Stat-Stuffing Defensive Standouts Of The Lowcountry
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From Charleston to Hilton Head, a number of defensive standouts used 2021 to prove how valuable they were to their teams. Oh, and they put up some huge numbers in the process. These seven players are primed to blow up…
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Continue ReadingFrom Charleston to Hilton Head, a number of defensive standouts used 2021 to prove how valuable they were to their teams.
Oh, and they put up some huge numbers in the process.
These seven players are primed to blow up opposing offenses again in 2022, using their unique skill sets to pile up tackles for loss or interceptions or fumbles or just rack up an insane amount of tackles.
SECONDARY
As teams learned to not throw in Daryl DePass’ direction last season, he found other ways to contribute on the stat sheet. The corner ended the season with 37 tackles and three tackles for loss. His one interception doesn’t seem like much until you factor in that teams basically avoided him like the plague.
Like the best strong safeties, Summerville’s Keith Elmore Keith Elmore 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Summerville | 2023 State SC (pictured) can play five or 20 yards off the line of scrimmage. But trust coach Ian Rafferty’s assessment that Elmore is “one of the best tacklers I have ever coached.” Elmore is fearless and usually running into a play with a head of steam.
DEFENSIVE LINE
All Chris Marable Chris Marable 6'4" | 280 lbs | DL Hilton Head | 2023 State SC did in his first varsity season was rack up 62 tackles, nine tackles for loss, an interception, a pass break up, on fumble recovery and a blocked kick. Hilton Head has a budding gem who has been on a recruiting tear in the last two months.
Oceanside Collegiate had what looks like four offensive line starters from last season heading to the college ranks. It should be no surprise that one of the guys who lined up against them every day in practice is likely going to do the same. Tim Castain Tim Castain 6'1" | 240 lbs | DL Oceanside Collegiate | 2023 State SC has been shooting up the ranks of late after putting up (seriously) 30 tackles for loss last fall.
Beaufort’s Eamon Smalls Eamon Smalls 6'3" | 300 lbs | DL Beaufort | 2023 TX has big-time college offers. Now consider that his 70 or so tackles and 18 tackles for loss came while facing double teams throughout 2021, and, yeah, we can see why he’s so high on the recruiting boards.
LINEBACKER
A soon-to-be four-year starter, Ashley Ridge’s TJ Wilson TJ Wilson 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Ashley Ridge | 2023 State SC is as consistent as they come at the inside linebacker position. He’s on pace to blow past 300 career tackles by the end of September despite having a whole bunch of games lost to the pandemic during his sophomore and junior seasons.
Not too far up the road at Cane Bay, another middle linebacker has proved his mettle, too. Cameron Avery Cameron Avery 6'0" | 220 lbs | LB Cane Bay | 2023 State SC finished last fall with 20 tackles for loss, three sacks and three forced fumbles to go along with 120+ unofficial tackles. The Cobras’ rising senior will stack up more stops this fall, and could be among the top tacklers in the entire state in 2022.