Porter Ridge at Monroe – Defensive Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a big matchup in Union County, the Monroe Redhawks defeated the Porter Ridge Pirates 28-20, leaving both teams at 4-1 on the season. Let's take a look at the defensive standouts from this game:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jayden Olden - Monroe - A big reason why Porter Ridge was held to 14 offensive points was because of this middle linebacker. Jayden is a Class of 2024 prospect standing at 6'0 and 205 pounds. I love how he attacked open windows when Porter Ridge was running inside. He was able to shed and disengage offensive linemen trying to work 2nd level and make tackles inside of the tackle box. He also showed good speed tracking down ball carriers when Porter Ridge would run their options and option pitches out wide toward the sideline. I spoke with Jayden after the game as well, which you can check out below. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://x.com/pepman704/status/1702871314149572758?s=20">https://x.com/pepman704/status/1702871314149572758?s=20</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='708430' first='Jordan' last='Young'] - Monroe - The much-heralded recruiting prospect did not disappoint, as his speed and playmaking ability were present on both sides of the ball. Jordan had a big fumble recovery and return that essentially ended Porter Ridge's comeback attempt late in the game. Jordan also made several impressive catches on offense, most notably on a 3rd down that helped set up a TD run that gave the Redhawks a two-touchdown lead. The 2025 prospect stands at 6'0 and 165 pounds, and he has several Power 5 Division 1 offers. I talked to Jordan after the game, and he shared that he loves the recruiting process and does not have a preference of playing offense or defense on the next level. You can check out the interview below. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://x.com/pepman704/status/1702872085087863170?s=20">https://x.com/pepman704/status/1702872085087863170?s=20</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jatavien Taylor - Porter Ridge - I was really impressed with this young man. He is listed at 6'2 and 195 pounds, but he looks bigger than this in person easily. He returned a fumble for 95 yards for a Pirates touchdown, giving them a 14-0 lead. He played outside linebacker and running back, and I'd say he was equally impressive at both. They moved him around a little bit while he was in on offense to try and get the ball in his hands a couple of ways. He has good speed and tackles well in space defensively, and he runs hard with good vision offensively. He is a Class of 2024 prospect who currently has offers from Limestone and UNC Pembroke. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801232' first='Harrison' last='Johnson'] - Porter Ridge - The William &amp; Mary commit was a big reason why it took Monroe a quarter and a half to get going offensively. At 6'2 and 205 pounds, he was imposing in the middle of the Pirates defense. He was credited with a total of 12 Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss, and 1 quarterback hurry. He fills windows very well and has the strength to shed the blocks of offensive linemen and lead backs to make tackles on ball carriers from tackle to tackle. He also can cover in space and spy mobile quarterbacks well. I was impressed with his short space speed when blitzing also. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->