Class 3A DL/LB Standouts of Week 4

We continue our pursuit looking at the top performances from Class 3A this week by resuming our 4-4 defensive-lineup of the best defensive linemen and Linebackers that wrecked offenses through the box and kept them in check. As we head into the halfway point of this season, these 8 defenders have proven that they are leaders on their units, and their efforts will not be ignored by their opponents moving forward.    Kade Burzlaff plays on both sides of the trenches, but as Central DeWitt rolled to their first win of the season in week 4 against Clinton, Burzlaff had a big game on the defensive side, finishing with 3 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 2 sacks. Burzlaff is a strong linemen who uses his long reach to gain leverage on his blockers, and did a solid job using that to get into the backfield several times to shut down Clinton's offense on Friday night. Burzlaff will continue to get down-and-dirty on the front lines for the Cougars this season.     Wahlert Catholic has now started the 2024 season 4-0, and while much of the praise on Friday night went to the offense, senior Greg Smith played a key part in slowing down Assumption's offense to keep the Golden Eagles ahead. Smith finished the night with 6 tackles and 4 TFLs. Smith had a great night containing the edge, slowing down the run at critical points, especially during the second half as he helped shutdown the offense as a whole in the second half. Smith should continue to be reliable as a sure run-stuffer in his senior season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1685816' first='Cedar' last='Smith'] has played well at both DE and TE this season for Nevada, but on Friday night against Hampton-Dumont-CAL, Smith had a big night, finishing with 9 tackles (8 solo) and 1 TFL. He helped the defense limited the Bulldogs to just 3.8 yards-per-carry on 38 carries. Smith has a tall, raw upper-frame, with quick speed and great hand placement that helped make him difficult to block as he contributed greatly to the run-support. These tangibles can fit the mold for either position that he plays moving forward, and Smith is a rising prospect to watch in Class 3A.     Friday night was a rough one for Webster City, but junior Eli Estlund enjoyed a solid breakout performance in the loss. Estlund contributed with 3.5 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks in the loss. Estlund has been seeing a lot more playing time on the defense this season playing alongside his brother Luke, and Eli is following in his older brother's footsteps as a solid contributor to the defense as an elusive pass-rusher. Estlund should look for more opportunities for growth as the season goes on.     Solon won in a defensive battle against Mount Vernon in week 4, and [player_tooltip player_id='1241536' first='Kyler' last='Jensen'] played a huge role in shutting down the Mustangs to maintain their undefeated start. Jensen finished with 11.5 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks as the Spartans held off Mount Vernon. Jensen is a bit smaller for an inside-Linebacker, but he makes up with impressive size and quick closing speed, and he used that to force pressure on the QB all night, which in turn, created turnovers for the defense. Jensen could very much earn a big boost in the Iowa LB rankings by the end of the season if he continues to play at the game-wrecking level he's been playing at so far to start this year.     Independence suffered their first loss of the season in week 4 to Decorah, but [player_tooltip player_id='1406617' first='Tate' last='Wood'] remained as potent of a leader as ever in the middle of the defense. Wood racked up a whopping 18.5 tackles (17 solo), 0.5 TFLs, and a fumble recovery in the loss. Wood's bulky frame and strong lower-body suits him well at MLB, and Wood was all over the field on Friday night, slowing down the run and maintaining versatility in pass coverage. The centerpiece of Mustangs' defense already has 49.5 tackles through 4 games this season, and could very much be on his way to a second straight 100+ tackle season to wrap his career in Independence.     [player_tooltip player_id='1188432' first='Mason' last='Claus'] has been generating buzz in Keokuk as a surging LB prospect, and Claus did a great job in helping the defense hold off Fairfield in week 4. Claus finished the game with 14 tackles and 1 TFL. Claus has been the most sure tackler on Keokuk's defense, and watching Claus maneuver into the backfield shows how much he's improve on his tecnhique this season. Claus can burst into the backfield to close down the run behind the line, and he does a great job moving laterally, keeping his stance low and balanced. With 49.5 tackles through 4 games, Claus is tied with [player_tooltip player_id='1406617' first='Tate' last='Wood'] for 2nd in the entire state in total tackles to start the year, and it doesn't seem that there are any signs of slowing down for Claus.     [player_tooltip player_id='1188432' first='Mason' last='Claus'] wasn't the only LB that shined on Friday in Keokuk, senior Julius Clay gave problems all night for Fairfield's passing game. Clay finished the night with 3.5 tackles, 3 TFLs, and 3 sacks in the game. Clay's smaller size has proven to be a benefit at the outside-Linebacker position, and Clay has tremendous speed off the snap that makes him almost impossible to contain. Keokuk will have one of the best LB groups in 2024 with Julius Clay acting as a prominent supporting piece.

We continue our pursuit looking at the top performances from Class 3A this week by resuming our 4-4 defensive-lineup of the best defensive linemen and Linebackers that wrecked offenses through the box and kept them in check. As we head into the halfway point of this season, these 8 defenders have proven that they are leaders on their units, and their efforts will not be ignored by their opponents moving forward.