7’s Up: Top Back-End Defenders in the Super Football Conference
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Today we take a deep-dive of some of the top back-seven defenders across New Jersey’s Super Football Conference. As vital components of their team’s defensive front, these defensive backs and linebackers both stuff the run and close passing windows in…
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Continue ReadingToday we take a deep-dive of some of the top back-seven defenders across New Jersey’s Super Football Conference. As vital components of their team’s defensive front, these defensive backs and linebackers both stuff the run and close passing windows in a hurry. Without a doubt, they are integral parts of their high school team’s success and also leaders on the field.
In Saturday night’s post we touched on this next prospects teammate, Luke Biello Luke Biello 5’10” | 200 lbs | OL Westwood | 2025 NJ . Today we take a look at the 5’9″ 160lb CB Aidan Carrazana Aidan Carrazana 5’9″ | 160 lbs | DB Westwood | 2024 NJ . Carrazana was a big part of what the Westwood Cardinals did on defense last season. He was credited with 43 tackles, 1 sack, 2 int, 10 PBU, 1 FR, and 1.5 TFL. Offensively Carrazana also slashed 5/73/1 through the air and 6/80 on the ground.
Carrazana has shown equal ability to play off in coverage and in press coverage. When backed off, he possesses great instincts and outstanding breaks when the ball is in-flight. Carrazana is very aggressive in run support, looking to make the play and force it back to his help if he is unable to. He also seems to understand the team’s scheme, passing up deeper routes to back-end coverage in favor of playing shorter routes. Carrazana does not let WRs get behind him. This enables him to adjust to the ball and make a play on it behind him or in front of him. Finally, Carrazana does a nice job of tipping passes before they arrive to the receiver’s hands. Carrazana has the on-film talent to play in college; however, for Carrazana to do so he must be a menace in the weight room.
Carrazana is yet another key piece returning for Westwood this fall. The Cardinals will have a bullseye on their backs all season long, as they are likely circled on every opponents schedule and labeled the team-to-beat.
Union City may be home to the Soaring Eagles, but DB Denzel Chavis Denzel Chavis 6’1″ | 175 lbs | DB Union City | 2024 State NJ makes sure Roosevelt Stadium is a no-fly zone. The 5’10” 170lb CB made 36 stops, 5 PBUs, and 2 Ints; however, his film shows that he is much more active than those numbers might suggest.
The first thing that teams should be aware of is that you are not going to bust a big play down the sideline to Chavis’ side. Chavis is super-aggressive in playing run support. Even when in man coverage, he flies in fast and furious to get in on the play. Chavis is equally as determined to get his hands on and tip the pass, no matter what. So many pass attempts thrown in his direction are unsuccessful because they are deflected. Additionally, he times up his collisions well to avoid being penalized when breaking up pass attempts or, at a minimum, make sure tackles for minimal gains if the ball is caught. When manned-up, Chavis sticks to defenders like glue and allows zero-to-none separation and does not get faked out on route fakes or double-moves. It is really hard to find something for Chavis to improve on. I suppose it would just be to turn some of those deflected passes into turnovers so we can see more of him with the ball in his hands.
Chavis is back for redemption this season. Expectations for the Soaring Eagles have soared based off of their play last season. This is a dangerous team that has a bullseye on everyone else’s back.
Sussex County had a season they are looking to build on. Defensively, they have one Mustang who accumulated 61 tackles, 4 for a loss, 1 sack, 1 PBU, 2 FR, and 1 FF last fall. At 6 foot 200lbs, Shawn Garrison Shawn Garrison 6’0″ | 200 lbs | LB Sussex County Tech | 2024 NJ looks to lead a a team on the rebound from his spot at LB.
Garrison times his stunts very well. Often, he is getting into the backfield unencumbered to either make a stop or force a premature bounce. When Garrison is on the front-side of a play, he reads his keys effectively and flows over-the-top in order to pile up stops. Additionally Garrison does a nice job taking on and being physical with tacklers, only to shed their block attempt and make a play. Garrison must remember to keeps his feet through contact when delivering a tackle. This will cause the offensive player’s momentum to immediately stop.
In order for the Mustang’s to hold the line and be a defensive force, Garrison and company must gallop and be full steam ahead. Something tells me that they most certainly will.
As teammate Brandon Cabrera Brandon Cabrera 5’9″ | 170 lbs | RB Sparta | 2024 NJ paces Sparta’s offense, 5’8″ 180lb LB Hunter Chlodnicki Hunter Chlodnicki 5’8″ | 180 lbs | LB Sparta | 2025 NJ sets the done for the Spartan’s defense. Last fall Chlodnicki made 54 tackles, 5 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 FR, and 1 Int.
Chlodnicki is disciplined in committing to his run read and then retreating to his pass drop. He is a physical blitzer, absolutely blowing up lesser o-linemen who try to get in his path. When Chlodnicki is on the front-side of a play, he makes quick reads to fight over the top; conversely, when the play is ran away from his, Chlodnicki has shown flashes of shooting the backside window in hopes to undercut the play. For Chlodnicki to take his game to another level he is best served to loosen up his hips. This will improve explosiveness and mobility.
Chlodnicki is an enforcer-type in the middle of Sparta’s defense. With him lining up across the ball from them, offenses ought to tread lightly.