Northern California: Under-Recruited '26 Defenders

Purcell is one of the more under-rated linebackers across northern California. He is looking to be a big-time steal for a college program and is poised for a huge senior season for one of the top programs in the CCS. Purcell is a very athletic and rangy player that has closing speed and strong tackling abilities in the open field while able to quickly diagnose plays and knife into the backfield, going through or dipping around blockers. He is a high motor kid that plays with good hand violence at contact and shows he can track down ball-carriers behind the line and make plays outside the tackles in the open field. Overall, he is a very balanced and versatile prospect that is a high caliber player at the next level and has been severely under-recruited up to this point.     Kuresa is one of the top defenders returning across the central valley, and is very active from his edge position and can play anywhere along the front seven. He is violent at the point of attack and does a good job setting the edge and playing with leverage to get underneath blockers. He plays with a relentless motor when pursuing ball carriers backside and creates immediate knock-back on the edge with proper hand placement and good extension. Kuresa can win with both speed and power at the point of attack and is a natural bender that can get a good jump off the ball and provides tremendous position versatility.     Heinselman is one of the top 2027 linebackers across the Sacramento region and is very active from his inside linebacker position for Granite Bay. He has natural instincts, flows quickly to the ball with closing speed and explodes through contact at the point of attack while showing he can make tackles sideline to sideline and gets into the backfield quickly. He does a good job evading blockers in the box and knifes into the backfield quickly while able to apply pressure up the middle or off the edge. He plays with a quick trigger and has good range when tracking down ball carriers an open space and shows some coverage abilities downfield as well. Heading to his Junior season in one of the states top leagues, he should draw plenty of college interest over the next two seasons.     The Hanford product is one of the more violent players across of Central Valley and is a no-brainer FBS caliber talent at the inside linebacker position. He has the ideal frame and build for the next level and shows good athleticism, overall speed, and cover abilities out in space. He triggers downhill quickly and runs through contact while able to set the edge and run through pullers/second level blockers when needed. In space, he is very fluid and athletic and shows good change of direction abilities and twitch when rushing the passer and can win with both speed or power at the point of attack. He holds one over from the University of Idaho and should bring in plenty of other suitors through his senior year.     Taamu is coming off a stellar Junior season campaign for Edison and is one of the more disruptive interior defenders across the Central Valley. He has elite first step quickness and shoot his hands quickly into blockers while doing a good job using his leverage to get underneath guards and resetting the line of scrimmage quickly. He shows he can play anywhere from the 0-3 technique and offers interior twitch and pass rush consistently for the Vikings. Against the run, he also shows he can take on double teams and drive blocks and plays with a strong base and powerful lower body.