Week 3 – Defensive Players of the Week
A look at the best three defensive performances from Week 3. Players of the Week Brock Paquet, Windsor Wizards (LB)(Jr.)(24) – Paquet is the second Windsor Wizards player to be named a player of the week after his teammate, Jaden…
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Continue ReadingA look at the best three defensive performances from Week 3.
Players of the Week
Brock Paquet, Windsor Wizards (LB)(Jr.)(24) – Paquet is the second Windsor Wizards player to be named a player of the week after his teammate, Jaden Thomas, was named an offensive player of the week after the Wizards’ 27-21 win over the Fort Collins Lambkins. Paquet’s performance was equally as special as Thomas’s. For the night, Paquet accounted for an impressive 21 tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss, and a forced fumble. When you watch the film of Paquet’s performance, you can see he displays a great nose for the football as he always seems to be around the ball carrier on almost every play. Displays a good understanding of leverage and hand strength/placement when at the point-of-attack with an opposing blocker. Physical LB that can quickly stack and shed an opposing blocker to get to the ball carrier. Savvy LB that displays good awareness when maintaining the edge while pursuing a ball carrier from the back-side of the play. Shows outstanding bend when turning the corner while he’s rushing the passer. Displays a good, down-hill first step out of his stance that allows him to quickly fill his run fits. High intensity LB that displays an aggressive demeanor and a hot motor when taking on a blocker or pursuing a ball carrier. While some might consider Paquet undersized for his position (5’10, 190lbs), there’s no doubt that if he continues to develop he has the ability to play at the collegiate level.
Brady Jenkins, Littleton Lions (LB)(Sr.)(59) – Jenkins might have had the most dominant performance of any defensive player last week in the Lions’ 74-0 beat down of the Alameda Pirates. Once the game was all said and done, Jenkins accounted for an unbelievable 10 tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery against the much maligned Pirate offense. When you look at the tape of Jenkins’ night, the first thing that stands out is his size (6’1, 240lbs) and physicality as he routinely uses it to overpower opposing linemen when filling his gap responsibilities in the run game and while rushing the passer. Displays good hand placement and strength at the point-of-attack with the opposing blocker. Displays an incredible ability to bull rush opposing lineman and collapse the pocket. Shows a relentless motor that doesn’t stop running hot when in pursuit of a ball carrier or shedding a blocker. Versatile chess piece of a player in the front seven than can play multiple positions including the Sam, Mike, and Will backer positions as well as with his hand in the dirt as a 3-tech or an edge defender in pass rushing situations. While Jenkins isn’t currently ranked on any recruiting boards, he certainly should be. He has the size, tape, and production that indicate he’s more than capable of playing collegiately.
D’Andre Barnes D’Andre Barnes WR Regis Jesuit | 2023 State CO , Regis Jesuit Raiders (DB)(Sr.)(17) – While there were a litany of outstanding performances from DBs in Week 3, the performance from D’Andre Barnes D’Andre Barnes WR Regis Jesuit | 2023 State CO is the one that stood out the most. In the Raiders’ 23-10 win over the Arapahoe Warriors, Barnes registered 6 tackles, a pass deflection, and 2 interceptions with one of them being returned for a touchdown. When you put on the tape of Barnes’ night, you can see he displays an uncanny sense for locating the ball in the air and always seem to be in position to make a play on the ball. Shows great top end foot speed and acceleration out of his back pedal that allows him to quickly cover ground when working in man or zone. Technically sound DB that rarely bites on double-moves and doesn’t get handsy with receivers if he’s out of position. Tall (6’2, 180lbs), long DB that can quickly overpower smaller receivers at the LOS with his physicality in press coverage. Highly physical DB that is not afraid to come up in run support and doesn’t avoid contact with the opposing ball carrier. Consistent tackler in space, routinely making the play on the ball carrier when he’s the last line of defense from a big play. Shows outstanding versatility in the defensive backfield as he was plugged in at both safety positions, nickel corner, and boundary corner on different drives throughout the game. Barnes is currently rated as the number 5 WR in the class of 2023, but his skill as a DB is equally as impressive. He’ll certainly be a fun player to watch through the rest of this season.