Stock Up Performers: Week 2 Defense

After the second week of high school football action in the Bluegrass State, it's time to check in on some of the most explosive playmakers that have made their presence known on the field in week two of the 2023 campaign. After kickstarting my new "Stock Up Performers" series with the top offensive standouts, it's time to highlight some high-level players from the defensive side of the ball. Without any further ado, here's my list of the top defensive performers from week two.    At the top of my list of playmakers is Josh Collins, a 6-foot-0, 235-pound defensive lineman at Warren East High School. Collins was a gamechanger defensively in week two, recording 26 total tackles, including six solo stops, 20 assisted takedowns and 0.5 tackles for loss. What makes Collins so explosive is his size, speed, ability to absorb pressure and his efficiency in making crucial stops. Collins also caught my eye with his quickness, overwhelming strength, his ability to find openings in the offensive line and his consistency in applying heavy pressure on the quarterback.    I am additionally impressed with [player_tooltip player_id='381879' first='Ashton' last='Jones'], a 6-foot-2, 260-pound defensive lineman at St. Xavier High School. Jones made his presence known for the Tigers in week two of the season, picking up 14 total tackles, including four solo stops, 10 assisted takedowns, three tackles for loss and one sack. Jones stood out due to his quickness off the snap and ability to quickly apply heavy defensive pressure on the quarterback. Another aspect of Jones that makes him dangerous defensively is his footwork and deceptive movement as he can use bursts of speed to quickly break free of coverage and make stops.    Claiming the number three spot on my list is [player_tooltip player_id='313642' first='Connor' last='Franklin'], a 6-foot-0, 180-pound linebacker at Christian Academy of Louisville. Franklin was an impactful piece of the Centurions' defense in week two, collecting a total of 16 tackles, including nine solo stops, seven assisted takedowns and one tackle for loss. The senior playmaker additionally recovered one fumble. Franklin stands out due to his field awareness, his execution off the snap and his ability to read the offense like a book. I also like Franklin's ability to overpower offensive lineman and withstand heavy contact with his durability and toughness.    Another player that established himself as a defensive weapon on the field this past week is [player_tooltip player_id='415771' first='Jeremiah' last='Anderson'], a 5-foot-10, 205-pound linebacker at Pikeville High School. Anderson was a key performer for the Panthers in week two, recording a grand total of 12 tackles, including three solo stops and nine assisted takedowns. Anderson is very impressive due to his control, size, physical edge and ability to make plays as a freshman. In addition to his physical edge and quickness, I'm also fond of Anderson's awareness, footwork, ability to quickly apply pressure and disrupt offensive production.    Coming in at number five on my list of standouts is [player_tooltip player_id='422904' first='Darion' last='Neal'], a 6-foot-0, 225-pound linebacker at Frederick Douglass High School. Neal was highly impactful on the defensive side of the ball for the Broncos during week two, recording 10 total tackles, including nine solo stops, one assisted takedown, three tackles for loss and one sack. The senior defensive talent additionally forced one fumble. Neal stands out due to his size, toughness and his ability to withstand contact from the offensive line, showing off his durable edge as well as his ability to blast right through the offense and get to the quarterback.

After the second week of high school football action in the Bluegrass State, it's time to check in on some of the most explosive playmakers that have made their presence known on the field in week two of the 2023 campaign. After kickstarting my new "Stock Up Performers" series with the top offensive standouts, it's time to highlight some high-level players from the defensive side of the ball. Without any further ado, here's my list of the top defensive performers from week two.