Senior Spotlight: Northern California Small School Defenders

Photo: Avery Romain Hudl

Paul Gregorian January 23, 2023 @ 04:42 PM

Looking at the smaller schools across the region, there are plenty of next level players that had tremendous prep careers and who are still looking for a home at the next level. Below, we will dive into some small school players that should have a chance at the next level and were some of the best smaller school defenders Norcal has to offer.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />   DL [player_tooltip player_id='578946' first='Avery' last='Romain'], Menlo School   Romain had a very productive prep career for Menlo and is one of the best defenders available across Norcal along the defensive line. He should fit nicely at defensive end at the next level and has a good combination of size, explosiveness and short area twitch/quick use of hands when pass rushing. He is also solid against the run and is physical with his hands, shows backside pursuit and is a high IQ kid with quick block recognition and destruction.   LB Will Henderson, Immanuel HS   Henderson is one of the hardest hitters in the valley, and is an explosive run defender that excels in the box and is a very sure tackler in space. He is a well put together kid with good toughness and plays with a high motor and physicality at the POA. Athletic for the position, he flashes closing speed and takes good angles in the open field while playing with a low hat in the box when getting off blocks and filling.   DL Tyler Sells, Sonora HS   Sells had a terrific Senior season for Sonora and is a dominant run defender with a strong punch, creates immediate knock-back and has active feet while athletic enough to two-gap and take on pullers/beat zone blockers in space. He shows he can shock and lock with inside hands, violently gets off blocks and flows to the ball with a high motor and flashes some closing speed as well. Sells is active in pass rush winning with strength at the POA and can play either inside or possibly at the SDE spot in college.   DL Seyyid Smith, Dixon HS   Smith is a longer pass rusher with a quick use of hands and a explosive first step with long speed to collapse the pocket. He is a high motor kid that shows good pursuit backside, has quick block recognition and shows plus change of direction and athleticism in space, especially for his size. He will only continue to develop and grow while packing on more weight to his frame and had one of the best seasons of any pass rusher across Northern California in 2022.   DL Jadyn Arnold, Willits HS   Arnold can do a bit of everything for Willits and they were one of the best small schools in the NCS this past season. He plays on both sides of the ball but is a bully in the trenches and wins with strength and power at the POA while showing speed around the edge and collapses quickly with violence. Very athletic for his size and having a rare combination of speed and length, he should fit nicely as a 4 down defensive end at the next level and is a no brainer D-III+ college caliber kid.   LB Kyle Gorre, St. Marys HS   Gorre is a instinctual downhill player with elite closing speed and tackling abilities both in the box and in space. He takes good angles in the open field and shows pursuit backside while able to apply pressure with well timed blitzes and blow up the inside run game. Taking on blocks both with his hands and bend/twitch in the short area, he packs a punch on contact and was one of the more active and productive linebackers across the Bay Area the last two seasons. He currently holds offers from Black Hills state and Pacific.

Looking at the smaller schools across the region, there are plenty of next level players that had tremendous prep careers and who are still looking for a home at the next level. Below, we will dive into some small school players that should have a chance at the next level and were some of the best smaller school defenders Norcal has to offer.