Defenders back and looking for more (tackles)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top returning stat stuffers' stories switch to the defensive side of the ball. Tackles are subjective, and some homegrown stat takers might inflate some of these stats, but regardless of how accurate the actual numbers are, one thing is for sure: these guys will bring the pain to offenses across the state.</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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1149984' first='Ashton' last='Toll']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_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":"As a linebacker, Toll is easy to describe – explosive. When he reads the play, he does not hesitate and is on the ball carrier immediately. His speed helps that explosiveness. He does a great job in pass coverage partly because of his straight-line speed. Even though most of the time he is coming downhill, he is athletic enough to break down and adjust to the ball carrier without getting out of position. With 199 total tackles, the junior is a solid tackler. If Toll gets you squared up, he is not going to just go for the big hit, he is going to get that hit, but he is going to wrap the runner up and not allow him to bounce off for more yards.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["945922"],"_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 115 total tackles, Weikel is a big, athletic linebacker. His size stands out right away. Interior offensive linemen are going to have their hands full with Weikel. He can stand up against linemen at the second level and use his strength to keep them off him and find the ball. As physical as he is, he moves really well – attacking the line of scrimmage and moving sideline to sideline. Just a sophomore last season, he has excellent instincts when working through the trash to find the ball.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Derek Dahl","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Mountain Iron-Buhl","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I couldn't find film for Dahl, but he led the team with 113 tackles. Included in those tackles were fourteen that were behind the line of scrimmage. Additionally, he forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and recorded one sack. He did it on a defense that shut out six of their first nine opponents in 2022.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["348789"],"_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":"Salmonson, the first defensive back on this list, racked up 112 total tackles in 2022. A deep safety with most of his film, he obviously can tackle, but he also has a nose for the football. He breaks on the ball well and gets his hands on plenty of footballs. His instincts and first step allow him to make plays on receivers who catch the ball underneath his coverage. When he creeps down near the line of scrimmage, he attacks the line of scrimmage. His tackling is solid – especially in space.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["706022"],"_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":"The best word I can use to describe Primus is violent. He attacks running backs and offensive linemen with a force not always seen with inside linebackers. Some of his collisions with offensive linemen are just as impressive as watching him make a tackle. He uses those collisions to plug up the hole, forcing the running back out of the hole, or uses the impact to scrape off the potential blocker to get involved in the play. He is a prototypical between-the-tackles linebacker, but with 109 total tackles, he has the speed and athletic ability to get sideline to sideline.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e44f1b8dd01"} /-->