Week 0 Defensive Standouts
Today we discuss some of the biggest defensive playmakers in the state! Player of The Week Jeremiah Beaman AL #5 DL #2 HEIGHT 6'4" WEIGHT 265 POS DL CLASS 2024 View Player Jeremiah Beaman State: Alabama School: Parker Beaman seemed…
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Continue ReadingToday we discuss some of the biggest defensive playmakers in the state!
Player of The Week
Beaman seemed to be a man amongst boys in his performance against Fairfield. He operated in the interior with burst, strength, and the will to dominate. With 11 tackles, three sacks, countless pressures, and QB hits, Beaman was one of the more impactful defensive players in the state last week. The A.H. Parker product showed a tremendous first step for an interior lineman and always seemed to have the jump on his opponent. However, he was also strong enough to take on double teams, consistently collapse the pocket, and force inaccurate throws throughout the night. I won’t be surprised if the QB isn’t having PTSD nightmares from Beaman’s constant presence. With this performance, Beaman has to be recognized as the defensive player of the week!
O’Conor Jones
O’Conor Jones
O’Conor Jones
Horton is a pure playmaker in the secondary and showed his skill versus Hueytown. While displaying versatility when lining up at cornerback and safety, he made big plays against the pass and run game. Horton possesses great long speed and locks down the deeper regions of the field. He shows excellent verticality and can high-point the ball, enabling him to be a roamer and cover his half of the field effectively. In the run game, he shows a willingness to support and is a sound tackler in the open field. He also took good angles to prevent touchdowns and mitigate big gains. If OConnor can continue this level of play, he’ll soon be a top-flight secondary player and possibly a power five player.
Ethan Jones Shades Valley
Ethan Jones
Ethan Jones
Jones is a mike linebacker that plays with speed and instinct. He had 16 tackles and a fumble recovery against Stanhope and was a standout linebacker in the state. Jones simply flies to the ball and moves well for his 210-pound frame. He gets downhill with a purpose and minimizes false steps- allowing him to be even faster than his natural game speed. Jones is also very effective at flowing sideline to sideline and shutting down perimeter-based plays. The Shades Valley product had an impressive showing and could possibly be a hidden gem if he continues this production throughout the season.
Trashaun Griffin 2024
Trashun Griffin
Trashun Griffin
With next-level size and strength, Griffin turned in a dominant performance against Chilton County. With extreme physicality at the line of scrimmage Griffin, he was very active with his hands and worked through blocks with strength. He persistently disrupted the offense with pressures, deflections, and tackles for losses. Griffin did a great job of bullying his way to the ball and working the long arm, bull rush, and straight power rushes. With a great mix of skill set, size, strength, and motor Griffin is a guy to keep an eye on and could develop into an upper-echelon rusher in the state.
Cade Horton
Cade Horton
Horton is a turnover generator that made plays and stood out at his position against UMS-Wright. With receiver-like ball skills, Horton made a circus interception that was easily one of the more impressive plays of the week. The 180 catch looked like a Vince Carter dunk and will probably discourage a lot of QBS from throwing his way. Beyond his coverage skills, Horton showed extreme physicality and didn’t back down from taking on bigger ball carriers. He consistently contributed in gang tackling, broke down in the open field and made hits, and was fundamentally sound in his form. It’ll be fascinating to see if Horton can pivot off this performance and emerge as a notable name at his position.