Southwest Missouri's Up-and-Coming Defensive Watch List

Missouri is home to some of the best athletes in the entire nation. In this article let's focus on the defensive side of the ball, these six young athletes really turned heads in the 2024 football season. When the lights shined bright so did these future football stars, they struck fear into ball carriers all year long. Everyone loves some hard-hitting high school football so let's enjoy watching these six men while we have the chance before they head off to play college football.    Mr. Govan is one of the most electrifying defenders in the nation, posting 54 tackles, 2TFL, 13 passes defended, and 3FF   Every once in a while, you watch a football player that just gets it. Thats [player_tooltip player_id='1324009' first='Keiran' last='Govan'] in a nutshell, you just get the feeling when you watch his games that he is seeing everything a lot faster than everyone else. Govan plays both safety and corner for the Republic Tigers and exceeds at both positions. He's a long rangy type of defender and when he makes contact with the ball carrier that's usually where they stop their momentum. He showcases a silky-smooth backpedal, and his change of direction is a joy to watch.   Govan is going into only his junior year, so we have the pleasure of watching him play on Fridays for two more years.        Fast, Intelligent, Violent are all words that perfectly describe defensive back Jariah Clark.   Standing at a 6'1 175 pounds Clark is an imposing presence wherever he lines up. He is a vicious hitter to say the least, he loves to lower his shoulder and deliver a "pop" to receivers over the middle. But that's not all of Clark's game, he is phenomenal in both man and zone coverage he shows no wasted movements every step has a purpose. He can play the slot, deep safety, and boundary corner, while also being a very effective blitzer.   Expect Clark to pick up right where he left off in 2025.        Ethan Keller is only a sophomore but plays like a seasoned veteran.   The best quality a linebacker can have is play-recognition. Ethan Keller has the inept ability to diagnose plays at lightning quick speed, it's really impressive especially only being a sophomore football player. Once he decides where he wants to go, he gets to his spot extremely fast. He's also a fundamentally sound tackler, just like you were taught when you were 7 years old. He moves sideline to sideline extremely well, he also has a motor that always runs hot all game long. He gives maximum effort play after play and that's something that honestly can't be taught but every football player should try to mimic regardless of what position you play.   I'm very excited to see how Keller progresses the next two years.          Easton is a very interesting 2026 prospect, everyone should take notice.   When someone asks Smith what position he plays, he should simply say football. That's how versatile [player_tooltip player_id='1284528' first='Easton' last='Smith'] is, whether it's with his hand in the dirt as a defensive lineman or taking snaps under center, he will always produce big splash plays. For this write-up, let's focus on his defensive play. Smith possesses a quality that every defensive lineman would love to be naturally gifted with, and that's brute strength. He fires out of his three-point stance with bad intentions while also using great hand technique. He showcases a pretty effective dip and rip technique while also not being a stiff-moving player; He's able to turn, flip his hips, and bend that corner to perfection.   It's a strong possibility that Easton is going to put up some gaudy numbers in 2025.      Jack Mrozowicz is a natural "Ball Hawk"   Mrozowicz is a true center field through and through. He is a highly intelligent football player with a real mean streak as well. If the balls in the air, most likely, he will be in the area. You love it when your free safety plays with that "my ball" mentality. But don't be mistaken in the run game this kid can really lay the wood. You can tell he loves the contact; he lives for opposing his will on ball carriers. You don't see him miss very many tackles.   Jack Mrozowicz is just scratching the surface of his potential.      Everyone loves an underrated prospect, and Matt Bushong is exactly that.   Watching this kid play, you just have to admire the effort he plays with. Bushong usually plays at the "wide 9" defensive end but also played a little bit of MLB. But it doesn't matter where he lines up he's going to give you everything he has play in and play out. It's a coach's dream to have a player that plays like his head is on fire. If Bushong is lined up on the right side of the line, I've seen him plenty of times make the tackle on the opposite side of the field. He's a force in the run game; Offensive linemen really struggle with his length. He understands how to gain separation by using his arms, dropping his hips, and setting the edge.

Missouri is home to some of the best athletes in the entire nation. In this article let's focus on the defensive side of the ball, these six young athletes really turned heads in the 2024 football season. When the lights shined bright so did these future football stars, they struck fear into ball carriers all year long. Everyone loves some hard-hitting high school football so let's enjoy watching these six men while we have the chance before they head off to play college football.