Nevada Week-1 Top Performers: Defense
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Highlighting the top defensive performers in Nevada’s week-1 action. Senior LBs Cole Smalley Cole Smalley 6'3" | 200 lbs | LB Douglas | 2024 State NV (Douglas) and Keau Hadley Keau Hadley 5'10" | 190 lbs | LB Shadow Ridge…
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Continue ReadingHighlighting the top defensive performers in Nevada’s week-1 action. Senior LBs Cole Smalley Cole Smalley 6'3" | 200 lbs | LB Douglas | 2024 State NV (Douglas) and Keau Hadley Keau Hadley 5'10" | 190 lbs | LB Shadow Ridge | 2024 State NV (Shadow Ridge) were among the state’s top tacklers last season and look on track to be at the top again in 2023. Marcus Council Marcus Council 5'11" | 195 lbs | ATH Silverado | 2024 State NV (Silverado) and Tyler M Paul Tyler M Paul 5'8" | 150 lbs | DB Durango | 2024 NV (Durango) impressed on both sides of the ball in their teams’ wins.
Smalley was stout against the run game, totaling 12 tackles (6 solo), 3 TFLs, and 3 sacks in Douglas’ 14-9 win over Elko. He was active at every level of the defense, filling holes aggressive downhill and tracking down sideline-to-sideline. Smalley’s a rangy, athletic ILB at 6’3”/210 with great physicality and motor. PRZ’s #3-LB in Nevada’s 2024 class picked up his first offer from Cornell in May and has drawn interest from multiple Mountain-West programs.
Council continues to stand out on both sides of the ball, this week totaling 9 tackles (6 solo), 2 TFLs, and an INT on defense and 3 TDs on offense (2 rec/1 rush). He’s an athletic, high-IQ OLB that makes plays with natural speed and awareness. He flashes the lateral speed to track down towards the sideline and can create turnovers in shallow coverage. Council’s one of the most underrated two-way players on Nevada’s recruiting radar and is already putting together a senior season that should generate interest.
Tyler M Paul Tyler M Paul 5'8" | 150 lbs | DB Durango | 2024 NV
Tyler M Paul Tyler M Paul 5'8" | 150 lbs | DB Durango | 2024 NV
Paul was highly impactful on both sides of the ball in Durango’s 27-13 win over Desert Oasis, posting 2 INTs and a PBU from his FS spot and 8 catches for 173 yards on offense. He’s a fluid defender in coverage that can read with his eyes in zone and react with twitch in man. He’s a nimble receiver that can get behind the defense and track the ball downfield. Paul offers sneaky upside in his overall athleticism and versatility.
Motuapuaka and the entire Gaels DL dominated the LOS and kept the Long Beach Poly offense out of rhythm from the first snap in their 60-15 victory- totaled 6 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 2 sacks. He’s a stout interior DL that can punch/shed at the LOS, create pressure around the interior, and plays with great leverage and violence at the POA as a 3-technique. Motuapuaka holds offers from Utah, Idaho, UNLV, and Hawaii and looks on track to pick up more in the near future.
Highlights
Hadley leads the state in total tackles with 26 (15 solo) through the first two weeks. He posted 10 (6 solo) and 3 TFLs in Shadow Ridge’s 21-7 victory over Spanish Springs on Friday. Hadley’s an aggressive OLB with relentless motor to the football and is constantly found making plays around the LOS. He picked up an NAIA offer from William Woods on 8/28 with other offers from Denison, Oberlin College, Adams St., and Pacific University.
Other Top Performers
- Jordan Hales Jordan Hales 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Arbor View | 2025 State NV (LB / 2024 / Arbor View): 15 total, 12 solo, 3 TFLs
- Steve Manuma (DL / 2025 / Desert Pines): 3 sacks
- Miki Poloa (DL / 2024 / Shadow Ridge): 7 total, 3 TFLs, 2 sacks
- Aaron Coverdell Aaron Coverdell 6'0" | 205 lbs | DL Shadow Ride | 2024 State NV (LB / 2024 / Shadow Ridge): 2 TFLs, 2 sacks
- Prince Williams Prince Williams 6'3" | 250 lbs | DL Bishop Gorman | 2026 State NV (DL / 2026 / Bishop Gorman): 9 total, 5 solo, 3 TFLs
- Tony Caramella (DB / 2024 / Bishop Manogue): 13 total, 7 solo, 1 TFL
- Salesi Manu Salesi Manu 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Bishop Manogue | 2024 State NV (DL / 2024 / Bishop Manogue): 4 TFLs, 3 sacks
- Ryan Harden Ryan Harden 5'8" | 185 lbs | LB Coronado | 2024 State NV (LB / 2024 / Coronado): 14 total, 10 solo, 1 TFL
- Matthew Hunt Matthew Hunt 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Coronado | 2024 State NV (LB / 2024 / Coronado): 17 total, 11 solo, 1 TFL