2022 6A Regular Season All-State Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With high school football playoffs in full swing in Kentucky, I have decided to take a look back at the top players from the regular season. In order to do so, I have been releasing my 2022 Regular Season All-State teams for each class. After covering 1-5A, I will wrap things up with my top players in 6A. With the offensive side of the ball already out of the way, here is my 2022 6A Regular Season All-State defense. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["386162"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"To start off my 6A defense, I have the 2022 6A leader in sacks, [player_tooltip player_id='386162' first='Saadiq' last='Clements']. Clements had an outstanding final regular season, finishing with 18 sacks along with 48 total tackles and ten tackles for loss. He is an explosive defensive end that uses his quick first step and strength to bull rush straight through opposing offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. Clements has shown the ability to shed blocks quickly and finish the sack once he gets close to the quarterback. Against the run, he does a great job of reading the play and using his speed to run down the line to make plays from the back side when the run is away from him. Saadiq is committed to Purdue where I expect him to grow into a key piece of their defense.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["145016"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Another future Boilermaker defensive end that impressed me this season is [player_tooltip player_id='145016' first='Micah' last='Carter']. He finished his final regular season with 52 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and four sacks. Carter is a dominant pass rusher that uses a combination of strength and quickness off the edge to get by opposing offensive tackles. He has a variety of pass rush moves to defeat blocks but also has the ability to run straight through opposing offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. Against the run, Carter plays with a high motor and has shown that he can run all over the field to make tackles. I full expect Carter to be a key piece of the Purdue defense early in his collegiate career.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["386170"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='386170' first='Adam' last='Hobbs'] is another senior defensive lineman that  stood out to me this year. Hobbs finished his final regular season with 64 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and six sacks. He has an explosive first step out of his stance from the defensive end spot and is able to use his speed to win off the edge as a pass rusher. Hobbs has also shown the ability to shed blocks quickly on his way to the ball. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he runs his feet through contact and finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. Adam currently holds offers from Kentucky Wesleyan, Findlay, and Manchester, and I can see him developing into a very successful defensive end/outside linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["305210"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='305210' first='Isaiah' last='Hare'] is a player that truly jumped onto my radar this season. He finished his junior regular season with 47 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Hare lines up at defensive end and uses his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles as a pass rusher. Once he gets to the quarterback, Hare is a physical finisher that makes sure his presence is felt with every hit. Against the run, Hare shows the ability to read the play and take the right angle to get to the football to make the tackle in the open field. While Hare doesn't currently hold any offers, I expect some to come his way going into his senior year as he has received a lot of college interest and has the skill set needed to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["331694"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='331694' first='Gavin' last='Willis'] is another player that jumped onto my radar quickly this season. Willis finished his final regular season with 134 total tackles, ten tackles for loss, and five sacks. He is a versatile linebacker that has shown that he can play as both a true off-ball inside linebacker and off the edge at outside linebacker. Willis does a great job of reading his keys when defending the run and flowing the ball to put himself in a position to make a play. Once he makes his read, he shoots through his gap and explodes through contact to secure the tackle. As a pass rusher, Willis has quick pass rush moves which he uses to defeat blocks. He has also shown that he is reliable in pass coverage, finishing the regular season with an interception. Gavin is committed to Bucknell where I see him developing into a solid player once he gets there.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["438173"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='438173' first='Brach' last='Rice'] is a player that I have been very high on this season. The junior linebacker finished the regular season with 115 tackles, eleven tackles for loss, and five sacks.  Rice does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry to fill his gap against the run. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Brach explodes through the tackle, making sure his presence is felt with every hit. He has also shown the ability to rush the passer off the edge, using his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles. Rice also played a key role on offense but I still liked what I saw most from his as a linebacker. Brach currently holds offers from Toledo and Miami (OH), and I expect that list to continue to grow as he has received a ton of college interest and has the talent to become a very productive player at the next level.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["386765"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"I had [player_tooltip player_id='386765' first='Josh' last='Bowling'] high on my radar going into this season and he continued to impress. Bowling finished his final regular season with 74 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and four sacks. He does a great job of reading his keys and reacting quickly. Bowling flows to the ball very smoothly, putting himself in a position to make a tackle. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Bowling does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle. He also has shown some ability in pass coverage, finishing the regular season with an interception. Bowling currently holds offers from Thomas More, Lawrence Tech, and Union, and I can see him developing into a very successful linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["525610"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Another senior linebacker that stood out to me this season is [player_tooltip player_id='525610' first='Isaac' last='Blue'] from Daviess County. Blue had a very impressive final regular season, finishing with 104 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and one sack. He does a great job of coming downhill and filling his gap against the run. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he runs his feet through contact to secure the tackles without allowing for many more extra yards to be gained. Blue plays with a very high motor, showing the ability to run all over the field to make tackles. He has also shown the ability to time his blitzes against the pass to put pressure on the quarterback. Isaac currently holds one offer from Morehead State and I wouldn't be surprised to see more come his way as he has the talent to be a solid player at the next level.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["287569"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"While he has been better known for his success as a receiver, [player_tooltip player_id='287569' first='Decker' last='Renfrow'] has a breakout year on defense this season. Renfrow finished his final regular season tied as the leader in interceptions in 6A with seven. He also had 24 total tackles and one tackle for loss. Renfrow lines up at safety and has tremendous ball skills. Once the ball is in the air, he has shown the ability to cover ground quickly and catch the ball at its highest point. After the interception, he has shown the ability to use his speed to run them back the other way, returning three interceptions for touchdowns this season. Renfrow still continued to showcase his talent on offense but proving himself on defense added to his value even more. Decker currently holds an offer from Morehead State but more should come his way as he has the talent to play on either side of the ball in college.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["408040"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Coming into this season, I believed [player_tooltip player_id='408040' first='JT' last='Haskins'] to be one of the best defensive backs in the entire state. He continued to prove that to be true, finishing his junior regular season with 39 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and three interceptions. Haskins lines up at free safety and plays with a true center fielder mentality. He does a great job of reading route combinations and the quarterback to break on the ball with perfect timing to come away with interceptions in stride. After the catch, he has shown the ability to use his speed to break off big returns off interceptions. He also doesn't shy away from filling the lane to provide support against the run and is a very reliable open field tackler. Haskins also put up big numbers at receiver but I still liked him the most at safety. JT currently holds offers from Tennessee Tech, Akron, Eastern Kentucky, and Louisville, and I expect that list to continue to grow as he is a true Division I caliber talent.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["386924"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Another safety that stood out this season is [player_tooltip player_id='386924' first='Amare' last='Townsend'] from DuPont Manual. He played a big role on their defense this year, finishing his final regular season with 48 tackles and one tackle for loss. He does a great job of reading the play and coming downhill to support against the run. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he explodes through contact to secure the tackle. Against the pass, he covers a lot of ground quickly to give himself a chance to make a play on the ball. He showed solid ball skills this season, coming away with an interception and breaking up several passes. Amare is committed to Southeast Missouri State where I can see him developing into a key piece of their secondary.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["449761"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"Joining Townsend on a very talented Manual secondary unit is senior corner [player_tooltip player_id='449761' first='Julian' last='Wallace Jr']. Wallace had a solid final regular season, finishing with 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, and two interceptions. He is very impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to open up and run with receivers to mirror their routes. Wallace also has shown great reaction skills, timing his breaks to fight across the intended receiver to either break up the pass or come away with the interception. He has shown great ball skills when it is thrown his way, coming away with two interceptions this season. Wallace also isn't afraid to come downhill to provide run support and he is a very reliable open field tackler. Julian currently holds offers from Kentucky Christian, Thomas More, andUnion, and I can see more coming his way as he has the talent to be a very successful corner at the next level.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":12,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6381ac0a1e9b7"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"17px"}}} --> <h2 style="font-size:17px">Honorable Mention:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px">Defensive Lineman: [player_tooltip player_id='386163' first='Beni' last='Tshita'] (DuPont Manual, 2023); Christopher Jones (DuPont Manual, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='386165' first='Dominic' last='Shoulders'] (DuPont Manual , 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='381879' first='Ashton' last='Jones'] (Saint Xavier, 2024); Jahvon Frazier (Bryan Station, 2024)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px">Linebacker: [player_tooltip player_id='313820' first='DeAndre' last='Malone'] (Male, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='386761' first='Jaxon' last='Panariello'] (Saint Xavier, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='386753' first='Nikalos' last='Dixon'] (Bryan Station, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='316808' first='Davon' last='Rudolph'] (Ballard, 2024)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"15px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:15px">Defensive Back: [player_tooltip player_id='386931' first='Demetrius' last='Dunlap'] (Louisville Male, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='313650' first='Nasir' last='Muhammad'] (Louisville Male, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='386909' first='Kobe' last='Middleton'] (Tates Creek, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='331697' first='Lennox' last='Jackson'] (Ballard, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='386927' first='Tyler' last='Boggs'] (Saint Xavier, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='145776' first='Corion' last='Gilbert'] (Pleasure Ridge Park, 2023); [player_tooltip player_id='1648569' first='Ethan' last='Miller'] (Louisville Eastern, 2023); Anthony Woods (Pleasure Ridge Park, 2023)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->