The defensive line is a work in progress.Senior Jake McDonough (35 tackles, 4.5 TFL) is the returner, but he'll move from DT to NT; the DT this season is senior Cleyon Laing.These gents must stuff the run, which hasn't been stuffed in many years.Maybe Roosevelt Maggitt returns from injury at end, either to start or be a solid backup for junior Willie Scott or sophomore David Irving, the ends.When healthy, Magitt may be the best of the group; but that's not saying much.ISU hasn't held a team under 4 ypc since 2005 (the year it last tangled with TCU).Any improvement in that direction up front will only highlight how good the linebackers behind them are. Senior A.J. Klein is the hoss.He's 6-2, 244, had 116 tackles his junior year, and won co-DPOY honors.Klein is among the best middle linebackers in the nation.At weakside is Jake Knott who's almost as good.He's also a senior, and had 115 tackles last season, winning 2nd team all-Big12 honors.One new starter is on the field this year, at strong side-- either sophomore C.J. Morgan or junior Deon Broomfield. Last year's Cyclone secondary was actually pretty good.It melted down only once, against Oklahoma State-- a game ISU still one-- but otherwise was decent.Half of the quartet of defensive backs graduated, including cornerback Leonard Johnson, twice a second-team Big12 selection.Johnson's backup, junior Jansen Watson, very experienced.Across the field senior Jeremy Reeves (70 tackles, 2 interceptions) returns as starter.Senior Durrell Givens is new as a starter, but very experienced at safety, where he'll play beside Jacques Washington (90 tackles), who started last year.This season will probably be another pretty good one in the secondary.