2025 Charlotte Metro Area Defenders On The Rise
DB Jeremy Nixon – Butler Jeremy stands at 6’1 and 180 pounds and primarily played safety last year in the Butler defense. Looking at the film, Jeremy does a great job with pattern reading and playing zone responsibilities well in…
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Continue ReadingDB Jeremy Nixon – Butler
Jeremy stands at 6’1 and 180 pounds and primarily played safety last year in the Butler defense. Looking at the film, Jeremy does a great job with pattern reading and playing zone responsibilities well in the back half of the defense in the passing game. I was also impressed with Jeremy’s ability to fill the alley in run support and make solo tackles in the run game. Finally – Jeremy has some very good speed and agility – he can cover slot receivers down the field in man coverage and good ball skills to play the football at its highest point in a 1 on 1 situation. Jeremy currently has some college interest and should continue to see that increase with good performances during the upcoming camp season.
DL Jordan Shaw – Mallard Creek
The first thing I have to say about Jordan is that he’s simply an incredibly strong young man – his videos of working out in the weight room are impressive. Two reps of squatting 535 pounds and a deadlift max of 700 pounds are something you don’t see from high school athletes every day. At 6’2 and 265 pounds, Jordan plays both offensive and defensive lines, but we are evaluating him as an interior defensive lineman in this breakdown. With a 3.2 GPA, Jordan should not have any issues qualifying at the next level. Taking a look at the film, Jordan has a good get-off at the line of scrimmage as a defensive tackle. Jordan uses his impressive strength to bullrush interior offensive linemen, and then shed blocks to get pressure on the quarterback or make tackles for losses in the backfield against running backs. Good interior defensive linemen who should see more recruiting interest over the camp season.
ATH Solomon Ford – Olympic
An all-conference selection last season, I saw Solomon have a good game last season in person. Some of Solomon’s strengths are being disciplined in zone coverage on the back end of the defense, playing wide receiver by making big plays down the field, and having some excellent ball skills when passes come his way at his safety position. Solomon was an A/B honor roll student which is always an impressive feat. Solomon is also a track athlete, a great asset for any football player. Some additional insight from the 6’0 160 pound prospect is some impressive speed with the ball in his hands from a receiver perspective. Strong hands at the point of attack in going to get the football as a receiver, as well as the willingness to block to support in the run game. I’m excited to see Solomon in some camps during the upcoming camp season.
DB Sawyer Ducey – Porter Ridge
Named second-team defense in his county last season, Sawyer put up 65 total tackles, 40 solo tackles, and 4 interceptions from his safety position this past season. Standing at 5’10 and 190 pounds, Sawyer is a physical player who can set the tone for Porter Ridge in the secondary. Sawyer shows on his highlight film that he is not afraid to come down in run support and make tackles to support the front 7 of the defense. I also like that he is physical at the catch point against receivers – Sawyer shows a nice pass breakup on film that ends up being a fumble that he recovers deep in his opponent’s territory as an example. Sawyer has some recruiting interest, and as camp season approaches, I think more colleges will become interested once they see him up close.
DB Noah Collins – Chambers
I will say that Noah has become one of my favorite players to look at and evaluate. The main reason I say this is because Noah wants to be successful as badly as anyone I’ve covered over the last couple of years. At 5’9 and 165 pounds, Noah projects to be a slot corner at the next level. With a 3.5 GPA listed on his profile, Noah should not have any academic restrictions from interested colleges. Noah currently has some local colleges showing interest, and I would figure that will continue throughout the camp season. The reason for their interest is based on what Noah has put on film so far to match his work ethic. Looking at the film, the first three clips show Noah’s ability to come up and make physical solo tackles from the defensive back in the open field against wide receivers. Noah can also play the ball well at the catch point against bigger wide receivers in man coverage, forcing pass breakups. Finally, Noah is not afraid to come up in run support from the corner position and make tackles in the running game.
DL Cam Gibson – West Mecklenburg
A 6’4 275 pound prospect, Cam was named an All-Conference performer for the work he did on the field last season. With 39 total tackles last year and 4 quarterback hurries, Cam showed to be a force on the interior of the defensive line for the Hawks. His physical frame will generate interest from college coaches, and participating in the upcoming spring camp season should help put him on a lot of local college radars. In his highlight film, Cam shows some strong point of attack strength to clog holes and make tackles against running backs in the interior of the line. Cam also shows some good short-space speed to generate those aforementioned quarterback hurries from his defensive tackle spot.
LB Jasha Brown – Palisades
A 6’2 200-pound prospect, Jasha was an All-Conference selection last season, and I think he has some potential to be a really good player in his upcoming senior season. Last season he had 107 total tackles, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 blocked field goals – some impressive production from a team that had a tough overall season. When you take a look at the film, his first clip is a one-handed interception returned for a touchdown, which definitely gets your attention. Jasha does a good job of diagnosing interior run plays, shutting open windows, and making strong tackles against running backs on a routine basis. Finally, Jasha does show some good speed to run down plays going away from him and make tackles in the open field. Camp season should be good for Jasha if he continues to replicate what he puts on film in front of college coaches.