2025 Team Preview: Desert Mountain Defense

<p>As we continue to roll out our team previews, we'll shine some light on the top storylines and the breakout players you won't want to miss. We will resume in the 5A Northeast Division with the Desert Mountain Wolves defense.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">2027 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='677637' first='Braylon' last='Wilkerson'] is looking to prove why he is one of the best cornerbacks in the entire state this upcoming season. In his sophomore season, he had 23 total tackles, 16 of those as solo tackles, 1 TFL, 3 INTs and 7 pass deflections. Mainly playing at the right side cornerback position, he showcases terrific mobility and change of direction to move around the field swiftly. He has marvelous technique, never out of position and always trailing from the hip pocket of the receiver. When the ball is in the air, he has no problem displaying outstanding leaping ability and snagging the ball out of the air like he is the receiver for the turnover. Wilkerson is a dynamic, playmaking cornerback built for the spotlight who is ready to take his game to an elite level this next season.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">The veteran leadership on the backend for this young but talented secondary will be 2026 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='739455' first='Ryan' last='McDonough']. The All-Region Corner stats from the defensive side of the ball include 44 total tackles, 30 of those as solo tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 INTs, including one of those as a pick-six, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 pass deflections. He is also a highly effective special teams player, both as a gunner and as a returner, as he did have two kick return touchdowns. He is a remarkable athlete with tremendous speed and impressive agility to move smoothly at the cornerback position. He has the position flexibility to play on the outside or in the slot. What is truly impressive about his game is his scrappiness and physicality, as he can overwhelm opponents with hard-hitting and powerful punches that often lead to incompletions or turnovers for his team. With any exciting team and defense around him, look for McDonough to shine among them in his senior season.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2027 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='1212102' first='Hassan' last='Smith'] has all the physical attributes to be a highly successful and productive corner in this Desert Mountain defense. He is 6'1 165lbs, with a long, slender frame and long arms, which are ideal for disrupting passing lanes and breaking up throws. He shows off great technique and patience out of his backpedal, keeping composure and trusting his athleticism when needed. As mentioned, his long arms make him excellent at getting pass breakups paired with great instincts and hand timing. Smith has been showing that he can play at a high level all spring, and now all eyes are on him as he looks to turn that into big-time production in his junior year.</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/SmithHassan10/status/1918160198583370251 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2027 Defensive Back Jerneral Solomon adds to an already excellent cast of defensive secondary pieces for this Desert Mountain defense. In this past season, he collected 42 total tackles, 22 of those as solo tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 INT, and 5 pass deflections. The majority of his snaps came at the free safety position, but he displayed position fluidity as he could walk up into the box and play strong safety. He is a great tackler, understanding leverage and wrapping up at the opponent's waist beautifully. His ball skills are there; teams were just afraid to throw it into his zone, as he can cover a ton of ground on the backend. Solomon will look to solidify his status this season as one of the best safeties in the state.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1682302' first='Musse' last='DeGuzman'] is ready to show what he can contribute to this Desert Mountain Defense. Standing at 6'2, 195lbs, he is a well-rounded player with a background in playing tight end in addition to his primary defensive position. However, expect to see DeGuzman on the edge rushing for his defense. He has good twitchiness and short-area quickness to weave his way around opposing linemen. He has sound balance and core strength that allow him to corner to the quarterback effortlessly. In his senior season and tons of edge rushing talent leaving from last season, look for DeGuzman to be a key piece for this pass-rushing unit.</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/MusseDeguzman22/status/1930847416485634190 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1694945' first='Connor' last='Ring'] is set to become a cornerstone of the Desert Mountain defensive line. Playing in all 11 games in his junior season, he compiled 13 total tackles, 7 of those as solo tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. He shows great position versatility to play on the interior or out on the edge. He has a great get-off from his stance, showing quick reflexes and good acceleration downhill. He is a scary rusher when he gets going at the ball carrier, as he seeks to punish his opponents with dominant aggression in his tackles. With a full senior season in front of him, Ring is a guy to watch out for in the trenches for this defensive line.</p>

As we continue to roll out our team previews, we'll shine some light on the top storylines and the breakout players you won't want to miss. We will resume in the 5A Northeast Division with the Desert Mountain Wolves defense.