Scouting Report: Tony Cumberland

 

Rivals Ranking: No. 114 overall | No. 12 Defensive Lineman

Tony Cumberland is a prototype interior defensive lineman with elite upside, combining raw physical strength, impressive agility for his size, and a motor that never shuts off. A true difference-maker at the point of attack, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound prospect has already shown dominance against older competition and projects as a high-level nose guard or interior tackle at the Power Five level.

Frame & Physical Traits

Cumberland possesses an imposing natural build with a massive frame that should comfortably hold 325+ pounds in college without sacrificing athleticism. Even in his current 250-pound frame, he is physically overwhelming for most interior linemen. He plays with a low center of gravity and exceptional balance for his size, and his background in basketball is evident in how fluidly he moves laterally and how well he changes direction in space. His coordination and bend for a player his size are rare.

Strength & Hands

One of Cumberland’s most impressive traits is his raw power. He routinely stonewalls double teams and overwhelms single blockers with heavy, violent hands that shock offensive linemen on contact. He disengages cleanly and quickly to make plays in the backfield. On film, he stands up opposing linemen with ease, resets the line of scrimmage, and shows advanced understanding of leverage and hand placement for a young player.

Athleticism & Quickness

Despite projecting as a future nose guard, Cumberland moves like a 3-technique. He displays surprising initial burst at the snap and closes quickly once he’s in the backfield. His get-off is impressive for a big man, and he combines that with closing speed that allows him to track down plays from behind. That combination of size and suddenness gives him versatility to fit multiple defensive schemes. He shows good lateral mobility and can chase screens or flush quarterbacks on second effort.

Production & Motor

Cumberland’s production matches the traits. He broke out as a freshman at Desert Mountain (AZ), tallying 38 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks in 11 games. His sophomore year saw him remain disruptive with 30 tackles, 8.5 for loss, and 3.5 sacks in eight games, even as opposing offenses keyed on him. In 2024, now at Willamette High School in Eugene (Ore.), Cumberland turned in his most dominant campaign to date with 78 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 4 hurries, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 recoveries across nine games—production that highlights both his impact and motor.

Intangibles & Mentality

Cumberland plays with a relentless edge and consistently finishes plays. He is a tone-setter on the defensive front with an aggressive, physical style and flashes the kind of effort coaches crave. His motor never quits, and he’s willing to do the dirty work in the trenches while also showing flashes as a pass rusher. There’s no doubt he thrives in competition—an edge that will serve him well in Dan Lanning’s system at Oregon.

Scheme Versatility

While Cumberland is ideally suited to play nose guard in a 3-4 alignment—clogging gaps and demanding double teams—he has enough quickness and pass-rush upside to play as a 1-technique or even as a heavy 3-tech in a 4-3 scheme. He brings elite run-stuffing ability to any front and projects as a true space-eater who can also collapse the pocket.

Projection

Cumberland is still two seasons away from arriving in Eugene, but his combination of size, strength, production, and athleticism makes him one of the most complete defensive line prospects in the 2026 class. If he continues to develop technically while maintaining his mobility as he adds mass, he has the potential to be an immediate rotational player and long-term starter at Oregon.

He is currently ranked No. 114 nationally and No. 12 among defensive linemen in the 2026 class by Rivals—a ranking that could rise as he continues to develop and dominate. His commitment gives the Ducks an early anchor for their 2026 class and a potential future star in the middle of their defensive front.

---

Highlights:

 

 

Additional Highlights:

🔗 Junior Season Highlights
🔗 Sophomore Highlights
🔗 Freshman Highlights
🔗 Desert Mountain Composite Tape