Stock Up Defenders: Week 4

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Utah is full of star players, and while offenses often get all the glamor, there are great competitors in every classification on the defensive side of the ball. So here are our top picks for the four defenders who balled out in week four.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406854' first='Siale' last='Esera'] || DL || 6'3 || 240 || Timpview High School || 2023 </strong><br>Esera is our second-ranked player in the class of 2023 and looked even better than advertised in Friday's matchup vs. Bingham. The 6'3 defensive linemen is a freak athlete who uses his combination of speed and strength to overwhelm offensive linemen. The Thunderbirds will even line Esera up at inside linebacker because he's just that athletic. He possesses elite sideline-to-sideline quickness and uses it to track down ball carriers from behind. In addition, Esera lives in the backfield and commands a double team at all times. Arguably the most athletic defensive linemen in the state, the versatile Esera is a mismatch for every opposing offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Own Cottle || DL || 6'3 || 190 || Payson High School || 2024</strong><br>Cottle has been an unstable force for the Lions this season, with at least two sacks in each of the last three games. The 6'3 defensive linemen leads the state in sacks with seven and continues to wreak havoc in the opposing backfield. Cottle uses his power and longer arms to toss offensive tackles out of the way before dropping quarterbacks. In addition, he has a great motor that allows him to chase down ball carries and single callers. Cottle stops defenders in their tracks in the run game and does a good job protecting his gap before disregarding offensive linemen. His impressive bend and other athletic traits make him a fun player to watch as the season progresses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406899' first='Kadiyon' last='Sweat'] || DB || 6'0 || 185 | |Lehi High School || 2023</strong><br>The Pioneer's defenses has been dominant to start the 2022 season. Sweat ensured that dominance continued on Friday night, where he had three interceptions in Lehi's shoutout victory over Cooper Hills. The 6'0 defensive back is a high-IQ safety who does an outstanding job reading quarterbacks. Sweat recognizes plays as well as any defensive back in the state and has the speed to stay with receivers downfield. He is also strong in coverage and can walk down and track receivers. In addition, Sweat has good hands that allow him to pick off passes and be an effective returner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ryan Talo || LB || 5'11 || 195 || Kearns High School || 2024</strong><br>Talo had himself a game in the Cougars' 45-7 mauling of Taylorsville. The 5'11 linebacker forced two fumbles and picked off a pass in an incredible performance. Talo displays good athleticism at the linebacker spot, where he brings both physicality against the run and agility against the pass. He does a great job sifting through offensive linemen to find the ball and is always looking to create turnovers. In coverage, he can stay with tight ends and running backs, as well as hold his own in zone coverage. Talo is a game changer for the Cougars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->