Defenders back and looking for more – interceptions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For my final stat stuffer story, I am looking at the last level of defense on the football field – the defensive backs. Check out four returning ball hawks who put up some of the biggest interception numbers in the state. There is a log jam of returning players who picked off five passes last season, but to break the tie – and to keep the list of guys in this story at a reasonable number, guys who picked off five in fewer games got the nod.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brayden Sturm","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Springfield","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Sturm has excellent hip rotation when he is in his drops. He looks extremely fluid in his movements. He is a solid wide receiver, too. When you see him play the ball, those receiver instincts check out. With ten interceptions last season, he obviously has the hands to make plays on the ball. His athletic ability allows him to easily highpoint the ball and win jump balls on the defensive side of the ball. The Tigers' junior plays some deep safety but also plays on the line of scrimmage as a physical corner.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["549333"],"_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":"With eight interceptions, McDonald got a good number of those picks because of his ability to break quickly on the ball. His length and athletic ability make it challenging for receivers to win fifty-fifty balls. He has excellent range from the deep safety position – both from sideline to sideline and when needing to get depth. Like Sturm, McDonald has smooth hips when making and coming out of his drops.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["501866"],"_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":"He is possibly a better receiver than a defensive back. The way Ransom tracks receivers in man coverage, he looks like a receiver as he mirrors the offensive players' route. His ability to track receivers leads to a second strength – his footwork. He is smooth out of his cuts and doesn't have much-wasted movement. With six picks as a junior, Ransom has good body control when adjusting to balls on the offensive side of the ball, and that translates to making solid adjustments when the ball is in the air as a defensive player.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1140786' first='Harrison' last='Brun']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Rockford","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Brun has great size patrolling the third level of the Rockets' defense. He can play sideline to sideline and breaks quickly on balls thrown into his area. The soon-to-be senior is one of the better athletes on this list, and the Minnesota commit uses that to his advantage when battling for fifty-fifty balls or when he has a lot of ground to make up on a receiver. Brun plays multiple skill positions on offense, and his ability to come up with a pick – he had five last season in nine games – shows his soft hands and versatility. He is not just a cover guy. Brun comes downhill aggressively, playing the run. With his size and athletic ability, he is looking to deliver a hit – he is not there to just try to get the ball carrier to the ground.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64f0ead9bf5eb"} /-->