2027 Rankings Breakdown: Defensive Hidden Gems

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The 2027 defensive class is loaded with talent, and some of the most intriguing prospects are still flying under the radar. While they may not yet sit near the top of the rankings, their film, production, and offseason development point to major upside. In this edition of Hidden Gems we spotlight the defenders who are impact players and deserve more recruiting attention.</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Kupu has anchored the Chander defense from the inside over the past two seasons. 6'0” 220 lbs. he's a reliable three down linebacker that plays with good patience and eye discipline. Calculated and controlled with his movement he allows himself time to diagnose and lets the play develop before exploding to the ball. Does a good job not overrunning plays or biting on misdirection. Aggressively fills run lanes, plays with good leverage, and takes on blocks with good strength and hand usage. High motor defender, he'll chase hard sideline to sideline and has the lateral quickness to flow cleanly down the line. Strong tackler that wraps up, runs his feet on contact, and finishes through the ball carrier. Flying under the recruiting radar but expect to see a bump this offseason.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/iona_kupu/status/2016027877800870001 </div></figure>     <p>Arnold is an instinctual LB that is equally effective against the run as he is dropping into coverage. High football IQ, he understands down and distance situations, route concepts, and is able to quickly process his reads to anticipate play location. Great nose for the football, he plays well with his eyes and takes good angles to navigate traffic on his way to the ball. Demonstrates good block recognition identifying pulling guards, lead blockers, and climbing linemen quickly. Plus awareness dropping into coverage with the ability to read the QB's eyes, step into throwing lanes, and play the ball at the catch point. Picked off three balls as a junior with 58 total tackles. A quality recruit with a 4.6 GPA and 1200 SAT score that will boost his recruitment among high academic schools.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Jay_Arnold13/status/2004592693146763671 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Strong defensive playmaker that shows good positional versatility being comfortable playing single high, two high, or rolling down as a nickel. 6'2” 195 lbs. he's got the range and speed to cover deep but thrives playing near the box and cleaning up the alley. Flashes the downhill burst to close space fast when attacking ball carriers. He shows good assignment discipline maintaining outside leverage and forcing runs back inside to his help. Physical tackler that brings good pop, wraps up in the open field, and limits yards after contact. Like his ability to break down in space and be reliable in one on one situations. Wide skillset, size, and flexibility across different fronts will help in his recruitment. Wouldn't be surprised to see him transition to an outside linebacker.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/luke_gelder2027/status/1999872979644383691 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">6'3” 290 lbs. Taylor possesses the frame and natural strength to anchor the interior DL. He's a disruptive presence that clogs rushing lanes, absorbs double teams, and creates opportunities for second level defenders to make plays. Tough to move, he holds his ground against downhill run schemes and doesn't get displaced. He shows good stack and shed ability locking out blockers, reading the play, and disengaging from contact to pursue the ball carrier. As a pass rusher, he's able to get vertical push to collapse the pocket from the interior forcing QB's to escape laterally. Strong tackler, his combination of length and strength make him tough to break once he gets his hands on the ball carrier. One to watch in 2026 with a good foundational skillset to build on.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ethantaylor2027/status/2016996909563728021 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Impressive defender at 6'1” 205 lbs. with the versatility and skillset to play multiple positions in the front seven including DE, OLB, and even flashed on the interior DL. He's a plus athlete with good twitch and initial quickness off the ball. Explosive get off allows him to gain early positional leverage and immediate penetration. Extremely active, he plays fast and with a high motor to constantly disrupt run blocking schemes and collapse the pocket as a pass rusher. Shows the speed and short area burst to chase from the backside or downfield. Like the change of direction and redirect ability in pursuit. Natural strength allows him to stack blockers at the POA and maintain gap integrity. Will be interesting to see how he develops and where he fits positionally but a quality all around defensive prospect.</p>