Week 6 – Defensive Players of the Week
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A look at the three best defensive performances from Week 6. Players of the Week Carter Daniels Carter Daniels 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Mountain Vista | 2025 State CO , Mountain Vista Golden Eagles (LB)(So.)(0) – Daniels might…
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Continue ReadingA look at the three best defensive performances from Week 6.
Players of the Week
Carter Daniels Carter Daniels 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Mountain Vista | 2025 State CO , Mountain Vista Golden Eagles (LB)(So.)(0) – Daniels might have been the most impressive defensive player at any position in Week 6…and he’s just a sophomore, which makes it even more impressive. In the Golden Eagles’ tight 34-31 loss to the Thunder Ridge Grizzlies, Daniels made his presence felt from the very first snap and was one of the biggest reasons Mountain Vista was able to stay in the game. Looking at the stats from Daniels’ night, he accounted for a mind-boggling 20 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, a sack, a pass deflection, a fumble recovery, and a blocked field goal. To say he was all over the field would be an understatement. When you look at the film from Daniels’ night, you can see that he always seems to be around the ball because of a combination of his extremely high motor and incredible first-step explosiveness out of his stance. Savvy LB that shows relentless effort whether working to shed a block, pursuing the ball carrier, or coming downhill to fill his run fits. Displays exceptional explosiveness out of his stance allowing him to consistently maintain power and pop at the point-of-attack when making contact with the ball carrier or an opposing blocker. Highly consistent tackler with good form that shows with very few missed tackles in the open field in 1-on-1 situations, routinely wrapping up and driving his legs through contact. Good hand strength and placement that allows him to stack-and-shed most opposing blockers consistently. Daniels is currently ranked the number 3 athlete and the number 14 player overall, which isn’t surprising at all to see. He’s an unbelievably talented player that will continue to grow over the course of his prep career.
Joey Finnegan, Berthoud Spartans (LB)(Jr.)(21) – Finnegan was an absolute force for the Spartans defense last week in their dominant 35-14 win over the Fort Lupton Blue Devils. When you take a look at Finnegan’s numbers from the night, he accounted for 13 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, and 3 sacks, with the stat line not truly reflecting how dominant he actually was, which is crazy to think about. Putting on the tape of Finnegan’s performance, you can see that Finnegan displays great first step explosiveness off the edge, often using that alone to overwhelm opposing blockers. Good acceleration out of his stance allows him to consistently convert speed-to-power. Displays good bend when turning the corner, forcing the opposing tackle to overextend when trying to maintain protection on the edge on passing downs. Long armed, technically sound pass rusher that shows a good understanding of hand technique, placement, and timing that gives him an edge when athleticism alone won’t win. Tenacious, high motor defender that will relentlessly pursue the ball carrier downfield. Is at his best when playing a stand-up edge rusher role, typically played by defenses that employ a 3-4 scheme. Shows good power at the point-of-attack when making contact with a ball carrier or opposing blocker. Finnegan isn’t currently ranked on any recruiting boards, with his smaller frame for his position (6’0, 185 lbs) and lower level of competition (2A) probably being the reason he’s not getting much attention. Regardless, he is absolutely a talented player that will be a key cog in the Spartans defense through this year and next.
Mikhail Benner Mikhail Benner 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Broomfield | 2025 State CO , Broomfield Eagles (DB)(So.)(9) – Much like Daniels, Benner is another sophomore who had an unbelievable night last week. In the Eagles’ huge 55-24 win over the Dakota Ridge Eagles, Benner was an absolute lockdown defender in the defensive backfield for Broomfield. Taking a look at his numbers from the night, Benner accounted for 3 tackles, 3 interceptions, and a pass deflection. Turning on the tape of Benner’s night against the Dakota Ridge offense, you can see he displays an uncanny ability to find the football, with this being the result of a combination of excellent top end foot speed, lateral agility, and tracking ability while the ball is in the air. Outstanding athlete with excellent first step explosiveness that allows him to hit top gear quickly and run stride-for-stride with most boundary receivers. Has the ideal build for a top-flight boundary corner as he has outstanding size and length (6’1, 175 lbs) that most lock down DBs have. Technically sound DB that rarely ever panics or gets handsy if he is in a less than ideal position to make a play on the ball/receiver. Prototypical ball-hawk DB that can shut down an entire quarter of the defensive backfield, routinely making opposing passers pay when they decide to test his side of the field. Benner is currently rated the number 2 DB and the number 11 player overall for the class of 2025, which much like Daniels and his recruiting ranking, isn’t a shock at all. He has elite talent and will only get better as he grows over the next two plus years of his high school career.