Regular Season Defensive Players of the Year

In my previous article, I highlighted the three best offensive players in the state of Colorado for the 2021 season. While it was hard to pick the three best offensive players in the state because of how many talented guys there were, it was equally as difficult to pick the three best defensive players in the state. As hard as it was to narrow down the many great players and season-long performances to just three, these were the three most notable in retrospect. <strong>Players of the Year</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="22729" first="Ian" last="Loomis"], Loveland Red Wolves (LB)(Sr.)(22) - As one of two players from my midseason list to land on the end of the season list, Loomis had one of the most dominant seasons of any defender in the state. As the heart-and-soul of the Red Wolves defense, Loomis accounted for an unbelievable 136 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, 2 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. When you put on the tape, it’s easy to see why Loomis has been such an overwhelming force this season as he shows good foot speed and explosiveness that allows him to attack downhill and drive back the ball carrier. Foot speed plus his outstanding lateral agility allow him to play the prototypical sideline-to-sideline role of modern Mike backers. Displays good use of hands at the point-of-contact to shed blockers and close on the ball carrier. Savvy LB in run support with a good understanding of how to attack the blocker’s outside shoulder and set the edge. Disciplined backside defender that doesn’t over-pursue the ball carrier, maintaining backside contain and gap responsibility. Excellent form tackling with a consistent ability to wrap up the ball carrier and drive his legs through contact. Displays requisite ability to drop into zone coverage. Tough, very physical, highly aggressive defender that looks for contact and finishes tackles well. Loomis might not be a high profile name in the recruiting world, but he certainly fits the mold of the prototypical LB and whatever program takes a chance on him will be getting a terrific player. [player_tooltip player_id="209833" first="Nathan" last="Hallmark"], Fossil Ridge Sabercats (DE/LB)(Sr.)(20) - Being the second player from my midseason list to make it on the end of the season list, Hallmark finished the last five games of the regular season just as dominantly as he started the first five weeks. In his final season as a Fossil Ridge Sabercat, Hallmark posted an incredible stat line of 81 tackles, 29 tackles for a loss, 19 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and a pass deflection while also adding a blocked punt on special teams, for good measure. It’s fairly obvious why Hallmark is so productive when you turn on the film, as he displays elite first step explosiveness, often using that alone to overwhelm opposing linemen. Outstanding acceleration out of his stance allows him to easily convert speed-to-power when bull rushing. Excellent bend when turning the corner, forcing the opposing tackle to overextend when trying to maintain edge protection. Long armed, technically sound pass rusher that has a good understanding of hand technique, placement, and timing that gives him an edge when athleticism alone won’t win. Tenacious, high motor defender that will relentlessly pursue the ball carrier downfield. Versatile pass rusher that can play both a standard 4-3, hand-in-the-dirt end position or a 3-4 standup LB/rush end position. Hallmark is an incredibly talented player that will look to continue his career at the collegiate level. Marcus Howard, Aurora Central Trojans (DE/LB)(Sr.)(3) - Howard is a player that had a quietly dominant season and when it was all said and done was the state’s most prolific pass rusher by a fairly wide margin. In his last season suiting up for the Trojans, Howard had a world-beating year as he accounted for 78 tackles, 26 tackles for a loss, 23 sacks (2.1 sacks per game), 4 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery while also adding 235 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball. When you watch the film of Howard’s season, it’s pretty remarkable he hasn’t gotten more attention. Howard displays top level traits almost entirely across the board, with the most noticeable being his elite first step explosiveness that he can consistently win with in and of itself. Long striding athlete that covers ground extremely quickly whether closing space between him and the opposing tackle or when pursuing the ball carrier. Long armed pass rusher that routinely wins with hand placement, timing, and power because of his length. Displays elite power on bull rushes because of a combination of his strong lower body and length that allows him to quickly collapse the pocket. Combining his elite explosiveness and size, Howard can routinely work through combo blocks and double teams when pursuing the ball carrier or rushing the QB. Versatile chess piece as a pass rusher that can play both as a traditional 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 stand up edge rusher. Howard isn’t currently a name on any recruiting service but it’s absolutely mind-boggling how he hasn’t been noticed by now. He has the requisite frame (6’5, 205 lbs) with the tape and production to match. I sincerely hope a program gives him an offer because he is certainly more than deserving.