The Five: #TN2022 Run Pluggers/Rush Tackles

The toughest position to find and recruit in the game of football has to be defensive tackles. Finding big men in the middle that are powerful but can move and cause disruption is tough to find on the recruiting trail but they are out there! “The Five” this week takes a look at the top interior defensive linemen in-state from the 2022 class 1. (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="101972" first="Walter" last="Nolen"] (6'4 300) - St. Benedict's - You can't start this list without mentioning the #1 player in the country for the 2022 class and that's Nolen, who is a beast up front that provides a lot of tools for his position. Nolen is an athletic guy for his size that has explosive traits and the ability to be a one man wrecking crew that offensive lineman have a hard time controlling. The Memphis area lineman is equally strong at stopping the run or rushing the passer. Opposing coaches have to game plan for Nolen and do their best at keeping him quiet but that's a tough task as the 6'4 300 pound lineman is a man among boys in the high school game. Nolen has the size and skill set to step onto the field next Fall as a freshman and compete for immediate playing time. He is one of the better defensive tackle prospects we have had in-state in a long time, so expectations are high for him to excel but he is more than capable. Junior Film: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14212740/5fb68af0f31c8509442a8fa7">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14212740/5fb68af0f31c8509442a8fa7</a> 2. (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102006" first="Camron" last="Douglas"] (6'3 305) - Haywood - A force from the interior defensive line, Douglas is a burly, powerful guy that can beat opposing offensive linemen in a variety of ways and he does so at a high level. Douglas is one of the strongest, most physically imposing defensive linemen in the state but also has some finesse about his game that makes him such a marked man on the recruiting trail. Douglas is a force versus the run as he uses his quick first step to get off blocks and explode to the ball carrier without hesitation. He will also use that quickness to rush after the quarterback and stop the play before it gets started. Douglas is a multi talented defensive tackle that can play all three downs. His value is very high as a prospect that can be forceful in all aspects on defense and he has yet to reach his maximum capabilities. Douglas does hold several offers already but I feel his best recruiting days are ahead of him. Junior Film: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12967850/5fd77ce48cd5650fa8f713db">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12967850/5fd77ce48cd5650fa8f713db</a> 3. (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102021" first="Thomas" last="Pilon"] (6'3 270) - McCallie - This is a great moment to talk about Pilon as this week, the Canadian native added his 1st college offer from Wofford and it's just the first of many more to come for this talented defensive lineman that can play multiple roles across the defensive line. Pilon is one of the more athletic and explosive defensive linemen in this state and in his recruiting class. He has a big time motor that doesn't stop till after the whistle. Pilon plays the game of football with a sense of urgency and desire to punish somebody with the ball. According to several offensive lineman who have faced Pilon, he has been one of the toughest to block and control because of his active motor, physical game play and overall athleticism. Pilon is still developing and learning the game but he is very talented and sports a lot of tools that college coaches would love to work with. He was only able to play in five games as a junior, so I'm expecting a big breakout senior season that hopefully puts Pilon on the recruiting map. Junior Film: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9969893/5f79024abee111081cf8011d">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9969893/5f79024abee111081cf8011d</a> 4. (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="101995" first="Gio" last="Davis"] (6'5 285) - South Pittsburg - Davis is a massive young man that immediately looks the part as soon as he steps off the bus, so he already has the college size and physical traits that college coaches desire. The Pirates star defensive lineman has already added several Power Five offers, so college coaches are quite aware of Davis and his upside. The size, length and body size alone for Davis is a load to handle for opposing offensive lineman. He uses his athleticism and size to break through the blocks and then finishes the play in a punishing fashion. His presence and size commands double teams on occasions, so he has the skills to become a pass rusher or run stopper on the next level. Davis is still raw and has a ways to go before he reaches his maximum capabilities but he has tremendous potential and upside that fits well into the college game. His recruiting could go to another level if he attends and competes well at college camps over the next two months. Junior Film: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14867307/5f81cd825cb37c072881fc0b">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14867307/5f81cd825cb37c072881fc0b</a> 5. (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102121" first="Josiah" last="Jackson"] (6'1 285) - Franklin Road Academy - Jackson may be the smallest defensive tackle listed here but that doesn't matter as the Nashville native plays much bigger and he is a consistent problem for opposing offensive linemen. The biggest area of strength for Jackson at this point in his game is his ability to diagnose the play early and quickly react before the offense gets started. He sports a quick first step which allows him to get on top of the opposition before they can drop back in their set. Jackson is also quite strong and knows how to use his power and leverage to stack the line and quickly get after the ball carrier. This Nashville native picked up his first college offer last week from Davidson and that may be the springboard needed for Jackson to see his stock grow and eventually add more interest and offers. His talents are worth it and Jackson will be a steal for whoever he signs with. Junior Film: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11115844/5fa72c0615f72508d468648c">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11115844/5fa72c0615f72508d468648c</a> Others Considered: (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102069" first="James" last="Howard"] - McCallie, (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102080" first="Colbe" last="Haddox"] - Boyd Buchanan, (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102093" first="Zion" last="Morris"] - BGA, (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102067" first="Myles" last="Saulsberry"] - Germantown, (DT) [player_tooltip player_id="102161" first="Trenton" last="Taylor"] - Elizabethton