Scouting Reports on Senior Defenders of Note

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   Iowa's senior class is stacked with talented defenders on all three levels. It causes some guys in the group to fly under the radar. Here's a look at six student-athletes that fit the description:    Hope racked up 51.5 tackles during the Rams' run to another state title last fall with 39 of those stops being of the solo variety. He recorded 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery. There's limited footage of Hope in action on his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/17765206/jack-hope/highlights">Hudl page</a>. I did see him during the state semifinals against Liberty to know how valuable he is to Southeast Polk's defense, however. Hope's athleticism and speed aid him in pursuit. You can tell he's prepared by watching him diagnose what's coming during pre-snap reads. Hope is well positioned and then adapts to the action as it unfolds. He's strong, which helps him get off of blocks. Operating within the scheme, there's a lot to like about Hope and his future.     Shortly into Hall Jr's <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17923525/681c08a1d80ad65920dede87">junior highlight video</a> we witness a playmaker capable of disrupting proceedings of the offense. The Rams utilize him off of the edge, where he's tough to contain. Hall explodes off of the snap with quickness that puts offensive linemen on their heels. He uses his hands effectively with movement and strength. With a compact build, Hall possesses natural leverage. That generated power aids him in crashing down on the run. Hall is comfortable playing with his hand in the dirt or standing up off of the outside. As an 11th-grader on the state champs, he recorded 16.5 tackles, 10 of which were solo. He registered 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.     Hansen ranked second among Polar Bears with 67.0 tackles last season. Among them were 53 solo stops and 4.0 tackles for loss. When watching his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19475347/6801b1662b345a37ffc7793d">junior highlight video</a>, we witness a middle linebacker that's tough to contain with his activity and quickness. Hansen is prepared and diagnoses plays well before and after the snap. He flows to the football and operates with good balance that aids him in breaking down the ball carrier before wrapping him up. Hansen is fast sideline to sideline and also shows a burst with straight-line speed. It's a skill set that would work at safety on the next level, and Hansen certainly would be a special-teams' asset.     An excellent soccer player as well, Cerna-Gomez oozes athleticism and quick-twitch traits. He contributed in all three phases as a junior in 2024. He scored a touchdown rushing and caught six passes for 83 yards. On defense, 20 of his 27.0 tackles were solo, and he recorded an interception and a fumble recovery. Cerna-Gomez returned 13 kicks for 254 yards. When popping on his junior highlight video, Cerna-Gomez shows off his playmaking abilities. His fumble recovery was a ball he stripped from the offensive player and returned for a touchdown. Cerna-Gomez is a blur on returns, a home run waiting to happen. He would fit best as a safety on the next level and, obviously, would be an asset on special teams.     Molzen's <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18309908/6713e12ae5552f6c66889a9b">junior highlight video</a> provides us with the glimpse into his talents as a well-rounded defensive back. With smooth hip actions, long arms and long strides, he does well sticking with would-be pass catchers in coverage. Molzen is adept at staying with his man and also keeping his eyes in the backfield. It allows him to break off on running plays and track down the ball carrier. Molzen is a sound tackler and operates with physicality. With his skill set, Molzen would help on special teams at the next level. He's a guy with a lot of untapped potential, giving him a bright future with further development.     Losh is more promise than production on the gridiron to date, but the potential is oozing from a frame that can comfortably add mass without losing any high-end athleticism. You can get a sense of that when <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16869106/66e44a65690da220a8220e3c">watching this clip</a> from his Hudl page. Losh shows off agility, quickness, strength and awareness in getting off of a block and dropping the ball carrier. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16869106/66cc8efdb9001d921d5789c3">This clip </a>from a preseason scrimmage against Norwalk last August is similarly impressive in how natural he looks coming off of the edge. Losh operates with active hands and good pad level. His burst off of the snap makes it hard on tackles to set up. Losh is one I'll be watching this fall as he has breakout written all over him.

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