Nine Metro Defensive Units to Watch in '22

Now that I finally feel good about the amount of film that’s been watched on the class of 2023 in Minnesota and the grasp I have on the ceilings and skillsets of a majority of the rising seniors in the state, I want to start highlighting some of the deepest and most talented position groups going into next season. To break things up, I started by categorizing some loaded positional units by whether they were located around the Metro or Outstate, then by position, and watched as much film as needed to name these nine top defensive position groups in the Twin Cities Metro going into the 2022 high school football season. Whether they’re a defensive end or a corner, located right in the city or in the suburbs, or are at a big school or small program, these positional units are stacked to the brim with playmakers and are going to cause some serious stress to opposing coordinators throughout the fall. Get to know these nine top Metro defensive groups to watch in 2022 with PrepRedzoneMN and stay tuned for the upcoming offensive and Outstate feature. Thanks for reading! Nine Metro Defensive Units to Watch The Edina Hornets DBs: [player_tooltip player_id="295814" first="Brady" last="Anderson"] (CB - 6’2, 195), [player_tooltip player_id="245652" first="Peyton" last="Himley"] (FS - 6’2, 180) The first position group that came to mind when preparing to write this PRzMN feature was without a doubt the Edina Hornets DBs, who also moonlights as the bulk of the WR group. I’m so pumped to finally be writing about these prospects because I haven’t gotten a chance up to this point despite the fact they possess some of my favorite junior tapes in the entire 2023 class. Both Anderson and Himley carry great size for the defensive secondary and tackle as well as any DBs in the state. Now rising seniors, another summer in the weight room is only going to make them more impactful on the gridiron and will look to lead the Hornets back to the realm of Metro heavyweights like when the now-defunct Lake Conference used to reign supreme. Don’t underestimate the effect some dominant defensive backs can have throughout a football game! [player_tooltip player_id="295814" first="Brady" last="Anderson"]: Flies into contact with great closing speed and forced a few fumbles in 2021 thanks to his timing and how quickly he can get onto the toes of ball carries. Violent hitter with the speed to take the top off the defense and burn DBs deep. Runs a mean stop and go and was a big play machine from the WR position last fall. Also, great size that can run through tackles and take on bigger backs and QBs in space. Runs the alley noticeably well. [player_tooltip player_id="245652" first="Peyton" last="Himley"]: Posted 68 tackles, 5 TFLs, and an interception he returned for a TD. Love his size for the FS position and could watch him run the alley and circumvent blocks all day long. Excellent in run support and instinctive as a pass defender. Plays with great pursuit angles and can tackle in space as well as between the tackles and in the box. Love watching him come up and lay the wood, I think he’s got a shot to be one of the better tackles in the entire Metro. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-247359" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/5-Peyton-Himley.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="245652" first="Peyton" last="Himley"] - Edina -- The Centennial Cougars LBs: [player_tooltip player_id="112123" first="Reese" last="Littlefield"] (MLB - 6’3, 235 lbs.), Lance Nielsen (OLB - 6’, 195 lbs), [player_tooltip player_id="112144" first="Jaiden" last="Loots"] (OLB - 6’, 200 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="105389" first="Timmy" last="Ball"] (MLB - 2024) Both Littlefield and Nielsen have already received significant attention from PRzMN since the 2023 update published a couple of months ago, with Nielsen particularly catching my eye and holding a solid standing in my list of favorite ’23 prospects in Minnesota. With three seniors and a junior manning the LB corps of Centennial in 2022, I think the Cougars present one of the biggest, baddest, and deepest linebacking units in MN, with Littlefield, really setting the tone at an eye-popping 6’3, 230+ pounds. Their outside backers bring a lot of speed to the table and can create splash plays and momentum shifters from the second level of the northern Metro defense, and with three strong, aggressive, and experienced seniors there will be a lot to game plan against for opposing defensive coordinators. [player_tooltip player_id="112123" first="Reese" last="Littlefield"]: A two-sport standout and captain who is a decorated athlete in both football and lacrosse, Littlefield is a throwback, downhill, attacking linebacker who does his best work at and around the LOS and is a dominant run stuffer who can bounce off blocks and tackle with great technique. I love how he diagnoses, finds, and eliminates the football and he plays with great angles and solid closing speed. Moves well for 230 pounds and gets off blocks like you’d expect a LB of that size too. Lance Nielsen: I’ve written about Nielsen a ton so I’ll keep it a little shorter here. Playmaker. Explosive hitter. Combination of speed and strength helps him to excel in both coverage and run support. More offensive-minded but provides a spark and versatility to the middle of the Cougar’s defense. [player_tooltip player_id="112144" first="Jaiden" last="Loots"]: Also had a knack for the big play in 2021 and provides a pass-rushing contribution and some burst off the edge for the Centennial defense. Can also support in pass coverage and can tackle in space. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-138693" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/35_JaidenLoots_1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="112144" first="Jaiden" last="Loots"] - Centennial [player_tooltip player_id="105389" first="Timmy" last="Ball"]: The lone junior of the Centennial linebacking corps, Ball’s got varsity tick as a sophomore and will be expected to step up in 2022 as he builds on his skillset of good tackling, physicality, and play recognition. Shows a little bit of burst out of his stance and has some good size at 210 pounds going into his upperclassman era. Keep an eye on him amongst his senior counterparts. -- The Farmington Tigers LBs: [player_tooltip player_id="246039" first="Caleb" last="Busse"] (ILB - 5’11, 205 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="19018" first="Zach" last="Dahl"] (ILB - 6’3, 230 lbs.), and [player_tooltip player_id="313026" first="Caleb" last="Griffin"] The home of one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the entire state, Farmington continually pumps out well-built, fast, and aggressive college football prospects. This year, their defense is stacked to the brim with talent at every level of the field. Things will be anchored by their linebackers, [player_tooltip player_id="246039" first="Caleb" last="Busse"]: An instinctive, speedy, and crushing hitter who has the pace to shoot gaps, fly past blocking attempts, and run down loose ball carriers down the sideline and also has the strength to take on TEs and bigger blockers at the LOS in tough run support. I particularly love how he sniffs and snubs out screens and meets RBs in the hole in big boy 1-on-1 tackling situations. Has visited Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, and Winona State this spring. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-247387" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/36-Caleb-Busse.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="246039" first="Caleb" last="Busse"] - Farmington [player_tooltip player_id="19018" first="Zach" last="Dahl"]: Measuring in at a whopping 6’3, 230, Dahl is one of the largest in an XL group of 2023 linebackers from the great state of Minnesota and plays like his size would suggest, crushing blocking attempts, RBs, and QBs, and anyone else in his way like a runaway GTA big rig. I’m a big fan of his downhill style of play and how he triggers on the ball and freezes ball carriers in their tracks, but he also has some solid speed in pursuit for 230. Ranked as the #8 LB in the 2023 class, he hasn’t reported any college interest or offers as of right now. [player_tooltip player_id="313026" first="Caleb" last="Griffin"]: Will be stepping into a bigger role in 2022 after contributing to both the Tigers varsity and JV last fall. Did get significant varsity snaps though, and in his tape I like his low pad level, tackling form, leg drive after contact, and ability to hang in there and anchor himself against bigger blockers or beat them with speed. Don’t have a height and weight on him though. -- The Bloomington Kennedy Eagles DBs: [player_tooltip player_id="112103" first="Marques" last="Monroe"] (Safety - 6’1, 190 lbs) [player_tooltip player_id="112138" first="Rayzjon" last="Walker"] (Safety - 6’2, 185 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="242478" first="Enoch" last="Dablaka"] (CB - 2024. 6’, 170 lbs.) There is a lot to be excited about if you’re a JFK Eagles fan in 2022, as they return another talented roster with big, physical players all around the gridiron and particularly in the defensive backfield. Led by the highly-ranked Monroe, Kennedy has versatile athletes that will patrol a lot of ground next fall and are all willing and able to capitalize on QBs or WRs errors. If you’re a wideout going over the middle, you’ll need to keep your head on a swivel, and there are going to be a lot of broken-up and picked-off passes this fall thanks to the height and length these three will provide. I’m an especially big fan of Monroe, who is the Eagle’s best prospect since at least Travon Hearns and can just as easily smack a wide receiver as he can snag an interception and is a playmaker no matter what position he’s lined up at. With Kedrick Williams - my former freshman coach at Southwest HS who I am a big fan of - coaching him up from his HC role, these boys are experienced, well-coached, and hungry. [player_tooltip player_id="112103" first="Marques" last="Monroe"]: Heavy NSIC and MVFC interest. He opens his tape with a 101-yard INT return for a TD, three crushing open-field tackles, and three more INTs and shows off a diverse skill set and playmaking mentality from the safety position for some intriguing DB tape. He’s going to be in the heads of both opposing OCs as well as WRs, who will be anticipating his footsteps and the incoming bang of his pads throughout the fields of Minneapolis and its outer ring suburbs in 2022. Also can showcase his athleticism with big offensive and special team TD runs. Second Team All-Metro in 2021 and is locked in for that First Team nod this next fall. [player_tooltip player_id="112138" first="Rayzjon" last="Walker"]: Great size and has the athleticism to contribute as a reliable, playmaking, two-way player for the Eagles. Will come downhill to tackle and also provides ball skills and length to the secondary. Has visited Minnesota State-Moorhead and Southwest Minnesota State this spring. [player_tooltip player_id="242478" first="Enoch" last="Dablaka"]: The youngest of the bunch, Dablaka is entering his junior year coming off a strong sophomore campaign that saw him line up all over the field and lift his defense in both the run and pass game. Has the speed and hips to play man coverage on the outside and the tackling pedigree to play in the box. Going to be interested to see how his offseason went. -- The Minnetonka Skippers DL: [player_tooltip player_id="112045" first="Jack" last="Liwienski"] (DT - 6’3, 275 lbs. ), [player_tooltip player_id="112142" first="Aidan" last="Boehle"] (DE - 6’5, 210 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="140479" first="Dakota" last="Egert"] (DE - 6’6, 240 lbs.). Potentially: [player_tooltip player_id="313154" first="Ryan" last="Olson"] (DE- 6’3, 230 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="242374" first="Veltrez" last="Black"] Jr. (DE - 2024. 6’1, 215 lbs.), Mateus Machado Cullen (DT - 2024. 6’1, 225 lbs.) I have not been shy in sharing the fact that the Minnetonka Skippers have a LOADED defensive line in their 2023 class, and with some heavy-hitting 2024s - a lot of which also operate in the trenches - added to the mix, I think Tonka is my darkhorse pick for a 2022 6A state title contender. Led by one of my personal favorite 2023s [player_tooltip player_id="112045" first="Jack" last="Liwienski"], Tonka boasts a deep position unit that is going to cause nightmares for offenses this upcoming fall. With size, strength, quickness, and nastiness, I love watching the three of these rising seniors play football and they all have D1 potential and will make whatever future college program quite happy. Whether it’s getting after the run or pressuring the QB, you’ll need to account for this DL group all day long. [player_tooltip player_id="112045" first="Jack" last="Liwienski"]: I’ve been a big of Liwienski since I got ahold of some midseason tape of the then-sophomore, who achieved the big step of starting for the Skippers as an underclassman and saw a strong and tenacious future D1 prospect who I especially liked as a defensive lineman. Now a two-way starter who is also Tonka’s offensive center, I still really like Liwienski as a future 3T/NG, and to no one’s surprise, I enjoyed his junior highlights as a 6’3, 275 pounder. His play strength at OC is dominant. He can easily overpower both DTs and DEs thanks to some crushing hands and a powerful lower body in both single blocking and double team situations and also has some pass pro experience to boot. You gotta get to 5:50 of his junior tape to find the DL highlights, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. He can pressure the QB from even triple teams, and I love his lateral agility and pass rush moves at his size. His combo of speed and strength from the DT spot is just too much for Metro interior opponents to handle and he crushes QBs in a way former Skipper great Beau Allen would be proud of. I’ve been pumped to see his D1 scholarships roll in this spring. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-138670" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/7_JackLiwienski_1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="112045" first="Jack" last="Liwienski"] - Minnetonka [player_tooltip player_id="112142" first="Aidan" last="Boehle"]: One of the more intriguing recruits in the entire 2023 class, Boehle as both a literal and figurative high ceiling at 6’5, 205ish pounds out on the edge of Tonka’s DL. He’s got a quick first step and can cover a ton of ground with each long step and the lateral agility + quick hands/rip to beat blockers to either gap. He’ll also wreck the QB when given the chance, and crumpled signal-callers from Totino-Grace, Blaine, and a handful of other Metro opponents last fall. I also love how he can successfully execute stunts and twists and if he’s added some strength this offseason I think he’s got the chance to be one of the most dominant pass rushers in the Metro in 2022. Boehle has had a busy spring and has visited a host of FCS junior days along with the Gophers. He’s also earned that coveted first offer from Concordia-St. Paul. [player_tooltip player_id="140479" first="Dakota" last="Egert"]: Yet another Skipper defensive lineman with eye-popping size at 6’6, 240 pounds and still growing. I love his motor at his 240+ and how hard he gets after RBs in the run game and can beat and split double team attempts from all over the DL. Also, the nastiest of the bunch and is always looking to finish when he moonlights on the OL as well as eliminate the ball carrier when pursuing from the d-line. You can see he plays hard, and with that mentality and physical measurements, I think he is going to make whoever lands him a very happy camper. Egert has visited South Dakota, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Southwest Minnesota State, Drake, and Northern State this spring. [player_tooltip player_id="313154" first="Ryan" last="Olson"]: JV defensive tackle in 2021 with good size and the ability to stop a ball carrier right in his tracks. Run support specialist. Only has three games of tape from last season. [player_tooltip player_id="242374" first="Veltrez" last="Black"] Jr.: JV contributor at DE in 2021 who is looking for some varsity snaps in 2022 as an upperclassman. Good size and strength for his age. Mateus Machado Cullen: JV contributor at DT and DE in 2021 who flies around like his hair is on fire and made some splash plays from all over the DL. Good athlete at his size who is beginning to scratch the surface as a 2024er. -- The Shakopee Sabers DBs: Garrison Monroe (Safety - 6’1, 190 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="295818" first="James" last="Beaver"] (Safety - 6’2, 150 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="295965" first="Termaine" last="Fulton"] (CB - 6’1, 160 lbs.) [player_tooltip player_id="313268" first="Andrew" last="McCall"] (CB - 5’10, 160 lbs.) One of the bigger surprises of the 2021 prep season in the Metro was the success of the Shakopee Sabers, whose diverse array of talent all perfectly fit with the triple-option offense and stingy defensive mindset of superstar Head Coach Ray Betton. Even though they graduated some studs like Central Michigan OL signee [player_tooltip player_id="116190" first="Martin" last="Koivisto"], UWRF safety [player_tooltip player_id="116272" first="Aaron" last="Lee"], two-sport monster [player_tooltip player_id="116492" first="Jade" last="Trelstad"], bruising RB Chandler Ross Jr., and underrated TE Sam West, the Sabers are back with another talent-laden roster that is especially wrong at the DB spot. Led by certified D1 safety Garrison Monroe, the unit features great length, ball skills, and open field tackling capability, and I’m excited to see if they can build on the success the class of 2022 laid for them. Garrison Monroe: The #1 DB in the state is coming off his first D1 offers from Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, and North Dakota and earned the recruiting attention after finishing 2021 with some great junior tape that showed off a ton of range, dynamic ability, and tackling prowess. I’m a big fan of his ball skills and how well he can undercut throws from the safety spot, as well as how comfortably he runs the alley. Also athletic enough to create plays with both his arm and his legs as a QB in the Saber’s offense. [player_tooltip player_id="295818" first="James" last="Beaver"]: Great size for either cornerback or safety work. Didn’t play varsity last fall but has some good reps of coming downhill and tackling bigger backs from the safety spot. Is hopefully amid a big offseason going into his senior year. [player_tooltip player_id="295965" first="Termaine" last="Fulton"]: Also a standout basketball player, Fulton is a great athlete at the CB position who is comfortable when the ball is in the air, making the play, blitzing, and punishing ball carriers. Can play man coverage on the outside or out of the slot and triggers on the ball well when reading the WR and/or QB. [player_tooltip player_id="313268" first="Andrew" last="McCall"]: Speedy cornerback who is noticeably strong at tackling in space and can stay with faster wideouts downfield on vertical routes. Is stronger at playing the ball when he zone turns and can also provide a spark on special teams as a returner or on kickoff coverage. -- The Minneapolis North DL: [player_tooltip player_id="112087" first="Jeremiah" last="Sims"] (DT - 6’7, 280 lbs., [player_tooltip player_id="105366" first="Auvon" last="Sager"] (DE - 6’6, 235 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="105385" first="Azrie" last="Yeager"] (DT - 6’2, 260 lbs.), and Dontavius Kanatzer (DT- 6’3, 320 lbs.) The Polars are beginning to create one of the better defensive line traditions in the entire state, something which I’ve made sure to document the past few months, and they have a gigantic DL unit in 2022 that is more than ready to cement themselves in the decorated history of North High School football teams the past half decade+. Led by one of the most talented pass rushers in the state in Sager, the group is physically massive and their size and/or talent would normally warrant double teams if not for the fact that there are simply too many of them to all double. The Polars usually dominate throughout the regular season before an eventual tough, deep, postseason run at the AA state title, and this group will always need to be called upon in the 4th quarter to seal some of these victory attempts. Go Polars! [player_tooltip player_id="112087" first="Jeremiah" last="Sims"]: The biggest of the bunch, Sims is a massive defensive tackle who clocks in at 6’7 and 280 pounds while playing a variety of positions along the offensive and defensive lines of Minneapolis North. He moves well for his size and has a solid first step that takes interior OL by surprise. You can’t take a rep off when blocking big #53 and with his physical gifts and simple capability to long arm and freeze blockers in 1-on-1 settings he almost always needs a double, which frees up his counterpart [player_tooltip player_id="105366" first="Auvon" last="Sager"]. They’re going to be one of the most physically imposing duos in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and surely the 612. [player_tooltip player_id="105366" first="Auvon" last="Sager"]: Another two-sport stud out of the vaunted Polars football and basketball programs, Sager has one of the best get-offs in Minnesota and can get OTs at bay and on their toes thanks to his long arms and supreme athleticism. Shows off some of that always coveted bend that is a must for future collegiate DEs and also has some pass-rushing moves in his repertoire that all combined to help him lead the state in sacks for most of the season and finish in the top-3 once the season concluded. I hope he hits the camp circuit this summer. [player_tooltip player_id="105385" first="Azrie" last="Yeager"]: Quick feet, good base, and strong hands help him split double teams with ease and disrupt the run game. Also a bruising offensive lineman with great genetics and a lot of athleticism at 6’2, 260 pounds. Dontavius Kanatzer: A gap-filling, run-stuffing, massive DT, Kanatzer can easily back down smaller opponents in 1-on-1 situations and can overwhelm blocking attempts with his sheer size alone. -- The St. Thomas Academy LBs: [player_tooltip player_id="235707" first="Mark" last="Rogalski"] (OLB - 6’1, 190 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="237319" first="Jackson" last="Cercioglu"] (ILB - 6’1, 210 lbs.), [player_tooltip player_id="119321" first="Alex" last="Jansen"] (ILB - 2024. 6’1, 210 lbs.), Bennett Kotok (OLB - 6’2, 200 lbs.) The Cadets are filled to the brim with talent for the 2022 season and no single unit may be more stacked than the linebackers. Coming from a prep program with a rich history of exciting and athletic prospects on both sides of the ball, their 2022 LB unit all trigger on the football like a bat out of hell and will go sideline-to-sideline in pursuit of the pigskin. They are an early preseason favorite for the 5A state championship and if their linebackers can lead the defense and fly to the football like it’s the last play of their career they are going to be a very tough defense to try and overcome. Never sleep on St. Thomas Academy. [player_tooltip player_id="235707" first="Mark" last="Rogalski"]: One of the hardest hitters in the state and the owner of some of the most exciting junior tape in Minnesota. Explosive, fast, and violent. Instinctive in the turnover department and can impact the run support, blitz, and coverage games. One of my favorite prospects in the entire 2023 class. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-247401" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/51-Mark-Rogalski.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="235707" first="Mark" last="Rogalski"] - STA [player_tooltip player_id="237319" first="Jackson" last="Cercioglu"]: The wearer of the decorated #25 of STA linebackers, Cercioglu has the best size of the unit at 6’2, 210 pounds and can circumvent and navigate traffic well between the tackles when locating and triggering on the football. Has an excellent rep on his junior tape where he runs down a loose Mankato West RB deep down the opposite sideline and 30+ yards downfield that shows off the same speed he uses to regularly get into the backfield and cause havoc. Will also clean your clock if given a direct hit. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-247389" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/38-Jackson-Cercioglu.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="237319" first="Jackson" last="Cercioglu"] - STA [player_tooltip player_id="119321" first="Alex" last="Jansen"]: The lone junior of the bunch, Jansen got worthy varsity reps in 2021 and can shoot gaps and cover kickoffs with a noticeable amount of pace. Aggressive and dominant in JV play. Great size for a rising junior linebacker prospect. Bennett Kotok: Patient when diagnosing and reading the path of opposing ball carriers. Can defend the edge and pursue to the sideline and is also able to take on lead blocks and not get offset from the path of the RB. Tackles with great form. -- The Osseo Orioles DL: [player_tooltip player_id="112050" first="Antonio" last="Fondren"] (DL - 6’4, 290 lbs), [player_tooltip player_id="112078" first="Bryce" last="Hawthorne"] (DE - 6’3, 240 lbs.), and potentially [player_tooltip player_id="112069" first="Jerome" last="Williams"] (DT - 6’5, 275 lbs). Aided by Emmanuel Olagbaju (DT - 6’2, 245 lbs.) and Elijah Musgrove (DE - 6’4, 215 lbs.). If you’ve been reading my stuff for a while you already know that I am a huge huge fan of my former Southwest Lakers defensive coordinator Ryan Stockhaus, who is now the HC at the Osseo and has seen his fair share of D1 talent at the reigns of the Orioles. He coaches his players up as well as any coach in the state, and I am more than excited to see how he capitalizes on his DL room this fall. He’s got some legit seniors in his room, and after adding BSM transfer [player_tooltip player_id="112050" first="Antonio" last="Fondren"] to the mix the positional group is looking very scary off the edge if I’m a potential OC scouting Osseo’s defense. The three are an enticing combination of speed, strength, and experience and have the chance to set the tone at the LOS every game for the Orioles Dside. Can’t wait to see what success they achieve in 2022. [player_tooltip player_id="112050" first="Antonio" last="Fondren"]: A prospect I left under-ranked at the publishing of our newest 2023 PRzMN rankings update, Fondren has begun to blow up on the recruiting trail the past month with offers rolling in from Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville State, Missouri State, Richmond, San Jose State, Hawaii, Eastern Kentucky, South Alabama, and Florida A&M. Great size at 6’4, 290 and transferred in from Benilde-St. Margaret’s to get a taste of some 6A Metro ball. Can play either DT or DE and plays the hands of attempted blockers efficiently and cleanly. Can flip his hips and is patient in recognizing and disrupting the offense’s play. Good pursuit speed at his size too. [player_tooltip player_id="112078" first="Bryce" last="Hawthorne"]: The younger brother of former Osseo tackle machine turned Winona State LB standout Myles, younger bro Bryce is sitting at a large 6’3, 240 and isn’t done growing. A two-way contributor, Hawthorne flies out of his stance from his DL spot, and thanks to his work in the weight room he needs to be blocked squared up and chest to chest for an opponent to have a shot at stopping his progress. Good athlete at his size who even popped off some big plays as a pass-catching TE and sent more than a few kids flying as a blocker along the OL. [player_tooltip player_id="112069" first="Jerome" last="Williams"]: Needs no introduction. Golden Gophers offensive line commit and one of the top-2 players in the state. OL first but I’m sure he’d love to get some reps at DL and impose his will on the run and pass game of opponents. Would be incredibly difficult to contain Williams as a defensive lineman and would free up a ton of space and room for his talented DL comrades Fondren and Hawthorne to go and make plays. --