Rec Sports
Defensive Line Preview: Experience Blends With Youth on Defensive Line
MOUNT PLEASANT—Central Michigan veterans Michael Heldman, Kade Kostus, and Jonathan Decker will lead a deep and talented 15-member defensive line group. Heldman and Kostus return with a combined 41 career starts, but the unit has a bunch of other talented players who have seen game action and some who have not. In the offseason, the Chippewas also added three experienced players in the transfer portal.
Defensive Line coach Tesfa Smith is excited about his group.
“The biggest thing I’ve seen from them is their willingness to work and get better,” Smith said. “They’re always striving to push themselves, to get themselves ready, physically, and mentally for the upcoming season. That carried over from spring and we had an excellent summer where they were all up here as Coach Riedel transformed their bodies and got them physically ready for camp. Now through those first six practices, I’ve seen the effort level, the tenacity, and the violence from those guys has constantly gotten better each day. We’re not there yet, but we’re continuing to rise and get better.”
“Our group is being held by Michael Heldman, who has done a fantastic job of being the voice of that group, leading by example, constantly working hard every day. We’re seeing great work from Kade Kostus, as well as Malik Denkins, who’s really elevated his game, and so has Keyshawn Hayden. Jonathan Decker is out there every day practicing and going through the physical toll playing nose guard. I’m seeing the same thing from the young guys, Quavion Bird, Korver Demma, and Joey VanWetzinga, who are doing a great job of coming in here, learning a new system and showing a lot. One guy that’s been asked to play a separate role for us is D.J. Bennett. He’s really embraced that role. We want guys who are willing to accept these challenges, get out of their comfort zone, and play as hard as they can.
“If we can get our guys to play hard, we’ll be in great shape. Play with low-pad level, play with violence, but play hard is the most important thing.”
2025 DEFENSIVE LINE PERSONNEL ROSTER
98 | Jonathan Decker | 6-5 | 300 | R-Sr. | Elkhart, Ind.
97 | Michael Heldman | 6-4 | 260 | R-Sr. | Romeo, Mich.
93 | D.J. Bennett | 6-5 | 250 | Sr. | White Springs, Fla.
94 | Dylan Fisher | 6-1 | 285 | Sr. | Toledo, Ohio
90 | Oumar Conde | 6-3 | 260 | R-Jr. | Bronx, N.Y.
81 | Malik Denkins | 6-3 | 250 | R-Jr. | Cincinnati, Ohio
44 | Kade Kostus | 6-2 | 260 | R-Jr. | Rockford, Mich.
91 | Daniel Viramontes | 6-2 | 260 | Jr. | Anaheim, Calif.
49 | Keshawn Hayden | 6-3 | 250 | R-So. | St. Louis, Mo.
56 | Korver Demma | 6-3 | 245 | So. | Gretna, Neb.
96 | Quavion Bird | 6-1 | 310 | R-Fr. | Lake Wales, Fla.
80 | Adam Kaminski | 6-7 | 240 | R-Fr. | Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
95 | Joey VanWetzinga | 6-2 | 260 | Fr. | Pleasant Valley, Iowa
Redshirt senior Michael Heldman has played in 39 career games with 29 starts. A three-time Academic All-MAC and 2025 preseason All-MAC selection, Heldman has made 72 total tackles (39 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and a school-record 20 quarterback hurries in his three-year career. He also owns the CMU record for season quarterback hurries with 10 in 2023. Heldman has started each of the last 12 games and finished the 2024 season with 28 tackles (13 solo) with 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He made at least one tackle in all 12 games last year.
Redshirt junior Kade Kostus returns to the mix after playing in 24 games and starting all 12 last season on the inside. He concluded the 2024 season with 24 tackles (10 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks for nine yards and made at least one tackle in 10 of 12 games. He continues to make great strides.
Redshirt senior Jonathan Decker played in five games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Over his last two seasons on the defensive line and 13 total games, Decker has made eight tackles (four solo).
Other defensive line returnees include senior D.J. Bennett, redshirt junior Malik Denkins, redshirt sophomore Keshawn Hayden, and redshirt freshmen Quavion Bird and Adam Kaminski. Bennett saw action after transferring in from Louisburg College last year, Denkins battled back from back-to-back injuries to make four tackles in four games last season, Hayden played in 11 games and concluded the season with seven tackles and three quarterback hurries, while Bird and Kaminski earned redshirt years. Redshirt freshman Landon Swanson moves to defensive line from linebacker.
Central Michigan adds three experienced transfers in senior Dylan Fisher, junior Daniel Viramontes and sophomore Korver Demma to the unit. Fisher transfers in from Ohio Dominican, where he played in 26 games with 42 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, Viramontes is a Golden West C.C. transfer where he was a First Team Central League pick, and Demma transfers in from Northwestern College (Iowa) via Nebraska.
True freshman Joey VanWetzinga is also new to the group. An Iowa transfer who joins his brother Rusty at Central Michigan, VanWetzinga was a four-time All-State and three-time First Team All-State defensive lineman who helped lead his high school team a 33-9 overall record.
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Defensive Line coach Tesfa Smith is excited about his group.
“The biggest thing I’ve seen from them is their willingness to work and get better,” Smith said. “They’re always striving to push themselves, to get themselves ready, physically, and mentally for the upcoming season. That carried over from spring and we had an excellent summer where they were all up here as Coach Riedel transformed their bodies and got them physically ready for camp. Now through those first six practices, I’ve seen the effort level, the tenacity, and the violence from those guys has constantly gotten better each day. We’re not there yet, but we’re continuing to rise and get better.”
“Our group is being held by Michael Heldman, who has done a fantastic job of being the voice of that group, leading by example, constantly working hard every day. We’re seeing great work from Kade Kostus, as well as Malik Denkins, who’s really elevated his game, and so has Keyshawn Hayden. Jonathan Decker is out there every day practicing and going through the physical toll playing nose guard. I’m seeing the same thing from the young guys, Quavion Bird, Korver Demma, and Joey VanWetzinga, who are doing a great job of coming in here, learning a new system and showing a lot. One guy that’s been asked to play a separate role for us is D.J. Bennett. He’s really embraced that role. We want guys who are willing to accept these challenges, get out of their comfort zone, and play as hard as they can.
“If we can get our guys to play hard, we’ll be in great shape. Play with low-pad level, play with violence, but play hard is the most important thing.”
2025 DEFENSIVE LINE PERSONNEL ROSTER
98 | Jonathan Decker | 6-5 | 300 | R-Sr. | Elkhart, Ind.
97 | Michael Heldman | 6-4 | 260 | R-Sr. | Romeo, Mich.
93 | D.J. Bennett | 6-5 | 250 | Sr. | White Springs, Fla.
94 | Dylan Fisher | 6-1 | 285 | Sr. | Toledo, Ohio
90 | Oumar Conde | 6-3 | 260 | R-Jr. | Bronx, N.Y.
81 | Malik Denkins | 6-3 | 250 | R-Jr. | Cincinnati, Ohio
44 | Kade Kostus | 6-2 | 260 | R-Jr. | Rockford, Mich.
91 | Daniel Viramontes | 6-2 | 260 | Jr. | Anaheim, Calif.
49 | Keshawn Hayden | 6-3 | 250 | R-So. | St. Louis, Mo.
56 | Korver Demma | 6-3 | 245 | So. | Gretna, Neb.
96 | Quavion Bird | 6-1 | 310 | R-Fr. | Lake Wales, Fla.
80 | Adam Kaminski | 6-7 | 240 | R-Fr. | Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
95 | Joey VanWetzinga | 6-2 | 260 | Fr. | Pleasant Valley, Iowa
Redshirt senior Michael Heldman has played in 39 career games with 29 starts. A three-time Academic All-MAC and 2025 preseason All-MAC selection, Heldman has made 72 total tackles (39 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and a school-record 20 quarterback hurries in his three-year career. He also owns the CMU record for season quarterback hurries with 10 in 2023. Heldman has started each of the last 12 games and finished the 2024 season with 28 tackles (13 solo) with 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He made at least one tackle in all 12 games last year.
Redshirt junior Kade Kostus returns to the mix after playing in 24 games and starting all 12 last season on the inside. He concluded the 2024 season with 24 tackles (10 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks for nine yards and made at least one tackle in 10 of 12 games. He continues to make great strides.
Redshirt senior Jonathan Decker played in five games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Over his last two seasons on the defensive line and 13 total games, Decker has made eight tackles (four solo).
Other defensive line returnees include senior D.J. Bennett, redshirt junior Malik Denkins, redshirt sophomore Keshawn Hayden, and redshirt freshmen Quavion Bird and Adam Kaminski. Bennett saw action after transferring in from Louisburg College last year, Denkins battled back from back-to-back injuries to make four tackles in four games last season, Hayden played in 11 games and concluded the season with seven tackles and three quarterback hurries, while Bird and Kaminski earned redshirt years. Redshirt freshman Landon Swanson moves to defensive line from linebacker.
Central Michigan adds three experienced transfers in senior Dylan Fisher, junior Daniel Viramontes and sophomore Korver Demma to the unit. Fisher transfers in from Ohio Dominican, where he played in 26 games with 42 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, Viramontes is a Golden West C.C. transfer where he was a First Team Central League pick, and Demma transfers in from Northwestern College (Iowa) via Nebraska.
True freshman Joey VanWetzinga is also new to the group. An Iowa transfer who joins his brother Rusty at Central Michigan, VanWetzinga was a four-time All-State and three-time First Team All-State defensive lineman who helped lead his high school team a 33-9 overall record.
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