Unyielding Defensive Dominance From Week 6

Defense is not for the weak-hearted. You need to be confident, trusting what you see. You need to be aggressive to close quickly and limit any yards gained. You need to be physical to be able to hold your ground against the opposition trying to get you off your spot or out of holes. This week we have 10 athletes who have shown they have the mental and physical makeup to be college defenders at one level or another. They also made the list this week because they had the production to support those beliefs. Today we take a look at the film to even further verify their talent!    Stats: 20 Tackles, 2 FFs, 1 Sack, 2 TFLs, 2 QB Pressures   Week after week Connor repeatedly verifies that he is one of the top defensive players in the Class of 2027 here in WI. This past week was one of his best efforts, collecting an insane 20 tackles while also getting to the QB, into the backfield, and creating turnover opportunities. Coaches will love the effortless power he plays with as he quickly shucks OL to the side as they try and land blocks on him. Pair that power with sideline to sideline range that helps him chase down the ball without giving up yardage and you get a recruit that starts to look like a future three down LB at the college level. I love the effort he plays with too, getting involved in plays downfield and that power shows up again when he tackles. Connor's athleticism and physicality have also opened the door to him playing some RB. MF is finding ways to keep him on the field and it is paying dividends in the results of games recently.      I love the talent and potential within the 2027 CB out of Catholic Memorial. His talent in coverage is firmly in the battle for best in the state. He is so twitchy and so quick to read and react to WR breaks, keeping him glued to his man's hip. The only way that Zy'aire could play routes better would be if the WR told him what he was about to run. Smith is that elite acceleration, quick feet, and top end speed to be able to turn and run all over the field with his man. It is also great to see how aggressive he is when the ball arrives, getting him hands into the catch point or making strong tackles if the catch is made. When looking at CBs here in WI you have to include Zy'aire!     Stats: 10 tackles, 3 Sacks, 5 TFLs   Another week gone by, another week of the senior edge defender being a menace to opposing backfields. The long, lean defender was able to so quickly defeat OTs around the edge with his first step off the line and ability to dip and bend while getting underneath OTs. Teigan also made plays against the run, closing quickly and easily corralling them in the open field on the edge. It is very impressive to see the way he can hold the line of scrimmage vs the 300 lbs OTs he went against in Week 6 also. Give the tape a look!      Stats: 6 Tackles, 2 QB Pressures   Franklin had a big game against undefeated Kenosha Bradford in Week 6 and left no doubt where they stand among the best in the state. Franklin would end the game with a 41-0 shutout victory. Flexing their offensive and defensive dominance. One of the athletes aiding in that defensive dominance is junior IDL [player_tooltip player_id='971859' first='Andrew' last='Chromy']. The 6'1" 270 lbs athlete prevented the offense from finding any room to run on the interior. Andrew has worked his way into being a powerful presence who can hold his ground, stuff running lanes, and drive his man off the line to create that backfield chaos that throws off timing on plays. Even against double teams the big man was a nightmare to get off his spot and usually would force the RB to look for a cutback lane, giving the defense time to swarm and bring him down for little to no gain. Andrew is one of those IDL who an impact the game without actually getting to the ball. Don't sleep on the junior IDL.     Stats: 12 Tackles, 1.5 TFLs   We talked about Hudson earlier in the season. Now that we are back for another look I am once again blown away by the leap he has made since this time last year. He has turned his next level frame into a legitimate weapon on the DL. He can leap off the line quickly to shoot through gaps. Something he did well in Week 6 against a talented group of OL. The senior did well to recognize plays like screens and adjust his path instead of taking himself out of the play by over pursuing. His high motor led him to multiple tackles as well. I already know that Hudson will be one of the biggest risers in the rankings. The tape looks like a potential D2 level recruit now with several weeks ahead to continue to build up his portfolio of dominance.      Stats: 12 Tackles, 2 TFLs   Cooper is an underclassman piling up invaluable reps at the varsity level and producing at a very high level while doing so. He has grown up to 5'10" 215 lbs now and that thick frame has proven to be stout when he is running through ball carriers in the run game. Cooper did really well playing his gap, but also mirroring the movement of the ball in the backfield so that he could meet them in whatever hole they were attacking. I'm liking the growth, the physicality, and the instincts that are starting to develop. I'm excited for his future.      Stats: 9.5 Tackles, 5 TFLs, 3 Sacks   I'm late to the party when it comes to senior edge defender Aiden Mitchell of Port Washington. The long, lean OLB has an intriguing blend of length, quickness, and stout play. Aiden made plays on the edge and also did some work playing off ball OLB. While off ball we got to see the natural range as he easily could cover ground and bring down the ball in space. Off the edge is where he dominates through. Aiden has an explosive first step that gets him to top speed very quickly so that he can easily chase down the ball in the backfield. The senior is a smart player too, not taking himself out of the play by over pursuing and also doing a great job of setting the edge and keeping the ball contained while getting off blocks.      Stats: 14 Tackles   Nolan may be undersized for the LB position, but you won't find examples of it hindering him on Friday nights. The junior flies around the front seven making tackles. He plays so quickly and decisively that he doesn't have to battle off many blocks because they can't get to him before he is in the backfield giving chase. Nolan plays with the range of a safety more than an LB and being more of a box safety may be where his home is at the next level. Until then we get to watch him fly around the front seven and helping his team pull off huge wins like they did vs Hudson in Week 6.      Stats: 3 INTs, 1 Pick Six, 8.5 Tackles, 2 TFLs   Wyatt had a career night in Week 6, finding himself in the right place at the right time to make several INTs over the middle of the field. The senior flashed surprising speed on the return of his pick six, easily pulling away from the crowd. That same speed is visible when playing the run. The senior LB is so quick to get downhill and runs that speed right on through the ball carrier. The compact LB also has shown he can deliver a strong punch and use of leverage to quickly get off blocks and get after the ball again. The senior is an under the radar northern WI defender that the D3 level should be keeping a close eye on.      Stats: 3.5 Tackles, 2 INTs   Coaches that want this talented CB on their roster at the next level will have to go to battle with a lot of La Crosse programs, but it would be worth the effort. Alex has all the athletic gifts needed to thrive at the next level. Long speed to turn and run and also recover if he loses a step during the route. Clearly he has the ball skills to create turnovers and make plays while the ball is in the air. He shows a ton of awareness on the second pick in his weekly highlights, reading the QB and attacking a different receiver in his area than the one he was covering initially. The senior CB is well worth a look. Tap into his highlights below.

Defense is not for the weak-hearted. You need to be confident, trusting what you see. You need to be aggressive to close quickly and limit any yards gained. You need to be physical to be able to hold your ground against the opposition trying to get you off your spot or out of holes. This week we have 10 athletes who have shown they have the mental and physical makeup to be college defenders at one level or another. They also made the list this week because they had the production to support those beliefs. Today we take a look at the film to even further verify their talent!