Week 10's Defensive Titans: Who’s Shutting Down Offenses

The last week of the high school regular season. It went by with a blink of an eye. We are now headed to the playoffs, where a good majority on this list is headed. I'm very impressed with each and every member I put on this list. I urge any college scout or recruit to look at these players!!!     As a reminder, we have the Stock Up Showcase coming up in December. I will be in attendance, and I'm very excited to see of these prospects live! To get $10 off, use my code TATEPRZ2024 at check out! Hope to see some of you there!    Ibarra was a force in the middle for Pine Creek. The 6'0 200-pound junior had 8 total tackles, 4 TFL, 1 Pick 6, 1 QB hurry. Ibarra has very good athletic ability due to very good speed and acceleration. His good mental processing was on display. He'd consistently watch the QB's eyes, which led him to getting an interception, and returning it to the house. Ibarra is a good run stopper. He manages to run with a head full of steam, while staying patient, not missing tackles. Good tackler, he wraps up and pulls the ball carrier down. I was impressed with Ibarra's performance, and I'm excited to see how he continues in the playoffs.     Daniels is a beast, and one of the driving forces behind Mountain Vista's undefeated season. The 5'11 190-pound senior had 16 total tackles (10 solo, 6 assisted), 3.5 TFL, and 1 QB hurry. Daniels uses his very good athletic ability to be all around the field. He has elite acceleration, very good speed, and change of direction. Daniels is able to rush the QB, or go into coverage. He is a very versatile player. Daniels' very good mental processing was on display throughout. He consistently watches the QB's eyes or where the ball is. He sniffs it out. He'll identify which gap to rush leading to a TFL. Gets lower than the offensive line, makes himself smaller than he is. Very good run stopper and tackler. Eats up the ball carrier, and uses his good hit power to stop them in their tracks. Daniels will be a contributor at the next level, and any college would be lucky to have him.     Kundred had himself a nice game against the defending champs. The 6'0 205-pound senior had 15 total tackles (6 solo, 9 assisted), and 1 TFL. Kundred has very good athletic ability due to very good speed, acceleration, and good change of direction. Kundred was consistently all over the field, stopping the bruising running attack from Columbine. He's a good tackler. He gets low, wraps up the ball carrier, and uses his very good strength to pull them down. Logan was a bright spot for Chatfield even when they lost. He has good competitive toughness, and plays through the whistle. Even if a teammate didn't need help with tackling, Kundred was still there to make sure it got done. Great performance from the linebacker!!     Niedringhaus showed why he's one of the top interior defensive linemen in the state. The 6'3 220-pound defensive end demolished Regis Jesuit. Wracking up 11 total tackles, 4 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 QB hurry, 2 FF, 1 FR. Niedringhaus has very good strength. He throws the offensive line around with ease. He even threw one on the ground with one hand! When he was double blocked, it didn't matter, he still made the plays. He starts with a low pad level, initiating contact first. He has very good hand placement and hand strength needed to control and steer the OL away. Niedringhaus has a very good bull rush. Knocks the OL on their feet. When he was lined up on the edge, he has a very good bend around the edge. John was consistently in the backfield wreaking havoc on the quarterback. With stripped sacks, and hurries, Niedringhaus showed how valuable he is on the defensive line. Colleges NEED to look at this kid. He is a gamebreaker, and has been doing it all year. I can easily see him starting in D1.     Williams had another productive evening to add to his belt. The 5'10 165-pound safety had 11 total tackles (6 solo, 5 assisted) and 1 TFL. He is also T-2nd with 8 interceptions in Colorado. Williams uses his good athletic ability to prowl the field. He has good speed and good acceleration. Lincoln starts off as one of the high safeties, and depending on the play will come down into the box to help support. He's a hard hitter, laying the boom on the ball carrier. He has good instincts, and good mental processing. Identifies a play, and puts himself in position to succeed. Williams uses his lengthy arms to knock passes down, or uses his very good ball tracking skills to get interceptions. Any college would be fortunate to have Williams' ball-hawking ability.     Flores had himself a night against the stout Cherry Creek team. The 6'2 190-pound edge rusher had 4 tackles, 2 TFL, and 2 sacks. The Cherry Creek offensive line is no joke, and for Flores to put up these types of number is very impressive. Flores has good athletic ability due to good speed, acceleration, and change of direction. He's got a good bend around the edge. Flores has good quickness out of his stance, going into a low pad level. Initiates contact first, uses his good hand placement to control and steer the lineman. Very good hand strength. Very good bull rush. His competitive toughness really stands out to me. He keeps fighting through blocks, to get the TFL. It's an impressive performance by an ascending player. Excited to see how he does in the playoffs.

The last week of the high school regular season. It went by with a blink of an eye. We are now headed to the playoffs, where a good majority on this list is headed. I'm very impressed with each and every member I put on this list. I urge any college scout or recruit to look at these players!!!