20 | PRSH 44 | COV 3
Grades: DEF 67.7 | RDEF 61.8 | TACK 26.0 | PRSH 66.4 | COV 64.0
Pressure: TOT 4 | SK 0 | HIT 1 | HUR 3 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 2 | MIS 2 | MIS% 40.0
Impact: STOP 1 | FFM 0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 32 | RDEF 9 | PRSH 22 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 65.7 | RDEF 52.1 | TACK 71.5 | PRSH 72.2 | COV 60.0
Pressure: TOT 1 | SK 0 | HIT 1 | HUR 0 | BAT 0
Tackling: TKL 2 | AST 1 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Impact: STOP 0 | FFM 0
Elias Rudolph (#D91, DLE)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 9 | RDEF 0 | PRSH 9 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 53.0 | PRSH 53.4
Pressure: 0
Tackling: 0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 13 | RDEF 3 | PRSH 10 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 67.3 | RDEF 72.5 | TACK 73.6 | PRSH 55.2
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 0 | MIS 0 | MIS% 0.0
Impact: STOP 1
Jalen Lee (#D92, DLT)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 56 | RDEF 20 | PRSH 36 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 58.7 | RDEF 62.1 | TACK 54.8
Pressure: 0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 36 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 24 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 60.4 | RDEF 68.0 | TACK 43.8 | PRSH 52.0
Pressure: TOT 2 | SK 1 | HUR 1
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 1 | MIS 1 | MIS% 33.3
Waisale Muavesi (#D44, DLT)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 14 | RDEF 5 | PRSH 9 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 65.1 | RDEF 62.6 | PRSH 62.8
Pressure: TOT 1 | HUR 1
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 23 | RDEF 9 | PRSH 14 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 54.8 | RDEF 55.6 | TACK 27.6 | PRSH 56.8
Pressure: TOT 2 | HUR 2
Tackling: TKL 1 | MIS 1 | MIS% 50.0
Ose Egbase (#D17, DRE)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 36 | RDEF 15 | PRSH 20 | COV 1
Grades: DEF 54.4 | RDEF 37.8 | TACK 22.0 | PRSH 74.1 | COV 60.5
Pressure: TOT 0 | HUR 2
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 2 | MIS 3 | MIS% 50.0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 25 | RDEF 8 | PRSH 17 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 71.7 | RDEF 61.3 | TACK 54.2 | PRSH 66.1 | COV 61.1
Tackling: TKL 3 | MIS 1 | MIS% 25.0
Impact: STOP 1 | FFM 1
Tummise Adeleye (#D30, DRE)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 48 | RDEF 10 | PRSH 37 | COV 1
Grades: DEF 74.0 | RDEF 57.3 | TACK 74.7 | PRSH 77.2 | COV 60.0
Pressure: TOT 3 | HUR 3
Tackling: TKL 2 | MIS% 0.0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 9 | RDEF 9 | PRSH 0 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 57.5
Tackling: —
Donovan Spellman (#D19, DRE)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 22 | RDEF 7 | PRSH 14 | COV 1
Grades: DEF 46.3 | RDEF 48.7 | PRSH 52.5 | COV 60.0
Pressure: 0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 32 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 19 | COV 1
Grades: DEF 62.4 | RDEF 64.1 | PRSH 58.7 | COV 60.0
Pressure: TOT 1 | HUR 1
Landen Thomas (#D18, DRT)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 14 | RDEF 2 | PRSH 12 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 67.0 | RDEF 60.0 | TACK 70.2 | PRSH 65.2 | COV 60.0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 40 | RDEF 17 | PRSH 23 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 68.9 | RDEF 71.5 | TACK 48.4 | PRSH 60.6 | COV 60.0
Pressure: TOT 1 | HUR 1
Tackling: MIS 1 | MIS% 25.0
Impact: STOP 3
Lucas Conti (#D94, DRT)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 54 | RDEF 19 | PRSH 35 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 63.9 | RDEF 59.5 | TACK 45.0 | PRSH 64.2 | COV 60.0
Tackling: TKL 1 | AST 1 | MIS 1 | MIS% 25.0
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 37 | RDEF 12 | PRSH 25 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 88.1 | RDEF 88.1 | TACK 74.6 | PRSH 88.5 | COV 60.0
Tackling: TKL 3 | MIS% 0.0
Cohen Fuller (#D55, DRT)
Week 0 – Idaho State
Snaps: TOT 16 | RDEF 6 | PRSH 10 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 62.8 | RDEF 65.6 | TACK 72.2 | PRSH 55.8
Tackling: TKL 2
Week 1 – Sam Houston
Snaps: TOT 22 | RDEF 9 | PRSH 13 | COV 0
Grades: DEF 49.6 | RDEF 59.1 | TACK 59.1 | PRSH 56.8 | COV 60.0
Tackling: 0
Conclusion
The Rebels’ defensive front took a step forward from Week 0 to Week 1. Where Idaho State exposed poor tackling angles and soft edges, highlighted by Egbase and Borders both missing multiple tackles, the trip to Sam Houston produced sharper execution. Conti dominated the interior with elite grades across the board, Egbase rebounded with steadier run defense, and Rudolph began to emerge as a rotational playmaker. There’s still work to do, tackling remains uneven, and true pass-rush production is limited. But the contrast between the opener and the second week suggests this unit is settling into form. If they can maintain Week 1’s discipline, the line has the potential to anchor the defense once Mountain West play begins.