Freshmen Defenders Making an Immediate Impact

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing on varsity as a freshman is no easy task in today's high school football world. The players listed in this piece are 2028 prospects who have made their presence felt early in their varsity careers. They're still growing and maturing physically, but they've already been standouts during the 2024 season and are only going to get better. Keep an eye on them as they continue to develop over the next three seasons. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always, If you have someone you think I need to see, please DM them to me on Twitter at @hsfbscout!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>DT: [player_tooltip player_id='1166785' first='Kristopher' last='Williams'], 5'10" 285, Walnut Grove</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams has a quick first step, he's got violent hands that stay tight to his frame and he can bend at the point of attack. He's got a strong long-arm technique that he'll mix in with his bull rush, he can penetrate and cause disruption behind the line of scrimmage, and has a powerful upper half to shed blocks in the run game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>DT: [player_tooltip player_id='1577379' first='Tre' last='Jacquet'], 6" 285, King</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tre is highly productive on called twists and stunts, he's got a sturdy anchor to sit back in against overly aggressive run blockers and has some pop in his punch out of his stance. He's tough, can get skinny through opposing down blocks, and can generate a ton of power rolling hips and punching on a rise. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>DB: [player_tooltip player_id='1577384' first='Nolan' last='Hawkins'], 6" 185, [player_tooltip player_id='1420652' first='Byron' last='Nelson']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hawkins has good ball skills, he anticipates route concepts and breaks on the football, and can provide value as a nickel working out of the slot. He's confident, he can come down from the third level &amp; tackle in space, and has the speed to track down ball carriers from behind. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>DB: Aspen Willims, 6'3" 160, Cleveland</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams has rare vertical stature for the position, he's a consistent tackler when running the alley and can stall a back right in his tracks. He takes quality angles to the tackle, shows natural ball skills, and plays extremely aggressive. This young man has a very high ceiling and his best football is still ahead of him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>DB: [player_tooltip player_id='1085734' first='Cordey' last='Sherman'], 6" 160, Dekaney</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A ballhawk with instincts, tight footwork, excellent read &amp; react skills, and the quickness to shed blocks at the point of attack. He's not afraid to stick his nose in there in the run game, he's got plenty of recovery speed and does a good job speeding his feet after initial contact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->