The front seven may be the heart and soul of the defense, but it is very difficult for them to get their jobs done without a solid defensive backfield. While it may be early, their is plenty of promise amongst the defensive backs in the Class of 2025. Today, we will evaluate the three lockdown players on the back end. Defensive back is a difficult position to master. However, with another three-and-a-half seasons ahead of them, these three prospects can develop into elite players in the years ahead.
[player_tooltip player_id="196718" first="Alijah" last="Hackett"], 5’6, 140 pounds, Ben Davis
[player_tooltip player_id="196718" first="Alijah" last="Hackett"] has been making a difference on the Ben Davis freshman squad. In his first three games, Hackett came up with two solo tackles and five total. Hackett has the benefit of playing in a great Ben Davis program. They have a number of high-level upperclassman players that he can learn from. Hackett shows plenty of upside and he is in a great position to continue to grow and improve.
[player_tooltip player_id="196715" first="Anthony" last="Kelley"], East Noble
On the varsity team for the East Noble Knights, [player_tooltip player_id="196715" first="Anthony" last="Kelley"] has proven himself to be a contributor in all three phases. On top of having a solid presence in the defensive backfield, Kelley also helps the team as a wide receiver and as a punter. On offense, he is a multi-dimensional player who can do so many things well, including running the ball. Kelley has four receiving yards and 19 rushing yards. Defensively, he has come up with three tackles- including one tackle for loss- and an interception. Kelley takes on the responsibility of setting up the opposing offense in poor starting field position. Kelley has punted the ball seven times on the campaign for a net total of 271 yards and 38.7 yards per punt. Kelley also launched a 56 yard boot earlier in the season. On top of that, he has also returned one kickoff for ten yards. [player_tooltip player_id="196715" first="Anthony" last="Kelley"] is a jack-of-all-trades type of player who can provide the team some energy when they need it.
[player_tooltip player_id="196696" first="Xzavian" last="Lafave"], 5’9, LaVille
[player_tooltip player_id="196696" first="Xzavian" last="Lafave"] has given plenty of reason to be excited in the two varsity games that he has appeared in for LaVille. Similar to Kelley, LaFave is a great three-phase player. On top of what he provides for the team as a defensive back, LaFave is an excellent return man and receiver. Offensively LaFave has caught one pass for 15 yards. Defensively, he has been outstanding so far. He has come up with eight solo tackles and 11 total stops, showing that he can be a physical player. One special teams, LaFave has returned two kickoffs and two punts this season. On kickoff returns, he accumulated 29 yards and when returning punts, he has racked up ten yards.
