2023 Preseason All-St. Louis County Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we approach the middle of August, the 2023 high school football season is just weeks away from kicking off in Missouri. With that being said, I wanted to take some time to preview the upcoming season. Over the next couple weeks, I will be making my picks for some all-area/county teams for the 2023 season. To kick things off, I will focus on St. Louis County which is loaded with talent this season. After covering the offensive side of the ball, here is my 2023 Preseason All-St. Louis County defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["215752"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='215752' first='Joseph' last='Anderson'] is an incoming senior defensive lineman that is very high on our radar. He is coming off a solid junior year in which he finished with 54 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and six sacks. Anderson lines up at defensive end where he has shown the ability to line up as a stand-up edge rusher and in a three-point stance in different shades. He is a very skilled pass rusher using his speed, pass rush moves, and strength to win on a consistent basis off the edge. Once he gets past the offensive tackle, Anderson does a great job of finishing at the quarterback. Against the run, Anderson does a good job of reading the play and getting to the ball in a hurry to make tackles in the open field. Joseph is committed to Iowa where I see him developing into a key piece of their defense once he gets there.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["321963"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='321963' first='Tionne' last='Gray'] is another very talented senior defensive lineman that is high on our radar. Gray lines up at defensive end where he is very impressive against the run. He does a great job of using his strength to fight through blocks on his way to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Gray finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. He is also a very impressive pass rusher, using his speed and high motor to blow by opposing offensive tackles on his way to the quarterback. Tionne also plays a key role on offense as an offensive lineman/tight end. Gray is committed to Oregon where I see him having a very productive career.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["322134"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='322134' first='Caleb' last='Redd'] is a defensive lineman that I've had high on my radar for a while now. Redd had an impressive junior year, finishing with 63 tackles and 21 sacks. He lines up at defensive end where he is a very dangerous pass rusher. Redd has shown the ability to use his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge and he also has some impressive pass rush moves that he uses to defeat blocks. Once he gets into the pocket, Redd does a great job of finishing at the quarterback. He is also reliable against the run, showing the ability to read the play and get to the ball carrier in a hurry to make the tackle in the open field. Caleb is committed to Kentucky where I can see him developing into one of the next great edge rushers for the Wildcats.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["172169"],"_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":"To round out the defensive line, I have [player_tooltip player_id='172169' first='Demetrius' last='Jones'] from Lutheran North. Jones is coming off a very impressive junior year in which he finished with 94 tackles and 15 sacks. He lines up at defensive tackle where he dominates in every aspect of the game. As a pass rusher, he has the speed to shoot the inside gap and get to the quarterback before the offensive line has a chance to react. Against the run, Jones plays with a very high motor, showing the ability to fight through blocks and run all over the field to make tackles. Jones currently holds multiple Division I offers and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to be a very productive defensive lineman at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["285142"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='285142' first='Jason' last='King'] is a linebacker that I've had high on my radar for a while now. King had a very impressive sophomore year, finishing with 90 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and two sacks. He mainly lines up at inside linebacker but has shown the versatility to play outside the box as well. King does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball quickly against the run. He is a very reliable tackler in the open field once he gets to the ball carrier. King has also proven to be reliable in pass coverage, coming away with two interceptions last season. Jason currently holds several Division I/Power 5 offers and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Power 5 caliber linebacker prospect.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["130198"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='130198' first='Carter' last='Enyard'] is another linebacker that I've had high on my radar for a while now. He is coming off a strong junior year in which he finished with 67 tackles and seven sacks. Enyard lines up at outside linebacker where he is very impressive against the run. He does a great job of reading his keys and coming downhill in a hurry to make tackles. Enyard is able to use his speed to burst into the backfield before offensive linemen can react to try to block him. He is also very reliable in pass coverage, coming away with two interceptions as a junior. Carter is committed to Kent State where I see him finding a key role on their defense once he gets there.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["188603"],"_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":"Rounding out an impressive trio of linebackers, I have incoming junior [player_tooltip player_id='188603' first='Mekhi' last='Mixon']. Mixon played a key role in Cardinal Ritter's Class 3 State Championship run last season, finishing with 85 tackles and one sack. Mekhi lines up at inside linebacker where he is very impressive against the run. He plays with a very high motor, using his speed to run all over the field to get to the football. Once he gets to the ball carrier, Mixon finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. He has also shown that he can be relied on to drop into coverage and defend the pass effectively. Mekhi currently holds a long list of offers and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Power 5 caliber linebacker prospect.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["181558"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='181558' first='Jacobi' last='Oliphant'] is an incoming senior defensive back that truly stood out to me last season. He finished his junior year with 51 tackles and two interceptions. Oliphant lines up at safety where he is very reliable in pass coverage. He does a great job of reading the quarterback and breaking on the ball with perfect timing to make a play on the ball. Jacobi is also reliable against the run, showing the ability to come downhill and make tackles in the open field. Oliphant currently holds several Division I offers and I expect him to have a very productive career wherever he decides to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["392813"],"_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":"Joining Oliphant in a very impressive SLUH secondary is incoming sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='392813' first='Keenan' last='Harris']. Harris had an outstanding freshman season, finishing with 95 tackles, one sack, and an interception. He has impressive versatility as a defensive back, showing the ability to line up on the outside at corner and in the slot as a nickel. Harris is very impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to run with receivers to mirror their routes. When the ball is thrown his way, he does a great job of reacting with perfect timing to make a play on the ball. He is also very reliable against the run, showing the ability to come downhill and make tackles in the open field. Harris currently holds several Power 5 offers and I expect more to come his way as he is a high caliber prospect.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["669410"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='669410' first='Antonio' last='Parker'] is coming into this season with high expectations as our top-ranked defensive back in his class. Parker is a lockdown corner on the outside for the Cardinal Ritter defense. He is very impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to run with receivers to mirror their routes. When the ball is thrown his way, he has shown tremendous ball skills with the ability to go up and catch the ball at its highest point to come away with an interception. He is also reliable against the run as he has shown the ability to fight through blocks and come downhill to make tackles in the open field. Antonio currently holds several Power 5 offers and I expect more to come his way as he has the potential to be a very productive corner at the next level.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["188605"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Joining Parker in the Cardinal Ritter secondary is fellow junior [player_tooltip player_id='188605' first='Tyron' last='Steed']. Steed is coming off a solid sophomore season, finishing with 41 tackles and one interception. He plays all over the secondary with most of his reps coming at safety and nickel. Steed is very reliable in coverage showing the ability to read the quarterback and break on the ball with perfect timing to make a play. He is also impressive in man coverage, showing the ability to open up and run with receivers to mirror their routes. Against the run, Steed has shown the ability to read the play and fill the lane in a hurry to make tackles. Tyron currently holds multiple Power 5 offers and I expect more to come his way as he has the potential to be a very reliable defensive back at the next level.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["285149"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"Wrapping up my All-St. Louis County Defense, I have [player_tooltip player_id='285149' first='Karvon' last='Jefferson'] from Lutheran North. Jefferson had a very impressive sophomore season, finishing with 148 tackles and three sacks. He is an interesting prospect as he technically lines up as an off-ball inside linebacker but has the skill set of a safety and is being recruited at safety. Jefferson is very impressive against the run, showing the ability to read the play quickly and come downhill to make tackles. He is also very reliable in coverage, showing the ability to drop into coverage quickly and read route combinations to put himself in a position to make a play on the ball. Karvon has also shown the ability to run with receivers in man coverage to mirror their routes. Jefferson currently holds offers from Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Northern Iowa, and Marshall, and I expect more to come his way as he is a true Division I caliber prospect.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":12,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64d6abb01ec73"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DL: [player_tooltip player_id='215751' first='Lucas' last='Allgeyer'] (MICDS, 2025); [player_tooltip player_id='668866' first='Tyrese' last='Reid'] (Webster Groves, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='830880' first='Triston' last='Abram'] (CBC, 2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LB: [player_tooltip player_id='392793' first='Terrell' last='Porter'] (Pattonville, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='285169' first='Robby' last='Preckel'] (Lafayette, 2025)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DB: [player_tooltip player_id='125258' first='Doreon' last='Dubose'] (CBC, 2024); [player_tooltip player_id='130188' first='Brian' last='Fitzmaurice'] (Marquette, 2024)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->