Indiana All-State Top 50 Team: Defensive Backs- Part 1

Over the past few weeks, we have had the chance to look at the players who earned spots on the Indiana All-State Top 50 Team. Now we bring that process to its conclusion in the defensive backfield. Today, we will take a look at three of the six defensive backs who earned spots on this year’s team. All year, these three locked things down on the back end. They are all sound players who can do big things at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="98074" first="Mitchell" last="Evans"], 5’10, 180 pounds, Center Grove, Senior [player_tooltip player_id="98074" first="Mitchell" last="Evans"] played a leading role in the Center Grove defense, as the Trojans went undefeated in route to winning a Class 6A title. Evans is a great tackler, something that is in much higher demand for defensive backs now. He amassed 34 solo tackles and 49 total tackles on the year to go along with two tackles-for-loss. Evans is dependable in coverage. He had six passes defensed to go along with one interception, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Evans showcased his playmaking ability by adding a defensive touchdown. He can also contribute on special teams, as he returned three punts this season. [player_tooltip player_id="98008" first="Joseph" last="Jefferson"], 6’1, 185 pounds, Pike, Senior [player_tooltip player_id="98008" first="Joseph" last="Jefferson"] provides versatility, as he can play both free and strong safety. Jefferson has great speed, allowing him to cover a lot of ground. He does well when matched-up one-on-one with a receiver, and he can pick up any receiver that gets behind the corners. Jefferson is a physical safety and an outstanding tackler. He is excellent at coming down from his safety spot to stop the run. Jefferson posted 75 total tackles, 43 solo tackles and 13 tackles-for-loss. He was great at creating turnovers, grabbing four interceptions with one forced fumble as well as one fumble recovery. Jefferson notched seven passes defensed. [player_tooltip player_id="98023" first="Bryce" last="Llewellyn"], 5’11, 200 pounds, Indianapolis Cathedral, Senior One of the big contributors to Cathedral’s Class 5A State Championship victory was [player_tooltip player_id="98023" first="Bryce" last="Llewellyn"]. Llewellyn provides an added benefit to the defense in the sense that he can play both strong safety as well as outside linebacker. As a result, he can be effective in different packages. Llewellyn has great ball skills, and he does well reading the eyes of the quarterback, evidenced by the fact that he came up with eight interceptions this past fall. He also forced and recovered one fumble. Llewellyn is solid tackler. He had 46 solo and 73 total tackles for the year with two-and-a-half tackles-for-loss. Even when he was not making interceptions, Llewellyn still found ways to disrupt the opponent’s passing-game. He had five passes defensed, taking away the possibility of big completions.