Under The Radar All Conference Returners- DEFENSE

Jordan Johnson April 20, 2025 @ 06:28 PM

There are always athletes who go under the radar and don't necessarily get the hype of other players. Here we will take a look at individuals who earned all-conference honors last season and should play a key role for their teams this coming year..           DEFENSE   [player_tooltip player_id='1660153' first='Abraham' last='Zhryda'] 6-5 290 26' DL Nelson- Look for Zhryda to make one of the biggest jumps statewide on the PRZ rankings board. He has the necessary size and intangibles to be a big-time prospect. It will come down to production this off season and what type of tape he can put together in 2025.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660156' first='Drea' last='Burwell'] 5-9 170 26' WLB/RB Roseburg- I could see Burwell being a small college standout. He earned all-conference honors at LB while averaging 5.7 yards per carry on the offensive side of the ball. Look for him to be one of the best in Midwestern League this year.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660158' first='Mason' last='Perkins'] 6-2 225 26' DE/OLB West Linn- It can be easy to get lost in the shuffle when playing for an ultra-deep, state championship team like the Lions. Perkins was an honorable mention all TRL kid on D and could be one of the better defenders in the conference this year.    [player_tooltip player_id='1535474' first='Patrick' last='Ford'] 6-0 280 26' DT Grant- Ford quietly had a good junior campaign on the interior, averaging 3 tackles per game with a couple sacks on the year. He will be a leader for the Generals up front this season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660159' first='Brody' last='Todorovich'] 5-11 165 26' CB Corvallis- One of the more underrated DB's at the 5A level. Todorovich finished the year with 4 INTs and 19 tackles, with wins over South Albany and Crescent Valley to close the season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1644327' first='Robin' last='Lawson'] 5-6 150 26' DB/ATH Jefferson- Give this kid a lot of credit, making plays all over the field last season. The Demo's return a solid group of athletes with Lawson making 33 tackles, with 3 TFL's, 5 PBU's, and an INT last year. You would never know he's 5-6 with his presence in the secondary.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660160' first='Brayden' last='Singery'] 5-11 200 26' LB Crater- Singery had one of the better stat lines in 5A on the defensive side of the ball, averaging 8+ tackles per game. He could be a 1st team all-league and all-state selection as a senior.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660161' first='Blake' last='Timothy'] 5-10 160 26' DB Lincoln- The baseball standout earned honorable mention all PIL honors at DB for a Cardinals program which continues to improve. His overall athleticism and versatility make him an intriguing prospect heading into the year.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660162' first='Hunter' last='Rivers'] 6-0 185 26' OLB/RB- Rivers was a 1st team all-conference selection on D for one of the better 5A teams in the state. He was a big reason Dallas went 9-2 on the year, while also running the ball well.    [player_tooltip player_id='1660164' first='Cole' last='Angel'] 6-0 170 26' OLB South Albany- Angel is a talented multi-sport athlete (baseball) who did well on D as a junior, earning honorable mention all-conference accolades at DE. He's athletic enough to play multiple spots on either side of the ball.    [player_tooltip player_id='1112727' first='Zadek' last='Bowlby'] 6-0 225 26' DL Newberg- There isn't much known about Bowlby other than that he was a talented two way threat on the line, while showing off some of that wrestling ability on D. The Tigers should be good next year.