Prep Redzone Carolinas Showcase Preview: NC Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The time is finally here. Our Prep Redzone Carolinas Showcase is Sunday and we're excited to see the talent that rolls through. If you're interested in competing, we're no longer accepting advanced registration, but will have walk-up slots available.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The premise here is simple. We're expecting plenty of talent on Sunday, and we want to highlight some of the guys we're intrigued to see. While there are prospects from multiple states, I'm focused on the North Carolina prospects in this particular piece.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prep Redzone Carolinas Showcase Preview: Intriguing Defensive Players</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our showcases allow us to see players live that we've only seen on film. They also give us a chance to watch players side-by-side. If a player we don't know well holds his own or even outperforms another player we have highly ranked, it's an easy decision to move the first guy up the rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are other guys we like on film but who don't have verified times. If I want a player on film and he tests close to the thresholds college coaches look for, it's easy to move them. Here are some defensive players from North Carolina I'm excited to watch on Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">North Carolina Defensive Players to Watch</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm excited for the group of defenders coming to the showcase on Sunday, small though it may be. There are several guys I've seen extensively on film but I've never gotten to see live and other I don't know much about.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I really like 2026 Eastern Wayne <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='532016' first='Izeiah' last='Oates'],</strong> and I'm excited to watch him compete as a linebacker, as I'm more familiar with seeing his athleticism on display as a quarterback. He was productive defensively this season, and though I haven't seen much of his film on that side of the ball, I'd expect the athleticism to translate, especially in a combine setting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fellow linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='451403' first='Cody' last='Hernandez']</strong> plays at 1A Starmount, so Sunday is an opportunity to see him against some guys from bigger schools. He's already productive as a sophomore and he has good size. I'm excited to see his timing numbers on Sunday. If those check out, he's an under-the-radar, small-school prospect to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of small-school prospects, 2026 linebacker/safety hybrid <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='854270' first='Jonathan' last='Manson']</strong> can fly around on film. He's a great ballplayer, and I want to see what he can do in some drills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Several younger guys don't have much film but have impressive measurables. Metrolina Christian 2028 linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1046790' first='Brayden' last='Hunt'] </strong>mainly played on the edge on JV this year, but at 6'1", 205, could have ideal linebacker size.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Garner defensive back <strong>Joseph Bailey</strong> has excellent size as well. The 2027 prospect is listed at 6'2", 185 pounds, and from the brief window I saw him in preseason practice, he moves well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I don't know much about 2026 defensive lineman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='887672' first='Luke' last='Brown']</strong> but he plays for a solid program and is a two-way player. We've listed him as a tight end, but he was more productively this season and I'd like to get a solid evaluation on him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are a couple of exciting defensive backs I'd like to highlight to close out. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1106551' first='Zion' last='Ikeme'] </strong>has been on our radar since last year, but we haven't heard much since he transferred to Christ School. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1153738' first='Micah' last='Bright'] </strong>is among the highest-ranked players in the rankings, attending on Sunday. His technique and athleticism are impressive, and he looks like he's gained some good weight since the last time we saw him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1024870' first='Brady' last='Ravin'] </strong>from Cannon School pops on film, and I'm excited to see him in person. He has excellent ball skills and knows how to put himself in a position to make plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Note: While advanced registration is closed, we have availability for walk-ups. If you want to compete, show up with payment ready. We have a ton of quarterbacks, so we're especially looking for a few more receivers and defensive backs.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->