Around the Metro: Captains of the Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another day down of August means another day closer to kickoff in September. Since we still have time between now and then, the preseason coverage of the Kansas City metro and surrounding areas rolls on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Part V of <em>‘Around the Metro'</em> we discussed the captains of the offense. Now up next in the series are the captains of the defense. From a historical standpoint, the KC area hasn't truly been a hotbed for talent at linebacker. Typically the high-profile backers in the past have come from southern and western Kansas. However, that trend is slowly changing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of ‘25 for instance has four of the top linebackers in the state hailing from the KC metro and surrounding counties. There are quite a few more seniors from this area that could bring more interest to the position as well. Here's a look at four that are sure to catch the eye's of recruiters this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='442662' first='Adam' last='Hageman'] - Shawnee Mission NW, 5'10”, 180</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best way to describe this first prospect is gritty. That's a reflection of [player_tooltip player_id='442662' first='Adam' last='Hageman']'s wrestling background, as well as his chip on the shoulder mentality. He may be undersized for an inside backer, but he's proven over the past two seasons that he isn't backing down to anyone. Hageman heads into the 2024 season as an accomplished two-year starter; earning <em>All-League</em> honors in back-to-back seasons. The Shawnee Mission Northwest Cougars have a few other defensive standouts, but Hageman is arguably the heart and soul of their defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1115475' first='Julius' last='Casares'] - Shawnee Mission North, 6'2”, 205</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another linebacker from the Shawnee Mission School District to keep an eye on is [player_tooltip player_id='1115475' first='Julius' last='Casares']. The Shawnee Mission North product was added to the Class of ‘25 Rankings in the July update, and for good reason too. He was a tackling machine for the Bison last year, as he led North in total tackles by a wide margin. This would earn the 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker a <em>3rd Team All-League</em> selection. Casares heads into his senior year as the Bisons' top defender, and has the potential to be one of the best linebackers in the <em>Sunflower League</em>. If coaches at the next level are looking for a physical inside backer, Casares is your guy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1373022' first='Miles' last='Greenly']</strong> - Atchison, 6'0”, 210, <strong>Unranked</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're bringing more attention to the <em>Meadowlark Conference</em> with this next prospect. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1373022' first='Miles' last='Greenly']</strong> was a breakout defender for the Atchison Phoenix in 2023, and is a player that'll be on our watch list moving forward. He emerged as one of the top linebackers in the <em>Meadowlark Conference</em>, as he claimed a <em>1st Team All-Conference</em> selection. Greenly stuffed the stat sheet; recording 104 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss and two sacks. He's a heavy-hitting inside backer built to stop the run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1373026' first='Garret' last='Clark']</strong> - Mill Valley, 6'0”, 205, <strong>Unranked</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Concluding Part VI of <em>‘Around the Metro'</em> is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1373026' first='Garret' last='Clark']</strong> of Mill Valley. Clark quietly put together an impressive junior campaign in 2023 and comes into the 2024 season as a key defender for the reigning 5A state champions. Clark finished his junior year as the fourth leading tackler for the Jags, as he racked up 70 total on the season. His outstanding play not only helped Mill Valley secure another title, but it also earned him an <em>All-State Honorable Mention</em> nod. Look out for Clark and Greenly in the next Class of ‘25 rankings update.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->