2023 All-American Defensive Candidates in Gwinnett County

It’s tough to find a more talented region across the country than in Gwinnett County, Georgia. It’s an area full of elite prospects and it’s home to some of the state’s top programs. Year in and year out, we see some of the best in Gwinnett County climb the rankings across the country and make a name for themselves at the next level. The 2022 season will be no different, and there are plenty in the 2023 class who have All-American potential this fall. Here are some defensive All-American candidates in Gwinnett County in the 2023 class... &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34064" first="Kayden" last="McDonald"] - DT - North Gwinnett</strong> An easy All-American candidate, MCDonald should’ve been an All-American last year after DOMINATING every single Friday night for the North Gwinnett Bulldogs. He’s a thick, powerful 6-foot-3 330-pound interior lineman with impressive quickness for his size, and he lived in the backfield the entire 2021 season as a junior. McDonald had 20 sacks, 2nd most in the 2023 class, and 15 more QB hurries to go along with an incredible 62 TFLs. The dominant defensive tackle had a record seven sacks against South Forsyth in the playoffs last season, showing he can be an absolute game-changer there. He’s quick off the ball and moves like a cat for his size. He plays with leverage and it’s easy to see his strength and raw power when he’s running through opposing offensive linemen in the trenches. He takes on double teams, clogs running lanes, and gets after the passer better than any other defensive tackle in the state. He holds offers from Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan, Clemson, among others, and he’s bound for an All-American season as a junior. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34014" first="Michael" last="Daugherty"] - DB - Grayson</strong> One of the more versatile defensive backs in the state, Daugherty is a dominant safety who excels against the run and can cover in the back end. He closes well in coverage, and he has great instincts against the run, getting to the ball carrier in a hurry. He’s a sure tackler who knows how to deliver a big hit, and he can sniff out the play before it gets going. He has D1 size and length at 6-foot-2 180-pounds and shows tremendous technique, quick feet, and ball skills. He’s a leader for one of the top defenses in the state and it’s easy to see why. The LSU Tigers only take the very best defensive backs, and Daugherty is certainly one of them. As a junior last fall, Daugherty made 91 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, four sacks, and broke up six passes in coverage. Now, he’s slated to play for “DBU” at the next level. He’s ranked by Prep Redzone as the No. 12 overall prospect in the state and the No. 1 safety prospect. &nbsp; <strong>Jalen Smith - Grayson </strong> An All-County and All-State performer last season as a junior, it’s easy to see why Smith could be a future All-American in 2022 as a senior. A tackling machine at 6-foot-0 215-pounds, Smith set a Grayson single-season record with 173 tackles in 14 games last fall to go along with 13 QB hurries and 10 sacks. He was all over the field and had D1 size and speed. He’s tough, instinctive, and has a nose for the football that you rarely find.  Smith roams the field at middle linebacker and shows quickness and burst to the ball. He’s a sure tackler and can be physical in the run game. He’s also reliable in coverage, giving him an opportunity to make plays in a number of different ways. He was one of the state’s leading tacklers last season and it’s led to offers from Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Texas, Virginia, among others. If he can improve on last year’s productive season this fall, he could absolutely make the case to be an All-American. &nbsp; <strong><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/local/player/stats.aspx?athleteid=a21c54e8-25e6-4642-905e-975d5331e095&amp;ssid=97e3f828-856d-419e-b94f-7f41319fe3d3"><span class="first-name">Dion</span> Crawford – LB – Collins Hill</a></strong> Don’t let the three-star ranking fool you, Crawford was one of the more productive linebackers in all of 7A last fall, making 86 total tackles and 22.5 TFLs to go along with his 13.5 sacks, leading an impressive Collins Hill defense all the way to the state championship. He’s great when blitzing and closes extremely well when he’s near the ball carrier or QB. He had an incredibly impressive junior season and has a chance to be even better as a senior. The Eagles will be looking for more leadership defensively, and while it will be a loaded group, a lot of eyes will be on Crawford. He has size, toughness, and natural instincts to load up the stat sheet as a senior, and if he does, he should be nationally recognized. &nbsp;