Headhunter Defenders Ready For the Spotlight This Fall

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every defense needs to have headhunters to help bolster their approach and put some teeth in their schemes. Defenders and defensive coaches are big on the teeth thing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most defenders have at least a little bit of headhunter in them that rises to the surface as needed, but when we're talking <em>headhunters</em> in this particular context, it refers to the guys who live it, breathe it and most importantly, execute the game at warp speed play in and play out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hitting the opposition in the teeth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Headhunters can play any of the defensive positions but they seem to congregate around linebackers and edge rusher/defensive ends. These guys have been prized for as long as any of us can remember for being players who operate at head-spinning speed and love the collision. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But it is more than that. It is about an aggressive defense weaponizing specific positions with the right players in order to systematically dismantle the running attack or cause immediate chaos in the backfield when the offense is trying to establish a passing game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These guys are hardwired for pad-pounding, violent confrontations and are in the right positions to make that happen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we are taking a closer look at five defenders who I have been following since last year and are all off and running becoming elite defenders who are versatile, multi-positional and can attack offenses in a variety of ways. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another way they are all similar is when the game is on the line, they flip a switch, shift to the next gear and into relentless attack mode.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These guys are <em>DAWGS</em> in all caps and are the kind of guys who don't mess around. These are players who when confronted with a knife fight break out a bazooka and handle business accordingly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first two out of the chute are from the class of '27 and are a couple of ballers who stepped up to the varsity challenge the last few years and armed with a strong off-season are ready to obliterate offenses across the state. Following the juniors we have three rising-star defenders who got acclimated to the varsity game quickly last year and are looking for breakout seasons as sophomores.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a look at what these guys have been doing in the off-season:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615986' first='Rendor' last='Hada']</strong></strong>, 6'1, 220, DE/RB,&nbsp;<em>Maize</em>, <strong>'27</strong>. First up we have a guy who has been flying under the radar so far but not for long. He is a two-way baller who is a mauling, brawling force as a defensive end coming off the edge. This off-season his training has been lights out and the work is reaping dividends already as he has grown three inches and put on 30 pounds while optimizing speed and lateral movement at the same time. He has also continued to fine-tune his craft, working on the nuances of the position and executing with razor-sharp technique and no wasted motion. With his powerful frame and aggressive game he explodes through double teams and causes instant disarray in the backfield on the pass rush. The Maize defense is loaded and this guy is going to be one of their key weapons this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1652617' first='Maddox' last='Girard']</strong></strong>, 5'11, 190, MLB/LS,&nbsp;<em>Salina South</em>, <strong>'27</strong>. The next junior up is a guy I have been following since last season who is a versatile, multi-positional destroyer who can play any of the linebacker positions but will be called on to anchor the defense from the middle linebacker position this fall. He is coming off a breakthrough sophomore season as an all-conference linebacker and long snapper who piled up 40 tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack and a picked off two passes. Last season he impressed as a pounding outside linebacker with great instincts and a nose for the ball. He has had a busy off-season, continuing to fine-tune his skills as a long-snapper while hitting the weight room and putting on 20 pounds of muscle since last year. This guy is going to jackhammer offenses in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256364' first='Trenton' last='King'],</strong> 6'1”, 205, LB/RB, <em>Emporia</em>, <strong>‘28</strong>. First up for the class of '28 is a rising-star two-way baller who can rip through opposing defenses as a powerful RB but so far has really established himself as a heat-seeking missile of a LB or when coming off the edge. Playing last year as an inside LB he has a physical game and can make the penetrating tackle at the line of scrimmage when his team needs it. This year he will move to the edge where he will bring his vision and skills in reading schemes to make quick decisions and sabotage plays in the backfield before they even get started. His off-season work has been productive as he is stronger and faster than a year ago and along the way has shattered six school records in the key lifts. This guy is a red-hot prospect who is going to be <em>en fuego</em> this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1655189' first='Remington' last='Merlau']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/remington-merlau/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'3, 230, DE/Edge,&nbsp;xfer from <em>Campus to Rose Hill</em>, <strong>'28</strong>. Next up for the sophomores is a guy who all-state trench warrior <em>Maddox Mcginnis</em> from <em>Wichita NW</em> gave me a head's up on after attending one of Coach Rashad's training sessions and I am glad he did. He has made a change in teams in the off season, transferring from <em>Campus</em> to <em>Rose Hill</em> where he will instantly enhance the <em>Rocket</em> defense. With his prototype size, weaponized hands and explosive first step he gets to the quarterback in a hurry using a relentless body lean and a powerful bull-rush overwhelming the blocker and trampling anyone in his way. The word is getting out, as this guy is a dominator who is already getting significant D1 attention and after a big off-season is going to deliver on a monster season this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1629811' first='Taylen' last='Washington']</strong></strong>, 6'3, 215, OLB/Edge,&nbsp;<em>Derby</em>,&nbsp;<strong>'28</strong>. Last and certainly not least we have a talented bone-busting baller who can play multiple positions. He is a player defensive coordinators love to have around as he is an athletic hybrid-type player who has the size and strength to stuff lineman in their tracks but is a speedy ballhawk in coverage as a linebacker or even as a nickelback bolstering the secondary. With his already 80+" wing span he has the length to keep blockers off his pads and strength to power through combo blocks on the perimeter. He has had a strong off-season and hit the spring-summer camp-combine circuit hard continuing to outwork the competition and in doing so is going to be commanding next-level attention this fall. Get your popcorn handy, this guy is going to put on a show this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these guys in action – you will not be disappointed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as usual…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Keep grindin'</em></strong>…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->