Prep Redzone AL's 2025 Preseason All-State Team: LB Picks

We've made it to August! With the season quickly approaching, it's time for us to give our preseason All-State selections!   Today, we're focusing on some of our dominant LBs across the state!   You won't want to miss out on this group of talent. Be sure to check out their film below. Now, here are our preseason selections:   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">7A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1128392' first='Zay' last='Hall'] is a talented LB out of Hillcrest who's set up for another big season in the 7A this fall.   “Hall is an athletic defender who can seriously hurt offenses in a variety of ways. Hall is dominant against the run- he flies downhill, fills in lanes, and racks up tackles at and behind the line of scrimmage. It's rare to see opposing RBs get into the open field against him. Hall consistently creates huge problems for offenses up front.   Hall is just as effective against the pass; he's a talented blitzer who can provide great coverage all over the field and make plays every down. It's impressive seeing how well-rounded of a defender Hall is, his future at the high school and collegiate level is really bright.”   Last season, Hall recorded 40 tackles (2 for loss), 2 sacks, and one FF in just 7 games.   A little while back, Hall committed to Alabama!   Everyone should watch out for Hall this upcoming season; he's a seriously talented defender with a big year ahead.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1631191' first='Will' last='Abrams'] is a dominant LB out of St. Paul's Episcopal we think will end up as the top LB in the 6A this season.   "Abrams is incredibly athletic and can make sideline-to-sideline plays against the run and pass with ease- he plays with unreal pursuit and flies to the ball every snap, coming up with huge stops all over the field regardless of where he lines up pre-snap. It's incredibly impressive watching Abrams defend the run- he slips by blockers to fill in lanes and attack the ball carrier, consistently coming up with tackles for loss or little to no gain.   Abrams is also super reliable in coverage- he can cover a lot of space and is not a guy you want to throw at. He consistently delivers hard hits to pass catchers and uses his hands to break up and intercept passes. I was super impressed with Abrams' tape- he's an every-down playmaker at LB with tons of talent heading into a huge junior season."   Abrams has had a huge offseason in the recruiting world, picking up offers from Georgia Tech, Arkansas State, Liberty, and more.   Abrams has produced some really impressive tape over the last two years. Give him a watch below:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1127636' first='Ellis' last='McGaskin'] has been a massive piece of Williamson's defense over the last two years, terrorizing teams across the 5A.   "McGaskin plays with tons of speed, strength, and relentless pursuit that make him a massive threat to opposing offenses.   McGaskin can track down and tackle skill players with great ease, no matter where he initially lines up- he has the speed to make sideline-to-sideline plays and does so at a constant rate.“   Last season, McGaskin recorded 130 total tackles (21 for loss), 4 sacks, and multiple PBUs and FFs.   A few weeks ago, McGaskin committed to Notre Dame!    McGaskin is primed for another dominant season this fall. In the meantime, check out some of what he did last season:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1631178' first='Jay' last='Ragland'] is a talented LB out of Ashford that we think will have another huge year in the 4A this upcoming season.   "Ragland is highly athletic and plays with a ton of speed and pursuit. He's a terrific run defender who can track and hunt down the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage and in the open field, never allowing for any big gains. On top of that, he's an explosive pass rusher off the edge that flies by OTs to generate pressure and place big hits on the quarterback.   I was seriously impressed with how easily Ragland sheds off blocks. He has a wide variety of moves combined with his speed, quickness, and strength that completely overwhelm offensive linemen. It doesn't end there. Ragland also made some impact plays on offense as well, carving up defenses for good gains and scoring plays on the ground."   Ragland ended last season with 46 total tackles (28 solo, 16 for loss), 4 sacks, and one fumble recovery.   A few weeks back, Ragland committed to West Georgia!   Ragland put together some great tape from last season. Be sure to check some of it out below:     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3A</h2>    After watching [player_tooltip player_id='401138' first='Shadarius' last='Toodle'] dominate teams across the state the last few years, it was a no-brainer to select him as our pick in the 3A.   "Toodle is a destructive middle linebacker who plays with a ton of athleticism and instincts. Toodle has terrific speed and acceleration he uses to easily maneuver around the field and make plays regardless of where he initially lines up pre-snap.   It doesn't matter what the opposing offense runs, Toodle consistently finds himself in the right position to make plays on the ball every time he's on the field."   Toodle is coming off a terrific junior season where he ended the year with 157 total tackles (113 solo, 13 for loss), 2 sacks, and one interception.    A little while back, Toodle committed to Georgia!   Be sure to watch out for Toodle this upcoming season. He's one of my favorite players in the class and is sure to have another huge year in store for us.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1610243' first='Harwood' last='Beeker'] is coming off an unreal sophomore season last fall, making him our pick in the 2A.   "Beeker is a versatile MLB capable of providing huge stops against the run, great coverage over the middle of the field, and sideline-to-sideline plays against some tough-skill players. Beeker is excellent in pursuit and has great closing speed- he doesn't give up on plays, is terrific at tracking the ball carrier, and can close quickly to tackle or pick off passes.   I love watching Beeker in coverage; he matches up well against a wide variety of different pass catchers and has the instincts and ball skills to create a ton of huge plays."   Beeker was unstoppable throughout his sophomore season- ending the year with 162 total tackles (66 solo, 5 for loss), 3 interceptions, and one forced fumble.   Watch out for Beeker this upcoming season. He's going to have a huge junior year.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1A</h2>    [player_tooltip player_id='1127661' first='Luke' last='Brewer'] was a key piece of Ragland's defense last fall and is set up for another big season in the 1A this year.   "Brewer is a dominant run defender. He's excellent at filling in rushing lanes and making tackles at/behind the line of scrimmage. It's so hard for offenses to find any rhythm in their rushing game with how good he is at identifying and reacting to plays. Brewer is also an excellent tackler. He wraps up really well, can dish out some big hits, and has the speed to make tons of sideline-to-sideline plays all over the field.   One of the most impressive things I saw in Brewer's tape is seeing how he performs on the goal line. Brewer uses his excellent play recognition/run-defending skills to shut down offenses in the red zone. He single-handedly stopped several TD-scoring plays last season, consistently flying into the backfield to create huge plays for loss when it mattered most."   Brewer was incredibly productive last fall- ending his sophomore year with 166 total tackles (113 solo, 20 for loss), 5 forced fumbles, and one interception.    Watch some of Brewer's tape below- he's a talented player with a big year ahead of him this fall.

We've made it to August! With the season quickly approaching, it's time for us to give our preseason All-State selections!