Underrated Defenders to Watch: Round Three

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is peak high school football season in Nevada tonight with several league championship games set to take place. I believe I have identified several defenders who have gone under the radar throughout the regular season. Below, I highlight five specific defenders whose postseason play is bound to boost their stock. </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='1209604' first='Caden' last='Bridgewater']","_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":"5'11u0022","_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":"Legacy","_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1209604' first='Caden' last='Bridgewater'] is a rising defensive back out of Las Vegas. He has been to a UNLV camp in the past, but I am surprised to see him receive so little attention from schools in the region. Expect Caden's recruitment to heat up before his senior year gets here. Good quickness and a fast change of direction displayed in man coverage highlights Caden's potential to be a versatile linebacker in passing situations. Caden's good instincts and awareness shows decisively attacking screens and underneath routes when playing off coverage. Good strength shows ripping the ball away from receivers at the catchpoint, while Caden's next level long speed gets displayed returning interceptions for touchdowns with ease.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1112333' first='Colson' last='Kermode']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Galena","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1112333' first='Colson' last='Kermode'] is one of the most talented two-way prospects in Reno. Colton has a chance to be a versatile linebacker at the next level. He has received interest from the University of Nevada, and I would not be surprised to see more schools surrounding Reno recruit Colson before his senior season gets here. Colson shows good power upon contact and next level strength driving bigger ball carriers backwards when finishing tackles. Quick feet and an athletic change of direction gets displayed mirroring ball carriers in space. A good combination of instincts and acceleration shows quickly filling in the run game from a free safety alignment.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["115426"],"_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":"Marco Coleman is a name coaches need to know about when recruiting a talented Bishop Gorman roster. Watch for Marco's recruitment to heat up once the postseason ends. Marco's quick feet and smooth change of direction shows redirecting in zone coverage once the ball is in the air. Good size, strength, and tackling ability shows wrapping ball carriers up in space. Good patience in press coverage, reactive athleticism, and length shown disrupting the catchpoint highlight Marco's next level man coverage potential. Good special teams value gets highlighted by Marco blocking more than one field goal for Bishop Gorman.","_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":"Zachary Young","_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":"2496","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Lake Mead Christian ","_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":"Zachary Young is at the forefront of a talented Lake Mead defense. Expect schools to come in late to the good-sized LB's recruitment once Lake Mead's playoff run has finished. Good strength and closing speed gets displayed when Zachary disrupts running plays when pursuing from the backside. Good awareness and athleticism shows quickly changing direction and finding work outside of his zone in pass coverage. Zachary's next level combination of power, size, and tackling ability highlights why coaches are recruiting him to be a true MIKE linebacker in college.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["817714"],"_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":"Cole Smalley is a top uncommitted senior linebacker in Nevada. The Reno product has received interest from the University of Nevada this fall. He received an offer from Cornell in May, and I would not be surprised to see schools closer to home offer him before 2024 gets here. Good size, power, and closing speed gets displayed when Cole drops ball carriers in the open field. Cole's good instincts and next level strength shows running through blocks and decisively attacking the line of scrimmage in run defense.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-654e934663eed"} /-->