Prep Redzone Next Combine – Top Defensive Players
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Linebackers 23 – Skylar Alston Skylar Alston 6'2" | 195 lbs | LB NC – Cardinal Gibbons – I think Skylar was the most defensive-ready player for high school football at this showcase. Skylar was dominant in his 1 on…
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23 –
Skylar Alston
Skylar
Alston
6'2" | 195 lbs | LB
NC
– Cardinal Gibbons – I think Skylar was the most defensive-ready player for high school football at this showcase. Skylar was dominant in his 1 on 1 plays versus running backs and has prepared his body for high school football. At 6’2 and 195 pounds, Skylar is already receiving attention from college football programs, and I am sure that as long as he continues to progress at his advanced level, he will see early offers in his career to play college football. I loved his lateral movement, speed in the open field, and his overall attitude and demeanor throughout the showcase.
24 –
Brayden Hunt
Brayden
Hunt
6'1" | 195 lbs | LB
Union Academy | 2028
NC
– Metrolina Christian – At 6’1 and 195 pounds, I thought Brayden did an excellent job throughout the entire showcase. In individual drills, Brayden did a good job showing good overall agility and speed through change of direction drills. During the combine portion, Brayden looked fluid at all four stations, standing out in the shuttle run in my opinion. Brayden also did a good job in the cat/mouse drills and pass game 1-on-1s against running backs. Moving on to Metrolina Christian, Brayden has a bright future ahead of him.
9 – Jacob Trespalacios – Leesville Road – Jacob was aggressive and had the right mentality and focus to compete at a high level throughout the showcase. He showed good speed throughout all drills and is a fluid athlete in space. I don’t believe Jacob will have any trouble making the transition to compete at the high school football level.
Defensive Linemen
19 –
Cameron Zoa
Cameron
Zoa
6'0" | 170 lbs | ATH
NC
– Rolesville – I thought Cameron was a good-looking prospect, with a potential future at defensive end at the high school level. At 6’0 and 165 pounds, Cameron showed the traits that coaches look for in a potential edge defender – good speed in the open field, good hand usage when working against offensive linemen, and overall good agility and the ability to cover players in short spaces when necessary.
41 –
Jordan Thompson
Jordan
Thompson
DL
NC
– Riverbend – Jordan was also selected as a top-performing Offensive Lineman at this showcase. Jordan displayed excellent overall strength, and he has performed well at similar showcases this offseason. As Jordan continues to grow, I am excited to see what his ceiling becomes defensively – I think he can be a disruptive interior player at the next level just as his floor. With his work ethic, the sky is the limit for how good he can truly become.
4 –
Wyatt Gore
Wyatt
Gore
5'11" | 195 lbs | TE
NC
– Sanderson – Wyatt was a strong and physical presence all throughout the camp. I thought Wyatt got off the snap well during drills and showed some good hand usage working through drills at all portions of the showcase.
Defensive Backs
20 –
Tarence Thames
Tarence
Thames
6'0" | 140 lbs | ATH
Wake Forest Middle | 2028
NC
– Wake Forest – Tarence was one of the first athletes I noticed in the showcase. I thought he was very fluid throughout the combine drills, and it translated into his individual drills as well. Tarence exploded out of his breaks and took instruction well from his position coaches. I thought Tarence had the right attitude, and his physical frame is one high school coaches will love as a potential rangy defensive back that can impact the passing game.
12 –
Zion Malloy
Zion
Malloy
5'10" | 140 lbs | DB
NC
– Kiser – Zion was athletic and fluid throughout individual drills, and took coaching well and consistently throughout the showcase. I thought Zion showed some good ball skills during the 1 on 1 portion of the camp, and showed some ability to high-point the football in coverage. In researching Zion, it appears he does have a bit of a ballhawk talent at both the corner and safety positions. At 5’10, he is already at a good height to where he can get on the field and make a difference at the high school level. More training in a high school training program will allow Zion to grow and maximize his potential as a defensive game-changer.
46 – Domonic Williams Jr Domonic Williams Jr 5'10" | 155 lbs | DB NC – I thought Dominic was very fluid as a prospect overall. He was also selected as a Top Wide Receiver for this showcase. Domonic did well during defensive back individual drills. He took coaching very well and executed at a high level through each drill. His footwork is at a high level – it looks like he has had some good coaching or outside training to help prepare him for the high school level. I am excited to see his continued growth through the coming years.