Five Rising NFL Defensive Line Coaches to know as the NFL Coaching Cycle heats up
The NFL coaching cycle is in full swing. Multiple head coach and coordinator opportunities have opened up already, and interview requests are quickly firing in as every team looks to settle their immediate future with the right hire. At A to Z Sports, we've already covered the head coach candidates and general manager candidates to […]
The NFL coaching cycle is in full swing. Multiple head coach and coordinator opportunities have opened up already, and interview requests are quickly firing in as every team looks to settle their immediate future with the right hire.
At A to Z Sports, we've already covered the head coach candidates and general manager candidates to monitor (link below). For this, I wanted to tackle some of the lesser-known coaches on the rise who could be featured names for coordinator positions and head coaches of their own someday.
For transparency's sake, here are some criteria I used to determine this list:
- I made it a rule to cut off coaches who were over 45 AND/OR had 10+ years of experience in the NFL. This is a rising coaches article after all.
- If they had already served as an NFL coordinator or currently are an NFL coordinator, they will not be here (sorry Adam Stenavich).
- Names were determined by track record of success and what I have personally heard through my own network and research. It's not a perfect science but the hit rate for these coaches is pretty long.
- If a coach didn't make it on here, it's not because I hate your team. I had to cut this list off at some point for time's sake.
Also, this list is organized alphabetically (last name) so as not to imply any bias with the candidates or default into a "ranking" of them.
A to Z Sports NFL Head Coach Candidates
A to Z Sports NFL General Manager Candidates
A to Z Sports NFL Quarterback Coaches on the Rise
A to Z Sports NFL Offensive Skill Position Coaches on the Rise
A to Z Sports NFL Offensive Passing Game Coordinators on the Rise
Jamar Cain, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos led the NFL in sacks and pressures this season, and a key part of that was the presence of Jamar Cain as their defensive line coach. A long-time college coach at North Dakota State, Oklahoma, and LSU, Cain parlayed a career coaching players like Kyle Emanuel, Nik Bonitto, Ronnie Perkins, Isaiah Thomas, BJ Ojulari, and Mekhi Wingo into an NFL opportunity.
Cain joined the Broncos as a "pass rush specialist" coach, an assistant role growing in popularity around the league, in 2023. That season, Denver finished the season with 42 sacks, the most by the team in three years. Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto recorded career-high sack numbers with Cain's assistance while defensive end Zach Allen (5.0) posted his second-straight season with at least five sacks.
This season, the Broncos lead all teams in sacks (by a 10-sack lead) and pressures (21 more than Minnesota in second place). Nik Bonitto finished second in the league in sacks with 15 while Zach Allen led all defensive linemen with 14.
An established developer and coach in the NFL and collegiate ranks, Jamar Cain has quickly vaulted his way up the coaching ranks, and has proven himself to be a key cog in the Broncos' elite defense this season. It wouldn't surprise me to see teams start pursuing him as soon as this offseason.
Austin Clark, Miami Dolphins
An underrated cog in the Dolphins' steady defenses over the last couple of seasons, Austin Clark has a decorated history of development in both college and the NFL despite spending less than a decade in the coaching ranks.
After a successful playing career at Cal, Clark started coaching with the USC Trojans coaching the outside linebackers and defensive line alongside coaches Johnny Nansen and Kenechi Udeze. With the Trojans, Clark coached Uchenna Nwosu, Rasheem Green, and Stevie Tu'ikolovatu to draft selections in the 2017 and 2018 NFL Drafts.
After a brief stop as the defensive line coach at Illinois, the Dolphins hired Clark as the team's outside linebackers coach in 2020, and his results were immediate. The Dolphins' pass rush finished 10th in the NFL in sacks, and the team had three linebackers total at least five sacks in the same season for the first time in franchise history (Jerome Baker, Kyle Van Noy, and Andrew Van Ginkel).
Since then, Clark has coached the Dolphins' defensive line, developing Christian Wilkins into one of the game's best defensive linemen, while also helping Emmanuel Ogbah record career-high seasons. Recently, Clark has helped former undrafted free agent Zach Sieler into one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the league. Sieler finished the 2024 season second among all defensive linemen in sacks with 11.
Jacques Cesaire, Cleveland Browns
A former key leader of the San Diego Chargers, Jacques Cesaire turned his playing career into coaching after retiring from the NFL in 2013. He was hired by the University of San Diego to coach the defensive line in 2015, a place where he stayed for four seasons, helping the team win four straight Pioneer League titles. Along the way, he earned a coaching internship spot with the Carolina Panthers, where he met Sean McDermott.
McDermott hired Cesaire as his assistant defensive line coach in 2020, where Cesaire coached under Leslie Frazier and Eric Washington. Cesaire played a key role in developing first-round pick Greg Rousseau, whose rookie year saw him lead the rookie class in several statistics and posted one of the most productive rookie seasons in Bills' history.
His success in Buffalo saw him join Lovie Smith's initial staff with the Houston Texans, now as the full-time defensive line coach. While in Houston, he coached Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson to a Texans' rookie record and a Pro Bowl appearance, while also guiding Jonathan Greenard to a 12-sack season. The 2023 Texans set a franchise record for sacks in 2023.
Cesaire joined the Browns this season after Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans opted to bring in his own hire. With Cleveland, Cesaire has helped develop young players like Isaiah McGuire, Alex Wright, Jowon Briggs, and Michael Hall Jr. while also galvanizing the careers of some established veterans in Dalvin Tomlinson, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Shelby Harris.
Marcus West, Buffalo Bills
Marcus West helped replace a former coach on this list, joining the Buffalo Bills in 2022 and succeeding Jacques Cesaire. The Buffalo Bills hired West as their assistant defensive line coach after his stellar resume coaching at the collegiate ranks at Charlotte and Minnesota developing the likes of Carter Coughlin and Alex Highsmith.
As the assistant defensive line coach for the Bills, he assisted in the development of A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau, and Ed Oliver. After the Chicago Bears hired Buffalo defensive line coach Eric Washington as their defensive coordinator, the Bills quickly promoted West to the full-time defensive line coach.
The results this season have been encouraging in West's first year fully coaching the unit. DaQuan Jones has had a career revival with the Bills, Greg Rousseau posted career-highs in pressures and sacks, and Von Miller rebounded from a disappointing 2023 season.
Rod Wright, Houston Texans
A former All-American and elite defensive lineman at Texas, Rod Wright is a fast riser in the NFL ranks after more than a decade in the collegiate ranks. Wright worked as a student assistant with the Longhorns after his NFL career before being hired by Sam Houston State to serve as the Bearkats' defensive line coach in 2014. While Wright was with the Bearkats, they made four straight FCS Playoff appearances and won at least a share of the Southland Conference title in three of the four seasons. Wright coached P.J. Hall to a second-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.
His success at Sam Houston saw him promoted to the FBS ranks, serving as the defensive line coach at East Carolina for one season, coaching Nate Harvey to an AAC Defensive Player of the Year award, before taking the same job at UTSA in 2019. Wright quickly rose up the ranks at UTSA, being promoted twice from defensive line coach to co-defensive coordinator in just two seasons.
After he helped the Roadrunners dominate the C-USA for years, Wright caught the attention of Mario Cristobal, who wanted to fill his staff at Miami. Wright spent 2022 as the Hurricanes' defensive line coach. Miami finished that season 11th nationally in sacks.
It was then that he earned an NFL shot. While working at Sam Houston State, he crossed paths with DeMeco Ryans while part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship. Evidently, that meeting was memorable, as Ryans named Wright as his assistant defensive line coach in his first year with the Texans. Wright worked under the aforementioned Jacques Cesaire in Houston, assisting in developing Will Anderson to a Defensive Rookie of the Year award, while also coaching Maliek Collins, Jonathan Greenard, and Sheldon Rankins to career seasons.
When Cesaire left prior to the 2024 season, Wright was promoted to the full-time defensive line coach. Despite some personnel turnover, Houston is fourth in the NFL in sacks, with some dominant performances out of their pass rush to close the season.
