Colorado 3A 2026 Defensive Ballers

Continuing my series of the ballers from this past season. Today, I will be diving into the defenders of the 2026 class in 3A. There is a lot of rising talent hidden within this division. It's time to give them their spotlight. Without further ado, let's dive into the analysis!    Pueblo South has a plethora of talent, and this kid is no different. The 6'0 195-pound LB/RB had 114 total tackles (92 solo ~ 1st, 22 assisted), 11 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT, 1 FF, 140 carries for 972 yards and 11 touchdowns with 9 receptions for 143 yards. Hurley has very good athletic ability due to very good speed, acceleration, change of direction, and balance. Very good mental processing by choosing the correct gap to rush leading to a TFL. He lives in the backfield. He is slippery through the tackles, making himself smaller than he is, both at LB and RB. Hurley is a fantastic blitzer and uses his speed to get in the backfield before the offense can react. Very good strength, and tackling. Hurley throws down defenders with ease, and runs through blocks. He also is patient. Doesn't miss tackles due to not being overzealous. Very good run stopper. He is also a game breaking running back that uses his home run speed and physicality to run through defenses. Hurley is a two-way beast, and colleges would be doing themselves a disservice by not looking his way.     Waters was a standout contributor for Greeley Central's defense. The 5'8 150-pound linebacker was 2nd in total tackles in 3A. He had 122 total tackles (34 solo, 88 assisted), 6 TFL, and 1 sack. Dennis has good athletic ability due to good acceleration, speed, lateral agility, and change of direction. He has very good competitive toughness. He plays with a high motor, and consistently helps his teammates finish tackles. He has good mental processing by identifying the gaps and rushing them. He will also watch the QB's eyes, leading him to the ball carrier. Good tackling, he wraps them up and pulls down. Waters uses his good strength to push through OL, creating pressure on the QB. I'm excited to see how Waters does next season and how he continues to develop as a linebacker.     Led all 3A junior DBs in interceptions. Measuring in at 5'10 160-pounds, the DB had 37 total tackles (21 solo, 16 assisted), 1 TFL, 6 INT (4 in one game), 1 pass deflection, 2 pick sixes. Stephens is a free-ranging safety who can play in the slot and the box. He has very good athletic ability to due very good speed, jumping, good acceleration, and change of direction. Stephens has very good mental processing. He'll consistently watch the QB's eyes putting himself in position to make a big play. He'll read the play, intercept the ball and return it to the house. Very good ball tracking skills, and good catching. One play he tracked a tipped ball, and turned it into a pick 6. Stephens is very good in zone and good in man. He has very fluid hips needed to match the WR. In man coverage, he has a good back pedal and sticks the WR like glue. Stephens is also a good tackler. Lays big hits on ball carriers that run into this zone. Very excited to see how Stephens does next season!     2nd in total sacks for all 3A. 1st in sacks for 3A juniors. The 6'4 220-pound defense end had 64 total tackles (27 solo, 37 assisted), 12.5 TFL, 7 sacks, 17 QB hurries, 2 PD, 2 FR, and 1 blocked field goal. Wade is a beast at the line of scrimmage. He has very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, lateral agility, good speed and change of direction. I don't say this often, but he has elite strength. Wade runs through whoever is in front of him. Even double blocks don't stop this kid. Elite initial quickness out of his stance. It's almost instant, allowing Wade to initiate contact first. He has that rare quick twitch needed to excel at the next level. Very good bend around the edge. Very good hand strength and hand placement, needed to move the OL away. Very good bull rush. Wade consistently knocks tackles off their anchor. He has a high motor and plays through the whistle, whether it's helping his teammates or finishing a block, Wade is giving it his all. He will also use his lengthy arms to create pass deflections at the line of scrimmage. He is a phenomenal player, and I place him as one of the top defensive ends in all of Colorado.     Gonsalves had a great junior year. The 5'9 165-pounds linebacker was a crucial part in getting Mead to the 3A championship game. He had 103 total tackles (55 solo, 48 assisted), 5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 INT, and 1 pass deflection. He has very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, speed, good jumping, and change of direction. He uses this to consistently patrol the field and has very good lateral agility. Gonsalves is very trusty tackler. He uses good tackling form to stop them in their tracks. Very good mental processing by identifying gaps and rushing the correct ones. Also watches the QB's eyes to put himself in position to make a play. I had the pleasure of watching him live at the 3A championship game, and he didn't disappoint. He's an amazing run stuffer, making it tough for running backs to get in a groove. Gonsalves also has the athletic ability to cover tight ends out in space. Good zone coverage skills. I'm very excited to see how Gonsalves continues off his stellar junior season, and colleges need to keep an eye out for this nasty defender.

Continuing my series of the ballers from this past season. Today, I will be diving into the defenders of the 2026 class in 3A. There is a lot of rising talent hidden within this division. It's time to give them their spotlight. Without further ado, let's dive into the analysis!