2022 Defensive Stars: Sack Leaders

With the 2022 season concluding this past weekend, let's take a look back at some of the most dominant defensive players. These guys consistently got to the quarterback and created problems for opposing offenses.   Gage Bennett (FB, LB)  5'10” 185lbs ‘25   Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian   The state leader racked up 16 sacks this season in eight games. In addition to his high sack numbers, he tallied 26.5 tackles for loss and over 80 tackles. His dominance didn't stop on the defensive side of the ball as he was also a force on offense. He ran for 634 yards on 68 carries with 11 touchdowns. This season was a stellar start for his high school career for the Braves.   [player_tooltip player_id='314039' first='Calab' last='Utley'] (DE) 6'4” 240lbs ‘24   Evansville Reitz   Calab capped off his junior season with a total of 15 sacks. He's a versatile player, playing multiple techniques along the defensive line. His length, explosion, and effort led to his high productivity. He's listed at 240lbs, but he looks like he holds a little more weight than that. This only adds to his solid frame and I see room for more weight at the next level. Calab loves being around the ball and has made many tackles running down the line of scrimmage or multiple yards downfield. Would love to see more consistency with hand usage to match his motor, but I think this will come in his senior season. He has shown he can grow his game as he went from three sacks as a sophomore to 15 as a junior. Calab will continue to make a name for himself and cap off an impressive high school career next fall.   Levi Oxley (RB, DT) 6'1” 225lbs ‘24   Evansville Reitz   The Panthers know how to get to the quarterback. Levi equaled his Panthers teammate, [player_tooltip player_id='314039' first='Calab' last='Utley'], in sacks as he also finished the season with 15. Quick. Explosive. Disruptive. Athletic. Smooth. Active. These are words that come to mind when describing how Levi plays. He knows how to get in the backfield and find the ball. He doesn't have the ideal size of a defensive lineman and would more than likely transition to linebacker at the next level. This does not change the fact that he is a stud football player. He has a great first step and uses his hands well. Flashed some power in some of his rushes and consistently gets knockback on offensive linemen and tight ends. Levi is an exciting player to watch and one that any coach would love to have on their team.   Davon Doughty (DE, LB) 5'11” 205lbs ‘23   FW North Side   Davon finished tied for fourth in the state with 14 sacks on the year. He was a disruptive player all year and did a little bit of everything for the North Side defense. His speed and willingness to go through someone's face led to his productive season. He recovered three fumbles and forced two, had one interception, and had 21 tackles for loss. While not the biggest defensive player, he made his presence known in a big way every Friday.     [player_tooltip player_id='323933' first='Brady' last='Wolf'] (DE) 6'2” 205lbs ‘24   Fishers   The other half to the 14 sack tie, was defensive end, [player_tooltip player_id='323933' first='Brady' last='Wolf'], from Fishers. Brady has a great burst off the ball which helped him with getting to the quarterback. This ability also explains why he had 21.5 tackles for loss as well. Flashes some power moves to go along with his speed rushes. Has solid hand usage that still has some room for improvement. Another year of camps and pre-season practices should help refine those moves of his. He's another guy that is on the lighter side, but this shouldn't keep coaches from keeping an eye on him. He has the speed and enough power to play on the edge at the next level as an outside linebacker. Expect him to maintain or improve upon his sack numbers during his senior season in 2024.   [player_tooltip player_id='325810' first='Jamari' last='Jefferson'] (DL) 6'0” 260lbs ‘23   Gary West Side   Jamari is an explosive interior defensive lineman. He is a player that can and will create problems from the middle of the defense. 13.5 sacks on the year placed this senior fifth in the state. At 260 plus pounds, most people wouldn't expect him to move as well as he does. He can make plays downfield and in the backfield with no issue. Jamari has shown that he can be violent and quick with his hands as a pass rusher. This senior defensive lineman would be a great pickup for any college coach.

With the 2022 season concluding this past weekend, let's take a look back at some of the most dominant defensive players. These guys consistently got to the quarterback and created problems for opposing offenses.