2026 Rankings- Slept on Defenders on the Rise!

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we head further into the offseason, we are taking a look at some of the defenders in the 2026 class that have been making tons of big strides in their development!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1115876"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1115876' first='Frisco' last='Robertson'] is a super dynamic playmaker for Wadley that has made a ton of impacts in all three phases of the game, but especially at defensive back where he is a lockdown ballhawk in coverage. Robertson is excellent in their secondary and has some terrific athleticism he uses to his advantage when matching up against wide receivers- he never gets beat deep, doesn't allow any separation, and is able to bait quarterbacks and to make plays on the ball on a very consistent basis. Throughout his sophomore season, Robertson had a terrific year where he was one of the top interception leaders in the state- on the season he totaled uprn33 tackles (27 solo, one for loss), 10 interceptions, and one forced fumble he recovered. In addition to his work on defense, Robertson racked up a ton of stats on both the offensive and special teams as well, making him an all around weapon. Keep an eye on him going forward, he's an exciting prospect to watch!","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1115964"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1115964' first='Landon' last='Everett'] was an absolute monster for Gulf Shores defense last fall- the sophomore middle linebacker had a true breakout season where he made plays all over the field. Everett is a tackling machine that can make plays both in the open field and behind the line of scrimmage. Against the run Everett is a force- he can quickly react and hit gaps to blow up plays and has excellent tackling techniques that allow him to never get shaken off. Against the pass, Everett can provide some terrific pressure with how well he blitzes the quarterback but also can make plays in coverage and on the ball as well. As mentioned earlier Everett had a huge breakout season where he totaled up 110 tackles (49 solo, 24 for loss), 5 sacks, 19 hurries, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. Keep an eye on him going forward, Everett is an incredibly talented linebacker with loads of potential!","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["283576"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='283576' first='Takaree' last='Slaughter'] is a sophomore linebacker that really stood out on tape last season for Clay-Chalkville, he has a lot of abilities against the run and pass that make him a really exciting prospect to watch. Slaughter has the athleticism and ability to make sideline to sideline plays which really allows him to make an impact. It doesn't matter where he is pre-snap, he has great play recognition and instincts that put him in the right spot to make plays every play. It's really impressive seeing how he pursues after the ball carrier as well- he has a high motor and great tracking skills that allow him to consistently provide a big impact for his defense on each snap. Keep track of him this upcoming season, he's got a ton of potential and will be a big piece of Clay-Chalkville's defense.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["681628"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='681628' first='Colton' last='Moore'] is an super impressive linebacker for Oak Mountain that made some huge plays on their defense this past season. Moore is really productive in their defensive front and can easily disrupt plays in a lot of different ways- he can deliver some big hits on the ball carrier, provides good coverage, and can get into the backfield on a routine basis. Throughout the year, Moore had himself a really good season where he totaled up 67 tackles (33 solo, 8 for loss) and three forced fumbles on the season. One thing that really impressed me on tape was just how quick Moore was able to find and make plays on the ball- he has a knack for getting to the ballcarrier and plays with a ton of effort. Keep an eye on him next year, he's got a really promising  junior season ahead of him!","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65afed4662803"} /-->