5A Defensive Players of the Year
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5A football was very competitive this year. We saw a lot of close games in the playoffs. There were also a lot of good defensive games played. Throughout the season we saw a lot of guys do great things on…
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Continue Reading5A football was very competitive this year. We saw a lot of close games in the playoffs. There were also a lot of good defensive games played. Throughout the season we saw a lot of guys do great things on defense. Here are a few names of guys we think exceeded beyond expectations this season.
5A North Defensive Player of the Year, Kamarion Franklin Kamarion Franklin 6'6" | 255 lbs | DL Lake Cormorant | 2024 State MS
Kamarion Franklin Kamarion Franklin 6'6" | 255 lbs | DL Lake Cormorant | 2024 State MS is one of the best players in the nation for the class of 2024. Kamarion has a great combination of size and speed that helps him excel on the football field. He stands 6-foot-6 250 pounds. There is not a lot of offensive linemen out there that can block him. This past season he had 19 sacks. All of those sacks came in the regular season. There is no telling how good his numbers could have been if his team made the playoffs. Franklin will continue to do great things in his career. There is no question to who our %A pick was. There aren’t a lot of people who can say they had a season as good as Franklin’s on the defensive side of the ball.
5A South Defensive Player of the Year, Amarion Tyson Amarion Tyson 5'7" | 170 lbs | ATH Picayune Memorial | 2024 State MS
Amarion Tyson Amarion Tyson 5'7" | 170 lbs | ATH Picayune Memorial | 2024 State MS isn’t the biggest guy on the field when he steps out. However, he uses those big guys in front of him to his advantage. He knows how to read and use the chemistry he has with his teammates to make a lot of plays. He was top ten in the state in tackles. Tyson recorded over 100 tackles again for the second season in a row. He is always all over the field on defense for the Maroon Tide defense. He is just a junior and has the chance to record over 350 tackles in his career. Tyson holds offers from Boston College and Oregon. He is expected to be a safety on the next level. He has the heart of a lion. Tyson will have a name to remember.
Honorable Mentions
Jamonta Waller Jamonta Waller 6'2" | 230 lbs | DL Picayune | 2024 State MS is another guy that was amazing at the defensive end position this year. He recorded over 12 sacks, and also had a great number of sacks. The reason his names need to be mentioned is because of the number of big plays he makes in games. Waller is going to always be the guy to step up on defense when Picayune needs him to. Waller is a nightmare for opponents that are trying to block him. He won multiple awards at defensive lineman camps this past summer. It was not hard to see that he used a lot of skills he learned over the summer to succeed this season. He is only a junior. Be sure to keep an eye out for him again next season.
Zayvian Lowery made a lot of big plays for West Point. Lowery was an anchor in this West Point defense. He made it easy for linebackers behind him to make plays. Lowery is a very quick defensive lineman that has a lot of size. He can move around in the trenches with the best. I think he will have a great chance to play division one football. He has a lot of skills that he possesses in that big frame. He also does a great job of make plays from sideline to sideline. Lowery plays with a lot of energy every game.