Week One Top Performers: Defense

High School football is back, and as the dust settled on week one it’s time to highlight the top performers on the defensive side of the ball.  In this article we are peeling the curtain back, analyzing much more than simple statistics.  We are looking for the players who jumped off the screen, who made a real impact in the game. This will be a weekly article highlighting both the defensive and offensive players that made an impression.  This article is not just for the top-ranked players, but for all players that stand out on film and are looking to raise their recruiting stock. This week was filled with players outside the top rankings looking to make some noise.  So enough with the introduction, let’s get into the top defensive performers of the week. <strong>Will Johnson, 6’2" 190, LB, Southlake Christian Academy</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 20 total tackles, 13 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble Many players and teams look to make a big statement the first week of the season.  Will Johnson certainly did so, the senior linebacker was blowing up Lake Norman Charter’s offensive plans all night long.  Wherever the football was, Johnson was right there too.  His stat line speaks for itself, but the actual play on the field is even more impressive.  Will’s instinct to follow the ball is top-notch.  Will Johnson will be a name to follow as he looks to finish his high school career strong. <strong>Amari Hubbard, 6’1" 215, MLB, South Garner High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 21 total tackles, 4 solo tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles Amari Hubbard was outstanding Friday night.  Every time we looked up, Hubbard was around the football.  He was a menace for the offensive line every time he blitzed up the middle.  Ashley High School was not able to get anything past Hubbard.  His burst off the line stood out the most, he was able to come from 5-6 yards off the ball and the linemen still couldn’t stop him.  Amari Hubbard will be a name circled repeatedly moving forward this season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="98108" first="Angeni" last="Jacobs"], 6’2" 225, LB, Chris High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 10 total tackles, 5 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery [player_tooltip player_id="98108" first="Angeni" last="Jacobs"] picked up week one exactly where he left off last season, in the opponent’s backfield.  He was all over the field Friday night, disrupting the offensive line.  This was the first time I watched Jacobs play and his athleticism immediately jumped off the page.  His ability to use that athleticism as an advantage in the actual game is a big contributor to his rising stock.  His lateral quickness, vision, and patience were the three key qualities that stuck out to me during this week’s game.  I will be zeroed in on Jacobs throughout the rest of this season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="141360" first="Tyson" last="Conner"], 6’2" 195, LB, T.C. Roberson High School</strong> <strong>Stats: </strong>18 total tackles, 14 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble It was a tough day on the field for T.C. Roberson, losing handily to Watauga, but sometimes we have to look a little deeper than just the score of the game.  The fact of the matter is that [player_tooltip player_id="141360" first="Tyson" last="Conner"] performed very well Friday night.  He was all over the field, showing off his quick burst and lateral speed.  The burst that Conner plays with when he blitzes is striking.  Conner had his hand in almost every defensive stat possible Friday night, and when someone puts on a performance like that we have to highlight it. <strong>Stephon Jenkins, 5’9" 150, DB, Hunt High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 7 total tackles, 6 solo tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 pass deflections Jenkins is an all-around athlete that plays on both sides of the ball.  He was all over the field Friday night in a very competitive game against J.H Rose.  The game ended in a 1 score game, and Jenkins came up with a massive interception to ice the game when J.H. Rose was threatening to score.  Jenkins is a ball hawk, the ball always finds him and he knows how to catch it when it does.  Jenkins showed us on Friday night that he can also be a threat to score once he does create an interception, as he racked up 80 yards from 2 interceptions.  While he does lack size, that’s not as much of an issue when you have good instincts and ball skills. <strong>Jacob Lisk, 6’3" 220, DE, West Stanly High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 9 total tackles, 5 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks Jacob was an absolute wrecking ball, creating pressure on the quarterback in every way possible Friday night.  Lisk led all defensive players in North Carolina this week with 3.5 sacks.  His relentless pursuit all game gave the opposing quarterbacks very little time to get set and throw the ball.  Lisk also affects the run game as well. At 6’3", 220, the offensive line has to commit a lot of attention to Lisk which allows his teammates to get free as well.  Lisk looks primed for a dominant senior year. <strong>Luke Wilson, 6’0" 200, LB, East Burke High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 20 total tackles, 14 solo tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble Wilson showed up big in what was a hard-fought defensive game against Patton High School.  A game like that puts so much emphasis on the defensive side of the ball, and Wilson was ready for that responsibility.  Wilson was unblockable when he came flying into the backfield, putting on a couple of highlight-reel hits as well.  Wilson’s patience before striking was a key component that stuck out to me during this game.  Patience only works when you have the speed and quickness to act once the play is formed, Wilson has both of those attributes. <strong>Other Big Performances:</strong> <strong>Kaden Robinson, MLB, Bunker Hill High School -</strong> 17 total tackles, 5 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks <strong>Bryant Blevins, DL, Ashe County High School -</strong> 17 total tackles, 10 solo tackles, 5 tackles for loss <strong>Micah Ward, LB, Asheville High School -</strong> 16 total tackles, 15 solo tackles, 1 sack &nbsp; &nbsp;