Best Available Defensive Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first Signing Day has come and gone and the majority of the top overall prospects in the state's 2023 class signed on the dotted line with their future schools. Wednesday was just the start of the journey for those prospects. It was also just the next step for the prospects still looking for their future home. In this post, we take a look at the top available defensive prospects in the state's 2023 class. And get ready to read up on linebackers. Out of the ten prospects listed, six of them are linebackers. We've said for a while now that the linebacker position in the 2023 class was incredibly deep and it's playing out that way. Earlier today, we put out the top available offensive prospects in the state's 2023 class. You can check that out <strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2022/12/best-available-offensive-prospects/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RIGHT HERE</a></strong>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["112479"],"_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":"We start off the defensive prospects along the line of scrimmage with one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the state's 2023 class. [player_tooltip player_id='112479' first='Chance' last='Jordan'] had an interesting senior season to say the least. He became one of the top prospects at his position last fall with Beggs and would finish off his career this fall at Morris after missing the first part of the season. Jordan didn't have the kind of production that we saw from him in 2021 but he just wasn't on the field enough to replicate it. That doesn't take away from the kind of disruptive force he can be along the line of scrimmage. We still like Jordan as one of the top defensive tackle prospects in the class. He's a bit undersized but his combination of strength and speed makes up for it.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["370215"],"_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":"One of the best two-way stars on this breakdown has to be Cascia Hall senior [player_tooltip player_id='370215' first='Cooper' last='Lai']. On offense, Lai has been an outstanding quarterback for three seasons. But when it comes to his future on the gridiron, it appears to be on the defensive side of the ball as a safety. Lai had an outstanding offseason during the spring and summer and he kept that momentum going when his senior season began. Lai was a star for Cascia Hall on both sides of the ball and was a complete gamechanger. His recruitment really started to pick up during the offseason when he was having success at various camps. As his senior tape continues to make the rounds, his recruitment should pick up once again. Lai is one of the few top available defensive backs in the '23 class.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["38789"],"_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":"Broken Arrow senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='38789' first='Dietrich' last='Moore'] was hungry to get back on the field following his breakout junior season. Moore missed a lot of the offseason because of a knee injury. That might have hurt what he was able to do in terms of camps and various offseason events. But once he made it back on the field as a senior, he made up for lost time. Moore picked up right where he left off last season when he was enjoying that breakout junior season. He became one of the more disruptive players on Broken Arrow's defense. He also gave them a massive spark on that side of the ball. Earlier in the season, the Tigers struggled defensively. But when Moore was put back in the lineup, the overall defensive performance improved dramatically.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["370220"],"_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":"Berryhill linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='370220' first='Ethan' last='Stites'] was without a doubt one of the biggest stock risers in the state's 2023 class in the last six months. He went from being somewhat of an unknown to one of the absolute top prospects at his position in a matter of six months. We first saw him back in late May when he was one of the more dominant linebackers we saw at the various team camps that we attended. He would then have an outstanding summer going to various college camps. He followed that up by having a strong senior season as a linebacker and also a physical running back on offense. Stites would have his senior season end early because of an injury. But Stites is still a big prospect to watch as one of the strongest linebackers in the class.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["370217"],"_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":"In every class, there are a few prospects at each position that are head-scratchers in terms of their recruitment somewhat lacking and for the linebacker position, one of those guys is Mustang senior [player_tooltip player_id='370217' first='Hudson' last='Conrad']. There isn't much not to like about Conrad's game. He has production at the highest level, he plays with an incredibly high motor and he has the DNA to be a next level player. Conrad's recruitment has picked up a bit throughout the fall and now that the first signing period is in the books, he should certainly be high up on the priority list when it comes to linebackers in Oklahoma. With some prospects, there are risks to adding them to your team. With Conrad, there aren't any reasons not to take a guy like him.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["307902"],"_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":"Similar to Stites at Berryhill, Shawnee senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='307902' first='Landon' last='Davis-Barkus'] has had an outstanding six months and his recruitment has started to take off because of it. Like Stites, we first got a chance to see the Shawnee standout in person at a team camp back in late May. And just like Stites, he is a hard-hitting linebacker who flies all over the field but also turns around and is one of the more physical running backs in the class. This fall, Shawnee struggled on the scoreboard but Davis-Barkus would be the bright spot for the Wolves every single week. He also showed that he's a complete team player as he played multiple positions to help his team each week. But there's no doubt that he is a linebacker at the next level and has a high ceiling.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["57163"],"_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":"Coweta standout [player_tooltip player_id='57163' first='Mason' last='Ford'] has been one of the most productive prospects in the state for four years now. Since his freshman year, Ford has been one of the more complete playmakers in the state. He was a standout on offense, a shutdown corner on defense and a special talent as a return man. But when it comes to his future as a college prospect, Ford has seemed to always lean to the defensive side of the ball. Like a few other prospects in the state's 2023 class, Ford's recruitment has been somewhat limited because of perceptions of his size. But all you have to do is throw on the tape and you see Ford locking down receiver after receiver and the size just simply hasn't mattered. Ford is arguably the top available cornerback in the 2023 class.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["38787"],"_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":"A lot of what we wrote about [player_tooltip player_id='38789' first='Dietrich' last='Moore'] could be repeated right here with Holland Hall linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='38787' first='Parker' last='Jenney']. In 2021, Jenney enjoyed a fantastic junior season where he became one of the top linebacker prospects in the state. He then had to sit out the first part of the 2022 season but when he came back, he gave the Dutch an immediate boost. In addition to reclaiming his spot as one of the best linebackers in the class, Jenney became arguably Holland Hall's top playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. But when it comes to his future as a prospect, there's no doubt in our mind that he is one of the top linebackers in the state's 2023 class. There are plenty of playmakers at that position in this 2023 class and Jenney is near the top.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["38813"],"_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":"One of the top linebackers in Oklahoma over the last three seasons has been Verdigris star [player_tooltip player_id='38813' first='Reese' last='Roller'] and there is no debating that. Look at the production on the field and Roller has lived in opposing backfields for the last three seasons. We think that Roller has proven himself time and time again and it hasn't mattered who the opponent is on any given Friday night. Roller routinely beats his man and finds his way into the backfield. Is he undersized? Yes. But has it mattered? Not yet. We understand that taking an undersized prospect is a risk but the production should outweigh the potential risk for the next level. Roller has proved for three years now that he is one of the absolute best players at his position and should be high on the priority list.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["51854"],"_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":"Our final defensive prospect is just the second defensive lineman on this breakdown. And before this season, Choctaw senior [player_tooltip player_id='51854' first='RJ' last='Jackson'] wasn't known as a defensive lineman. After beginning his career as a tight end, Jackson would move this season to more of a defensive end or outside linebacker, depending on what formation you're in. And he was an absolute wrecking ball coming off the edge and getting after the quarterback. When you look at his physical stature and combine that with strength and quick step he has off the line, Jackson's stock as a prospect absolutely soared this season with a breakout year on the defensive side of the ball. Jackson is definitely a name that you need to know over the next month.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":10,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63a48099a891e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->