SD Top Defensive Players of Week 6
Jaxton Eck Jaxton Eck 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Brookings | 2023 State – LB/DE, Brookings Eck balled out for his defense in this last game and was the constant force that was putting pressure on every level of…
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Continue ReadingJaxton Eck Jaxton Eck 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Brookings | 2023 State – LB/DE, Brookings
Eck balled out for his defense in this last game and was the constant force that was putting pressure on every level of the offense. Eck has some great skills as a defensive player who can play in a few spots but loves to harass QBs every second of the game. That is no different from what he did this game, not only did he make some key stops to force the offense to get off the field but he made them work for every yard they got. He put up the numbers you usually see from him every week with him having 13 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, and doing so much more. He was allowing others in his defense to also exploit the mistakes the offense they were facing were making allowing them to function as a highly cohesive unit. Add with that 1 defensive touchdown and Eck played fantastic this week like he does every week. This is why this week he is my South Dakota Defensive Player of the Week for the impact he had on the field and how he makes his teammates better when he is on it.
Dominic Egdom – DE, Alcester-Hudson
Egdom did not have the game that you would expect out of him but regardless he was still a great defensive player who grinded out plays all night long. He was in the trenches pretty much all game and we saw him fight and scrap to bring down any player that came his way. He was a great run stopper by stuffing up and around the entire offensive line so not as much as one inch of breathing room was had by the offense. This in turn allowed his offense to take advantage of forcing turnovers and getting the ball in their court. Egdom was a key part in that with him racking up tackles and more importantly being a part of that turnover factor with him telling an interception this game. He played some great hustle and heart out there which is one of the most important features that scouts will look to and it impressed me, to say the least. Being on the list for him is well deserved and I am happy to see him on here.
Caden DeVries – MLB, Madison
DeVries is one of the most underrated players at the linebacker position and I do not get it at times. He plays out there with some great hustle and shows leadership on every play for his teams along with how great he is as a field general style LB that he is. He commands the defense at times and will do what he needs to do to win. While his team could not win this last week that was no fault of his own with him leaving it all out on the field last week. He had 13 total tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, and played so great pass defense. He was locking down wideouts and tight ends alike last week and as an LB that makes it even more impressive. He used his speed and strength to shut down the passing game and force the running game to be the focal point. DeVries is a natural leader and someone who not only impressed me with the talent that he showed but how well he works with his other teammates to help them at all times.
Sam Blue – OLB, Florence/Henry
Blue was not on my radar this week and I love it when I find players that play great but do not have much attention on them. Blue is one of those players who looks like it is the last snap of football he will ever play on the field and it makes him look great. I love to see players who work on their game and when they play great you can just tell how much work they have put in, Blue is one of those players. He was making the QB adjust and have his blockers focus on him since he was just that overpowering anyone who tried to contain him. That did not stop him however, his final stat line shows what he did quite well with him having 2 sacks, 9 total tackles, and 3 total TFLs. Blue played great and showed hustle along with heart all game, making him someone who you should be watching to keep doing great things.