Like their counterparts on the offensive line, it’s easy for a defensive lineman’s play to go unnoticed. While sacks and tackles for loss look good on paper, they’re not always an indication of the most impactful defensive linemen. Creating pressure and occupying blockers can be just as or more vital than being the man to make the tackle in the backfield.

Which linemen have a big impact without putting up box score numbers? Here are three defensive linemen who shouldn’t be overlooked because of their less-than-dazzling stat lines.

Chris Jones, Mississippi State
2014 numbers: 26 tackles (20th on team), 3.5 tackles for loss (7th on team), 3.0 sacks (6th on team)

Mississippi State’s defense finished last season second in the SEC in sacks, totaling 37.0 on the year. Only 3.0 of them belonged to Jones, but that doesn’t negate his talent at defensive tackle. The highest-rated recruit of Dan Mullen’s tenure, the former five-star signee was a strong contributor on a defensive line that included Preston Smith, Kaleb Eulls and P.J. Jones. Despite his low sack and TFL totals last season, Jones still racked up eight quarterback hurries, good for fourth on the team. With the three veterans from last year gone, Jones is going to be counted on to be a consistent force in 2015.

Davon Godchaux, LSU
2014 numbers: 42 tackles (8th on team), 1.5 tackles for loss (18th on team), 0 sacks

Despite ranking near the bottom of the SEC in both sacks and pressures, LSU still posted the top defense in the SEC last fall. The Tigers owe some thanks to Godchaux, who stepped up as a freshman to plug the middle of the line. Quentin Thomas went down with an arm injury early in the season and several redshirt freshmen weren’t able to work their way into the rotation, so Godchaux moved into the starting lineup in Week 3 and was there to stay two weeks later. As Godchaux gained experience, LSU’s defense steadily improved after getting gashed in its first two SEC games. Godchaux’s emergence was crucial for the Tigers, and as the focal point of a restocked defensive line he could see an increased in his counting stats in 2015.

Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
2014 numbers: 35 tackles (12th on team), 4.0 tackles for loss (10th on team), 2.0 sacks (6th on team)

Nkemdiche’s impact goes way beyond his modest statistical totals. He sees constant double-teams and occasional triple coverage, meaning there are one or two fewer blockers to handle the rest of the Ole Miss defense. Even without big numbers, Nkemdiche is certainly appreciated for the role he plays on the Rebels defense, earning first-team All-SEC honors as well as second-team All-America. The way he collapses pockets and plugs holes is the motor that keeps the Ole Miss defense humming, and even if he’s not recording quarterback hurries or tackles for loss, he changes the way offenses operate on every possession.