Week 3 Recap- Standout Defensive Performances Across the State

What a week!   Today, we're watching some of our Standout Performers on the defensive side of the ball. These prospects dominated this week and have been putting together some impressive seasons- we're all going to have to watch out for them moving forward.   With that being said, make sure you watch their film below!    [player_tooltip player_id='1622120' first='Alandias' last='Thomas'] is a talented DB from Ramsay who's coming off one of his best performances yet.   “Thomas is a DB opposing offenses have to circle leading up to games- he completely shut down his side of the field in coverage while also having the ability to create game-changing turnovers/scoring plays within a moment's notice. Thomas is excellent at identifying plays pre-snap, consistently flying downfield, and putting himself in great position to create huge stops against the run.   Something that really impressed me with Thomas' tape was his ability to produce as a single high safety- his defense trusts him over the top, and it's easy to understand why. He is excellent at reading opposing QBs' eyes, flies to the ball, and is a constant threat to break up and pick off passes everywhere on the field.“   Thomas was dominant in his team's 32-14 win over Corner, recording 11 tackles (3 for loss), 4 PBUs, and an unreal 100-yard pick-six. There was nothing Corner could do to avoid him; he was all over the field this week.   Make sure you watch some of Thomas' highlights. He's a talented DB who has been unstoppable this season. Take a look below:      [player_tooltip player_id='1583465' first='Gus' last='Faulkner'] is a dominant LB out of Fairhope who's finding a ton of success in his junior season.   "Faulkner is extremely productive off-ball, making tons of plays out in coverage. It's really impressive watching him fly around the field to break up passes. With his size, he presents a multitude of matchup issues against TEs/RBs.   Faulkner is also great at defending the run. He's excellent at reading and reacting to plays, consistently putting himself in great position to fill in gaps and take down the ball carrier no matter where he initially lines up."   Faulkner came up big in his team's 35-14 win over Davidson. Ending the game with 9 total tackles (7 solo) and one fumble recovery.   Check out some of Faulkner's clips from last Friday night. He helped create a ton of huge stops.      [player_tooltip player_id='1631233' first='DJ' last='Waluyn'] is a talented up-and-coming DB from Hoover who's been putting together a great junior year.   “Waluyn is a talented safety that offenses have to look out for every down. Waluyn is quick, plays with a ton of speed and instincts, and can make huge plays on the ball in coverage. He's terrific at tracking and getting his hands on passes, frequently causing pass breakups and hauling in interceptions.   Against the run, Waluyn is quick to get downhill, is excellent in pursuit, and frequently hunts down the ball carrier to create stops by the line of scrimmage and in the open field.“   Waluyn had an impressive performance against Hewitt Trussville, providing great coverage, 6 tackles, and one PBU. I've been really impressed with Waluyn this season. He's been playing at a high level and has competed with some of the best in the state.   Make sure you check out some of his clips from this past week. He should be on everyone's radar.      [player_tooltip player_id='1046451' first='Braylon' last='Outlaw'] has been on a tear this season, putting together some huge performances through the first four weeks.   "Outlaw is extremely reliable against the run, as a pass rusher, and out in coverage. He plays with a ton of speed, strength, and athleticism that helps him make impact plays no matter what his assignment is- it's really common for Outlaw to take over games and completely wreck what offenses are trying to accomplish."   This past Friday, Outlaw went off in his team's 29-6 win over Wetumpka. He recorded 14 total tackles (2 for loss) and one INT.   Make sure you check out some of Outlaw's highlights below. He's putting together an awesome senior season:      [player_tooltip player_id='212200' first='Tristan' last='Lyles'] has been one of the top EDGE talents in the state and has continued to dominate this fall.   “Lyles is a dominant defender who can play the run and pass extremely well. He explodes off the snap, plays with great speed and leverage, and can easily work his way around offensive linemen to get into the backfield and make plays.   I'm most impressed with Lyles' pass rushing. He has an impressive blend of speed and power and a wide variety of moves he uses to quickly get to the quarterback and generate pressure/rack up sacks.”   Lyles was unstoppable in Central's homecoming win over Dothan this past Friday. He was constantly in the backfield, totalling up 8 tackles (3 for loss) and 3 sacks.   It's been a blast watching Lyles this season. He's been putting together some dominant performances and shows no signs of slowing down- make sure you check out some of his tape below:

What a week!