Top New Jersey Shore Conference Defensive Players to Watch

Prep Redzone looks at a few dozen players from the New Jersey Shore Conference on defense that you should watch out for this upcoming season. The majority of these players either have offers, earned all-league, all-region, or all-state honors, or contributed on the varsity level last season. <em>Note: All rankings mentioned for an athlete are related to the class that they are in.</em> <strong>DEFENSIVE LINEMEN</strong> Ah’mere Boozwe/Neptune/2022 Aidan Moriarty/Rumson-Fair Haven/2022 Anthony Musso/Central/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="156704" first="Blake" last="Rezk"]/Wall/2022 Christopher Pasos/Manchester/2022 De’Ondre Banks/Neptune/2023 J.J. Cavanaugh/Manasquan/2022 Elijah Wilson/Mater Dei Prep/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="177066" first="Eric" last="Ibe"]/Jackson Memorial/2022 Jacquel Presley/Long Branch/2022 Joe Juarez/Freehold Township/2022 Joe Summers/Wall/2022 John Dodero/Lacey/2022 Keyshaun Coppinger-Ward/Keansburg/2022 Kingborn Morris/Manchester/2022 Levi Wilkins/Donovan Catholic/2022 Lucas Bontempo/Monmouth/2023 Nahmir Jones/Shore/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="28028" first="Nate" last="Committee"]/Southern/2022 Nico Ippolito/Donovan Catholic/2022 Shane Garrett/Ocean/2023 [player_tooltip player_id="27992" first="Tyler" last="Ochojski"]/Freehold/2022 Tyler Ochojsky/Freehold/2022 Wyatt Sternberg/Tom Rivers Souoth/2022 <strong>OVERVIEW</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="28028" first="Nate" last="Committee"] is a Class of 2022 commit for Bellarmine University. &nbsp; <strong>LINEBACKERS</strong> Alex Dekis/Raritan/2022 Anthony Bonnano/Colts Neck/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="28006" first="Charlie" last="Sasso"]/Wall/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="177100" first="Cian" last="Curylo"]/Red Bank/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="140806" first="Colin" last="Riley"]/Wall/2022 Connor Farrell/Donovan Catholic/2022 Devin Raevis/Toms River South/2022 Devin Raevis/Toms River South/2022 Jack Will/Middletown South/2022 Jaimie Mazzacco/Shore/2022 Joey Abarno/St. John Vianney/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="140796" first="John" last="Lista"]/Rumson-Fair Haven/2022 Julian Jones/Monmouth/2023 Lou Pilla/Wall/2022 Loukas Piasteras/Monmouth/2022 Matt Agar/Raritan/2023 Nat Ianello/Donovan Catholic/2022 Rai’Sun Banks/Neptune/2022 Ryan Burns/Manasquan/2022 Ryan McKay/Rumson-Fair Haven/2022 Scott Stevens/Lacey/2022 Thomas Sardo/Holmdel/2022 Torin Hamon/Shore/2023 Ty Kazanowsky/Toms River North/2023 [player_tooltip player_id="146682" first="Will" last="Surdez"]/Colts Neck/2023 <strong>OVERVIEW</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="28006" first="Charlie" last="Sasso"] is the No. 7 linebacker in the state. Sasso has offers from Penn, Sacred Heart, Georgetown, and Monmouth. He made 97 total tackles (17 solos) in seven games last season. [player_tooltip player_id="140796" first="John" last="Lista"] is the No. 6 linebacker in the state. Here is what PRZ New Jersey’s Mike Rittleman had to say about Lista: <blockquote>A physical presence that roams the field and has good awareness to roam sideline to sideline to make key punishing hits throughout the duration of a game. He demonstrates the ability to rush the quarterback from different vantage points on defense and shows the natural ability to bend and get underneath an offensive lineman.</blockquote> [player_tooltip player_id="140806" first="Colin" last="Riley"] is the No. 9 linebacker in the state. [player_tooltip player_id="146682" first="Will" last="Surdez"] is the No. 2 linebacker in the state. He’s a two-sport athlete who also plays basketball. <strong>DEFENSIVE BACKS</strong> C.J. Flannigan/Ocean/2023 Cole Kozlowski/Manasquan/2022 Corey Pitts/St. John Vianney/2022 Danny Morris/Central/2022 D’Maari Brown/Manchester/2022 Dom Fraulio/Central/2022 Dylan Day/Holmdel/2022 Elijah Metellus/Toms River South/2022 Frankie Harris-Thomas/Monmouth/2022 Jack Grassi/Red Bank/2022 Jake Davis/Wall/2022 Jalin Butler/Donovan Catholic/2022 Joe Abarno/St. John-Vianney/2022 John Runfolo/Colts Neck/2022 Justin Kurc/Brick Township/2022 Matt Collive/Wall/2022 Matt Dengler/Red Bank/2022 Matt Dollive/Wall/2022 Nick Martinez/Ocean/2022 Rob Paneque/Jackson Memorial/2022 Ryan Panuska/Brick Township/2022 Sekou Kamau/Long Branch/2023 Tom Schork/Middletown South/2022 Troy Dey/St. John Vianney/2022 Yah-Sin Calhouon/Freehold/2022 <strong>OVERVIEW</strong> Several of these players have a great chance of being ranked during the next update. Jake Davis was credited for 36 total tackles (10 solo) last season. Joe Abarno had an impressive junior season as he racked up 52 total tackles. Donovan Catholic’s Jalin Butler made 35 total tackles (10 solo) last season.John Runfolo was credited with 33 total tackles (15 solo) in 2020. &nbsp; &nbsp;