Oregon 6A Defensive POY Favorites (Ranked #1-15)

<strong>DEFENSE</strong> Each season player of the year honors incorporates multiple factors, including individual performance and the team’s success. Have a look at Oregon’s top Defensive athletes as I would have them ranked for this award heading into the last week of the season. &nbsp; 1.[player_tooltip player_id="28714" first="Colt" last="Musgrave"] LB Bend 21’- Watch Musgrave’s film. It’s some of the best I’ve ever seen from a LB within Oregon. He is on another level if we are referencing the speed at which he plays. Through 4 games he accumulated 63 total tackles (23 solo), 10 tackles for loss, and 4 forced fumbles. The Idaho Vandals got the steal of the year. 2.[player_tooltip player_id="28846" first="Cole" last="Prusia"] DB Tualatin 22’- I could see the 6-3 Prusia starting at Safety for three years at Oregon State if that’s where he ends up. He could potentially have double digit D1 offers before he is done, as one of the most versatile kids on the west coast for 2022. 3.[player_tooltip player_id="28723" first="Andrew" last="Simpson"] CB Mountainside 21’- If we are talking the state’s overall MVP, with both offense and defense factored in, it’s between him and Prusia. The state leader in INT’s also went off on the offensive side of the ball. 4.[player_tooltip player_id="28840" first="Kaden" last="Ludwick"] DE/OLB Clackamas 22’- Probably the fastest rising underclassmen in the Northwest. His dominance coming off the edge and recent offers from Colorado and Nevada speak to that. 5.[player_tooltip player_id="28752" first="Timon" last="Davis"] CB Grant 21’- Timon was continuously in the mix on both sides of the football. Very few athletes anywhere in the state had a better season. He is another steal for Western Oregon. 6.[player_tooltip player_id="28864" first="Zac" last="Waible"] LB Lakeridge 22’- Waible broke out as a Sophomore earning all-conference honors in the brutally tough TRL. His follow up to that this season has put him in the conversation among the state’s best, averaging a ridiculous 15.2 tackles per game (76 total), with 6 tackles for loss. 7.[player_tooltip player_id="28712" first="Bryan" last="Cuthbertson"] LB Sherwood 21’- One of the most exciting players I’ve seen on the defensive side of the ball within Oregon. An unquestioned multi offer D1 kid in my opinion. His junkyard dog mentality was something you can’t teach. 8.[player_tooltip player_id="28738" first="Adrian" last="McConnell"] DT West Salem 21’- McConnell may have had the best season of any D lineman state wide, ranking towards the top of the charts in multiple statistical categories (#1 tackles for loss + 5 sacks). 9.[player_tooltip player_id="28779" first="Clay" last="Masters"] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id="28755" first="Thomas" last="McNamara"] DB West Linn 21’s- Athletes will never be listed together if we are talking about player of the year honors, but I couldn’t separate the two. Both should be unanimous 1st team all-conference/state kids. 10.[player_tooltip player_id="28845" first="Royce" last="Fasel"] LB Glencoe 22’- One of the best football players in Oregon. Fasel is a D1 talent at some level in my opinion, regardless of size or speed. He will project on the defensive side of the ball collegiately (6A top 5 tackles). 11.<strong>Drew Bennett</strong> DB Westview 22’- Bennett matched his offensive production, having an unreal year on D, being listed among the state leaders in INTs. Look for the Cats to be a potential 6A top 10 team next season. 12.[player_tooltip player_id="28772" first="Cole" last="Peters"] LB West Linn 21’- Statistically speaking what I would guess is one of the state’s all-time leading tacklers. Peters is undersized for the position, but for three straight years he has been one of the best in Oregon defensively. 13.[player_tooltip player_id="28735" first="Brody" last="Reese"] DT Century 21’- Reese was essentially double and triple teamed each game so his numbers didn’t necessarily reflect his dominance from the previous seasons. One of the nation’s top wrestlers continues to be a problem on the interior. 14.[player_tooltip player_id="28721" first="Jason" last="Davis"] LB Jefferson 21’- The state’s leading tackler over the last two seasons. Davis was once again typically always in the right spot. His size, speed and 70+ tackles in 5 games speak to his potential at the next level. 15.[player_tooltip player_id="28862" first="Nui" last="Tovey"] LB Lakeridge 22’- Tovey has had another outstanding season after a breakout Sophomore year. His size and overall versatility (40+ tackles, 5 games) should help him be a key factor, in what looks to be one of Oregon’s top teams in the coming seasons.