2023-24 PrepRedzoneIL Underclassmen All-State Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yin and yang, peanut butter &amp; jelly, seashore &amp; a sunset, offense and defense. All of these are perfect pairings, and in the vain of a <em>PrepRedzoneIL </em>All-State Team, we have a star-studded defensive squad to follow up the recently published offensive feature. If you missed the 2023-24 <em>PRzIL </em>Underclassmen All-State Offensive squad, make sure you check out the homepage of the site, as the days of research and grinding the tape helped put together the best, most comprehensive, current, and accurate underclassmen top-performer matchup anywhere on paper or the never-ending internet. Now, we're onto the defensive side of the ball, as well as special teams, and boy there are some studs on this list. Taking into account age, production, competition level, versatility, and occasionally film, these are the undisputed best freshmen and sophomore defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, athletes, and specialists the Land of Lincoln has to offer, and I think it's safe to say the future of Illinois' gridiron exploits and recruiting prowess is in good hands. If you think we missed any sophomore or freshmen worthy and deserving of an All-State defensive nod, please don't hesitate to respectfully email me at: oliver@prepredzone.com ! Dig in! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>--</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">2023 <em>PRzIL</em> Underclassmen Defensive Player of the Year: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401621' first='Leon' last='Howard']</strong> (<em>East. St. Louis</em>) Sophomore. LB. 6'2, 220 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defense </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Line</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">First Team: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801878' first='McHale' last='Blade'] (<em>Hillcrest</em>) Sophomore. 6'4, 230 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1399927' first='Gabriel' last='Hill']</strong> <em>(Naperville North</em>) Sophomore. 6'2, 250 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='208769' first='King' last='Liggins'] (<em>Brother Rice)</em> Sophomore. 6'4, 255 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='270192' first='Braeden' last='Jones'] (<em>Mount Carmel)</em> Sophomore. 6'5, 235 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Second Team: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1334146' first='Namari' last='Anderson']</strong> (<em>Montini Catholic)</em> Freshman. 6'3, 260 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801702' first='Jacob' last='Alexander'] <em>(Lincoln Way-East</em>) Sophomore. 6'4, 220 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='819675' first='Jaylen' last='Torres'] (<em>Wheaton St. Francis</em>) Sophomore. 6', 270 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801701' first='Jonathan' last='Rulo'] <em>(Belleville East)</em> Sophomore. 6'2, 285 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Third Team: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335224' first='Caleb' last='Brown']</strong> <em>(East. St. Louis</em>) Freshman. 6'1, 235 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kai Calcutt</strong> (<em>Loyola Academy</em>) Sophomore. 6', 230 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lamari Hall</strong> (<em>Aurora Christian</em>) Sophomore. 6'3, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaylen Cox</strong> (<em>Christ the King Jesuit</em>) Sophomore. 6', 280 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1585323' first='Kadin' last='Niekamp']</strong> (<em>Camp Point Central)</em> Sophomore. 6', 200 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1334164' first='Jyheir' last='Sutton']</strong> (<em>Kankakee</em>) Freshman. 5'10, 260 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1571517' first='Kamron' last='Norwood']</strong> (<em>Richards</em>) Freshman. 5'11, 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801698' first='Jaden' last='Weaver'] (<em>Carl Sandburg)</em> Sophomore. 6'3, 230 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Juelz Baker</strong> (<em>Richards Career Academy)</em> Sophomore. 6'5, 260 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1237966' first='Sincere' last='Harris']</strong> (<em>Blue Island Eisenhower</em>) Freshman. 6'2, 220 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Linebacker </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-fb56f799-ee13-472e-8ad7-14695c910fea">First Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='401621' first='Leon' last='Howard'] (<em>East. St. Louis</em>) Sophomore. 6'2, 220 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='682480' first='Diesel' last='McFadden'] (<em>Taft</em>) Sophomore. 6'1, 215 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Foley Calcagno</strong> (<em>IC Catholic Prep</em>) Sophomore. 5'10, 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='283925' first='Jayvon' last='Anderson'] (<em>Kenwood Academy</em>) Sophomore. 5'11, 195 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-e9a701ee-89c1-469d-92cb-375ce6ec163e">Second Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooks Howard</strong> (<em>Barrington</em>) Sophomore. 6'2, 200 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801715' first='Joseph' last='Gray'] (<em>Whitney Young</em>) Sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Royce Lopez</strong> (<em>Warren Township</em>) Sophomore. 5'10, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-9e8c7d48-4689-47eb-a47a-cc7c45c8af4f">Third Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1334149' first='Drake' last='May']</strong> (<em>Macomb</em>) Freshman. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Damian Lewis</strong> (<em>Eisenhower</em>) Sophomore. 5'11, 190 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Darrieon Beck</strong> (<em>Prosser Career Academy</em>) Sophomore. 6'1, 205 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jackson Kampwerth</strong> (<em>Breese Central</em>) Sophomore. 6'1, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nicholas Bryan Huston</strong> <em>(Monmouth-Roseville</em>) Sophomore. 5'11, 185 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>James Graves</strong> (<em>North Mac</em>) Sophomore. 6', 190 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Elliott Acree</strong> (<em>Mt. Carmel</em>) Sophomore. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jatuan Hogan</strong> (<em>Bremen</em>) Freshman. 5'7, 160 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Defensive Back </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-fb56f799-ee13-472e-8ad7-14695c910fea">First Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nicholas Ori </strong>(<em>Wauconda</em>) Sophomore. 6'3, 190 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1669534' first='Brandon' last='Jenkins']</strong> <em>(John Hersey</em>) Sophomore. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='279386' first='Tommy' last='Thies'] (<em>Fenwick</em>) Sophomore. 6', 185 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801706' first='Ahmad' last='Buchanan'] (<em>Richards</em>) Sophomore. 6', 180 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-e9a701ee-89c1-469d-92cb-375ce6ec163e">Second Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1334152' first='Donald' last='Collier']</strong> (<em>Cahokia</em>) Freshman. 5'11, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wade Bushur</strong> (<em>Effingham</em>) Sophomore. 5'11, 175 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335196' first='James' last='McGrath']</strong> (<em>St. Francis)</em> Freshman. 6', 185 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335208' first='Isaac' last='Saldana'] </strong>(<em>St. Francis</em>) Freshman. 6'1, 175 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-9e8c7d48-4689-47eb-a47a-cc7c45c8af4f">Third Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='537245' first='Jayden' last='Marshall'] (<em>Crete-Monee</em>) Sophomore. 5'11, 145 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335415' first='Jeremiah' last='Reed']</strong> (<em>East. St. Louis)</em> Freshman. 5'8, 150 lbs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aidan McClure</strong> (<em>St. Charles North</em>) Sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kadynn Petty</strong> (<em>Nokomis</em>) Sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Honorable Mention: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335419' first='Logan' last='Rivera']</strong> (<em>Sullivan</em>) Freshman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335421' first='Trey' last='Clark']</strong> (<em>Salem</em>) Freshman. 6'1, 180 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801707' first='Dylan' last='Reyes'] (<em>Geneva</em>) Sophomore. 5'10, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Athlete </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-fb56f799-ee13-472e-8ad7-14695c910fea">First Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801700' first='Mack' last='Sutter'] (<em>Dunlap</em>) Sophomore. 6'6, 225 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='801887' first='Nasir' last='Rankin'] (<em>Whitney Young</em>) Sophomore. 6'1, 175 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='401622' first='Logan' last='Abrams'] (<em>Cary-Grove)</em> Sophomore. 6'3, 220 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-e9a701ee-89c1-469d-92cb-375ce6ec163e">Second Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> [player_tooltip player_id='212314' first='Jacob' last='Harvey'] (<em>Mt. Zion</em>) Sophomore. 6'1, 175 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='718741' first='Cornell' last='Conely'] (<em>Hyde Park Academy</em>) Sophomore. 5'9, 170 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Eddie McClain</strong> (<em>Nazareth Academy</em>) Sophomore. 5'7, 165 lbs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size">Specialist </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-fb56f799-ee13-472e-8ad7-14695c910fea">First Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Isiah Thomas Jr.</strong> (<em>Walter H. Dyett</em>) Sophomore. Returner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maicol Sefton</strong> (<em>Effingham</em>) Sophomore. Kicker &amp; Punter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-e9a701ee-89c1-469d-92cb-375ce6ec163e">Second Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cooper Martin</strong> (<em>Litchfield</em>) Freshman. Kicker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Richard Conley</strong> (<em>Romeoville</em>) Sophomore. Punter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cameron Black</strong> (<em>Fithian Oakwood</em>) Sophomore. Returner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" id="block-9e8c7d48-4689-47eb-a47a-cc7c45c8af4f">Third Team:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gabe Shumaker</strong> (<em>Mt. Zion</em>) Sophomore. Kicker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>XZavion Montgomery</strong> (<em>Warren Township</em>) Sophomore. Returner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->