Football | 8/6/2026 9:47:00 AM

August 6, 2026-The Emporia State defensive line will rely on a large number of newcomers to go with returning starter Carlos Strong Jr.

Strong played in all 11 games last year with six starts.  The Oklahoma City, Okla. native is in his fourth year at Emporia State. He had 29 total tackles with 2.5 sacks with two quarterback hurries last season. He had a career high nine tackles and a fumble recovery against Minot State.

Eric Tre Stevenson is in his third season with the Hornets. The Perkins, Okla. native played in nine games last season with 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries. He had two tackles for loss including a sack at Pittsburg State.

Christian Westbrooks is in his third season at Emporia State from Arlington, Texas.  He played in five games last year and had a forced fumble and recovery against Northwest Missouri.

Tanner Dobeck is in his second year with the Hornets after a medical redshirt last season. The Myrtle Creek, Ore. native transferred to Emporia State after two years at Shasta College in California. He had seven tackles for loss in 15 games for Shasta.

Holden Ziegler is in his second season at Emporia State. He redshirted last season after a standout career at Council Grove HS. He was a First Team All-State selection and three-time Class 2A Defensive Player of the Year for the Braves.

DEFENSIVE LINE NOTES:
There are no seniors, five juniors, four sophomores, four redshirt freshmen and seven true freshman listed among the 20 defensive linemen.
15 of the 20 defensive linemen came here as freshmen and only one player has been here more than three years.
Seven of the defensive linemen are from Texas, four are from Oklahoma, three are from Kansas, two are from Missouri, and one each is from Arizona, Maryland, Ohio, and Oregon.

DEFENSIVE LINE

44	Tanner Dobeck	DL	6-3	258	R-Jr.	Myrtle Creek, OR	South Umpqua HS	Shasta (Calif.) College
51	Koby Le	DL	6-0	260	R-Fr.	Emporia, KS	Emporia HS
53	Alphonse Joseph	DL	6-1	260	R-Jr.	Oklahoma City, OK	Carl Albert HS	NEO/Montana State Northern
54	Anthony Tabron	DL	6-2	275	R-So.	Grandview, MO	Grandview HS
86	Cord Coffee	DL	6-3	252	R-So.	Ada, OK	Ada HS
90	Tyrek Matthews	DL	6-3	265	R-Jr.	Temple Hills, MD	Eleanor Roosevelt HS	Bowie State/Coffeyville CC
91	James Marshall V	DL	6-1	279	R-Fr.	Mesa, AZ	Westwood HS	New Mexico
92	Carlos Strong Jr.	DL	6-1	279	R-Jr.	Oklahoma City, OK	Millwood HS
94	Osabuohien Ediae	DL	6-0	282	R-Fr.	Rowlett, TX	North Garland HS
95	Holden Ziegler	DL	6-1	290	R-Fr.	Council Grove, KS	Council Grove HS
96	Eric "Tre" Stevenson	DL	6-1	267	R-So.	Perkins, OK	Perkins-Tryon HS
97	Christian Westbrooks	DL	6-2	255	R-So.	Arlington, TX	Arlington Bowie HS
98	Langston Ragland	DL	6-5	245	R-Jr.	Westerville, OH	Westerville Central HS	Akron/Garden City CC
	Blake Coffman	DL	6-2	210	Fr.	Topeka, KS	Shawnee Heights HS
	Tyler Hagler	DL	6-0	355	Fr.	Gilmer, TX	Gilmer HS
	Caleb Muse	DL	6-0	210	Fr.	Keller, TX	The Parish Episcopal School
	Zylen Peak	DL	6-2	245	Fr.	Montgomery, TX	Lake Creek HS
	Kaleb Ross	DL	6-2	260	Fr.	Red Oak, TX	Red Oak HS
	Everson Tomlinson	DL	6-1	300	Fr.	Neosho, MO	Neosho HS
	Jakobe Williams	DL	6-0	300	Fr.	Red Oak, TX	Lancaster HS

This is the third part of an eight-part series of position previews for the Emporia State football team. Yesterday the defensive were featured and tomorrow the quarterbacks will be at the podium.
Defensive linemen Carlos Strong Jr., Eric "Tre" Stevenson and Christian Westbrooks along with defensive line coach Jessie Williams and head coach Garin Higgins will be available on Thursday, August 6.