Back 2 Ballin: Defensive Midwest Standouts

CEDAR FALLS-- I have been saying it for years and will continue to say it, being a defensive standout at a 7v7 tournament of Back 2 Ballin's size is VERY difficult to be. So many times the offensve quickly drives downt the field quickly or what I feel is the most common with covering 7v7 that defense is totally a team effort on every drive. With that being said, our list of standouts is small from the defensive side of the ball from our notepad but what that should show to the group that is here, that they were certainly the best of the best at Back 2 Ballin defensively. Let us drive this bus home and put a wrap on Back 2 Ballin content until next year in Year Five. We will learn about: Players that play above their measurables, Division I linebackers that proved a point, chaos causing DBs from North of the border, and much more as we unpack our defensive standouts from Back 2 Ballin.   Charlie Condon, LB, Top Gun/Huntley, IL 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/CondonCharlie33">Twitter</a>   Top Gun was a 7v7 program that dominated this defensive list, starting with Huntley 2025 linebacker Charlie Condon. Charlie impressed me with his pursuit angles to the ball, as despite not being the biggest linebacker I have ever seen, he showed long field vision that was a finisher at the point of attack. Charlie is an athlete that you can tell plays with a big motor and will give you his all on every rep and I thought that was well-seen a few weeks back at Back 2 Ballin at UNI. He well need a booming senior season to get more next-level attention in my eyes.   [player_tooltip player_id='409774' first='Sullivan' last='Schlimgen'], LB, Sioux Falls Sharks/Sioux Falls O'Gorman, SD 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/SullivanSchlim1">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/IMG_0555-rotated-crop-481x316-1715135448.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1269960" style="width:325px;height:auto" /></figure>   A 2025 South Dakota prospect that certainly made an impact with his live evaluations was Sioux Falls O'Gorman's [player_tooltip player_id='409774' first='Sullivan' last='Schlimgen']. He certainly proved quickly why he is due for a position change to linebacker from athlete. Sullivan just had a presence from even with just the eye-test before he got his reps that showed off why the Missouri Valley has him as a hot commodity right now. His sideline to sideline presence was quickly noted and too showed off excellent instinctive vision that just clung downhill to the quarterback when it was time to blitz or showed good skills in pass coverage. I certainly see more attention coming Sullivan's way this summer.   Kalyan McNeill, DB/LB, Recruit Ready/Vincent Massey, MB 2026   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/IMG_0524-rotated-crop-481x316-1715135652.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1269965" style="width:338px;height:auto" /></figure>   Talk about a hidden gem that came out in the 2026 class out of Canada at Back 2 Ballin, which was Vincent Massey's Kalyan McNeil. The first word that came out of my notepad was "chaos" as that is exactly what Kalyan did anytime he surfaced around the ball at the UNI Dome. It was also the versatility that intrigued me as his ball-tracking skills showed off his skillsets on a plethora of different routes also showing off the agility that comes along with his footwork with his change of direction he possessed. Kalyan is certainly one I will continue to track coming out of Winnipeg.   Brayden Dozier, DB, Potenza Sports/Maple Grove, MN 2026 <a href="https://twitter.com/BraydenDozier">Twitter</a>   One of Potenza's top performers in my eyes defensively from Back 2 Ballin was Maple Grove 2026 cornerback Brayden Dozier. Brayden showed off great physicality in pass coverage and defended his wide receiver like a hawk on a consistent basis which I always like to see in a 7v7 game. No doubt when I watched this young man's footwork that I saw excellent upside brewing in the coming years as Brayden plays with a persistent pace that trends higher than some of the wide receivers he goes up against. Brayden also has great football family pedigree on his side as the son of former Minnesota Gopher and Viking Ukee Dozier. I'll be intrigued to see the Brayden and the Crimson's secondary next year for sure.   [player_tooltip player_id='782753' first='Justin' last='Kabera'], DB, Sioux Falls Sharks/Harrisburg, SD 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/justinkabera1">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/IMG_0533-rotated-crop-481x316-1715135509.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1269962" style="width:317px;height:auto" /></figure>   My Dakotas subscribers know that Justin is our DB1 in South Dakota amongst the 2025 class, but let us open up his report from Back 2 Ballin for the Midwest coaches to learn about and hopefully quickly. Justin's reach (nearly 6'3) showed off to be pesky in the passing lanes at the UNI Dome as I each time I get a live evaluations on Justin, I believe his highly energized physicality amps up even further in a 1v1 setting, as you would expect this kid is from anywhere else besides South Dakota with the chip on his shoulder he plays with. The development of his instincts have taken a turn ahead too since my first eval, as Justin has developed his football IQ even further. This kid's character too, will also drive his future teammates to get better which is something I have seen from him on a constant basis this Spring.   Adam Awan, DB/ATH, Top Gun/Amundsen, IL 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamAwa14966416">Twitter</a>   Adam stood out on both sides of the ball, but the amount of splash plays that I caught put him within our defensive standouts from Back 2 Ballin. The 2025 prospect from Amundsen HS in Chicago, showed off much more length in his lower body than you would expect with his measurables and that is certainly a credit to his athleticism he has within his 5'8 size. With that length, Adam showed off an elusive trigger to the ball that showed off great instincts from my eyes. He constantly showed off that pre-snap vision that knew how to attack the ball before it got to the wide receiver he was going up against. This 2025 out of Illinois is high IQ target you go outside the size threshold for.   [player_tooltip player_id='848948' first='Quinton' last='Hall'], DB, Sioux Falls Sharks/Sioux Falls Washington 2026 <a href="https://twitter.com/Quinton_Hall23">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/05/IMG_8141-crop-481x316-1715135702.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1269966" style="width:293px;height:auto" /></figure>   Where I saw development from Quinton since last Spring's live evaluation was growing on his attention to detail. This especially showed out when Quinton was in press-man during Back 2 Ballin as you can tell he has gotten faster with his instincts and certainly could wreak some havoc at the UNI Dome with his all-out physicality. Headed over to Sioux Falls Washington, the Warriors will not only add a solid cornerback, but will add one that has a great presence as a return-man on kickoffs that took it the distance a few times last season, as it looks clear the game is slowing down for Quinton as he looks like a Saturday prospect to me.   Sutton Koller, DB/ATH, Rip City/Iowa City Liberty, IA 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/koller_sutton">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/09/137A0735-crop-1639x1076-1715135785.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1269967" style="width:309px;height:auto" /></figure>   Sutton showed off a defensive prospect that popped out to me with probable position flexibility at the next-level. You can tell Sutton has an outstanding football IQ as he made a ton of splash plays for Rip City during my viewing and just had a smooth transition on where to be with the perfect timing around the ball as Rip City's safety. From what I have heard about this young man, Sutton shows off a constant team-first demeanor and will do anything his team asks him to do on the field. Sutton is one of several targets from this list you will see on Saturday's as one with the great character to power a locker room.

CEDAR FALLS-- I have been saying it for years and will continue to say it, being a defensive standout at a 7v7 tournament of Back 2 Ballin's size is VERY difficult to be. So many times the offensve quickly drives downt the field quickly or what I feel is the most common with covering 7v7 that defense is totally a team effort on every drive. With that being said, our list of standouts is small from the defensive side of the ball from our notepad but what that should show to the group that is here, that they were certainly the best of the best at Back 2 Ballin defensively. Let us drive this bus home and put a wrap on Back 2 Ballin content until next year in Year Five. We will learn about: Players that play above their measurables, Division I linebackers that proved a point, chaos causing DBs from North of the border, and much more as we unpack our defensive standouts from Back 2 Ballin.