You Are Athlete AZ Regional Exposure Camp: Defensive MVPs

<p>As camp and showcase season gets underway, we had an exciting opportunity in the Valley last weekend for some of Arizona's and other states' top prospects to highlight their skills. The You Are Athlete Regional Exposure Camp allows these athletes to compete against some of the best, and the true standouts would receive invites to their All-American Showcase in Houston. There was lots of great competition and some amazing plays throughout the day, but we had some athletes rise to the top among their peers. We want to highlight the Defensive MVPs from the camp last Saturday as well as some other defensive standout performers.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">MVPs:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">2027 Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='884795' first='Tiki' last='Teeples'] was the most dominant defensive lineman at the whole showcase. As just a sophomore with an impressive broad frame of 6'4 235lbs, it's easy to tell he will soon be one of Arizona's top pass rushers. It is clear he favors bull rushes and power when getting after the QB, however Teeples was able to show his ability to win with speed as well. He displays versatility to be able to rush from the interior or out on the edge. He has impressive bend for his size to dip and work his way around blockers. His ability to use his hands will be a problem for linemen as he is quick at dismissing blockers' hands and fighting around them to finish on the quarterback. Teeples is a player who is a must watch for next season as he shows the state that he is one of the best.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TikiTeeples/status/1885925256814363021 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2027 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1394930' first='Nico' last='Mavromat'] came to work at the showcase last weekend. Coming from Colorado to AZ for this camp, Mavromat highlighted what he can bring to the table at the linebacker position. The first thing you notice is his agility, able to change direction smoothly and efficiently. His ability to cover in space is impressive, as he moves well with twitchiness at the position to cover tons of ground in his zone. He can match up nicely against running backs and even slot receivers in man. Mavromat shined this past weekend, and will definitely be getting more looks in Houston for the All-American Showcase.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtube.com/shorts/mOqDcDZ-kac?feature=share </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='954372' first='Jordan' last='Williams'] was turning heads all day at the showcase. Having his senior season cut short due to a significant injury he sustained, Williams showed why he is still one of the best defensive backs in the state. He is physical at the line of scrimmage with sound technique, able to reroute receivers with ease. He does an outstanding job trailing from the hip pocket of the receiver when in man. His ball skills and ability to break up passes are tremendous, utilizing his lengthy frame and long arms to highpoint the ball. Williams is a remarkable defensive back and will be on a mission to prove he is one of the best in Houston.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtube.com/shorts/ahETzFbumpQ?feature=share </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Standouts:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Lineman Mannix Butler was another fantastic performer from the showcase. At a magnificent frame of 6'5 240lbs, his size and stature make him an opposing opponent for linemen to block. Pair that with his ability to utilize speed and power in his rushes, and he will be a handful to block on the edge. He has a nice array of moves, such as his push-pull move, that allows him to control offensive linemen and discard them at the last minute. He also has a spin and stutter-step move to help stop linemen's feet to allow him to get the edge. Butler was one of the top defensive performers last weekend and someone you should be on the lookout for when the season comes around.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MannixB2008/status/1886080349010362853 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1577725' first='Joshua' last='Chappell'] had himself a day at the showcase. At a solid 6'2 230lbs, he showed off tons of versatility in his speed rush. His best trait is his burst, as he can fire past defenders immediately with insane explosiveness and speed. His bend around the edge is great, showing good flexibility and balance when working around tackles. He favors a chop move when rushing outside to bat the offensive lineman hands down and turn the corner. He also has a nice counter move to the inside with a hesitation move if the lineman is overplaying him to the edge. Look out for Chappell on the outside next season to really take off as one of the state's best speed rushers.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Jeesh123/status/1886057913598476358 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">A defensive talent that surprised a lot of people at the showcase was 2027 Defensive Back Julian King. For his stature as only a sophomore, he has tons of athletic traits that allow him to succeed at the position. He doesn't back down from anybody, especially taller receivers, as he can take on contact and match their physicality. He is an explosive and fluid athlete who trails nicely on his assigned receiver with great speed and agility. His ball skills are astonishing, able to perfectly time up pass break up or snag the ball at the highest point for interceptions. Mountain Pointe has a knack for producing elite secondary defenders, and King may be well on his way to being the next best thing.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/abIhbJ-VYCk </div></figure>

As camp and showcase season gets underway, we had an exciting opportunity in the Valley last weekend for some of Arizona's and other states' top prospects to highlight their skills. The You Are Athlete Regional Exposure Camp allows these athletes to compete against some of the best, and the true standouts would receive invites to their All-American Showcase in Houston. There was lots of great competition and some amazing plays throughout the day, but we had some athletes rise to the top among their peers. We want to highlight the Defensive MVPs from the camp last Saturday as well as some other defensive standout performers.