5 MUST Know Defenders During Camp Season

As we continue through camp season, I curated a list of 5 defenders who are must know prospects. With the proper performance and the right audience, these defenders can be looking at new offers and gaining traction on the college circuit. Let's dive into my analysis.    Earnest measures in at 6'2 250-pounds and consistently makes his presence known to opposing offenses. He had 33 total tackles (27 solo, 6 assisted), 1 FF, and 1 FR. Earnest lines up as an interior defensive lineman. Quick twitch ability. He has very good strength and hand strength to rip through blocks with ease. Very good initial quickness out of his stance paired with very quick hands to rip through offensive linemen's grasp. Earnest will split gaps and reach the backfield. Splits double blocks and wins. He demonstrates very good get off speed and block shedding. Disengages from the block and makes the tackle. Strong tackler. He uses his relentless pursuit and stops the running back in their tracks. He's an must know prospect going into the summer.     Thomas-Flores measures in at 6'5 250-pounds playing DE for Denver South. Last season, he had 30 total tackles (22 solo, 8 assisted), 7 TFL, with 2 sacks. Flores has good athletic ability due to very good lateral quickness, good acceleration, and speed. Very good initial quickness out of his stance. Uses his very good strength and hand strength to gain the upper hand. Good get off and block shedding. Thomas-Flores consistently creates interior pressure with his powerful bull rush. Plugs gap and uses his lateral quickness to get the tackle. He demonstrates relentless pursuit, chasing the ball carrier out into open space to get the tackle. Thomas-Flores also will put his hands up to create pass deflections at the line of scrimmage. Must know prospect going forward in the 2027 class.     Heger is an exciting athlete amongst the 2029 class and is already making his name known. Measures in at 5'10 180-pounds. Last season, he had 46 total tackles (15 solo, 31 assisted), 2 TFL, 1 sack, with 3 INT. He has good athletic ability due to very good lateral quickness, acceleration, good jumping, and speed. Heger shows a keen desire for contact with his very good tackling. Heger diagnoses and reads the play, then puts himself in position to make a play on the ball. He excels both at blitzing and pass coverage. He has an explosive rush with a good use of hands to get into the backfield. In coverage, he shows good anticipation and adjustments to the ball in flight. Keep an eye on him.     Wright is an intriguing corner for Valor. He measures in at 6'0 182-pounds. Last season, he had 41 total tackles (28 solo, 13 assisted), 3 INT, 7 PD, and 1 FF. Wright has good athletic ability due to very good change of direction, acceleration, good jumping, and speed. Demonstrates a good job jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage and re-routing them. Controlled back pedal with hip fluidity to match receivers breaking out of their stem. Wright sticks to them like glue, not allowing much separation. If they do, he uses his very good closing quickness and timing to create incompletions. He has also shown an ability to create plays in run support. With strong camp performances, look for him to gain more traction!     Stubbs is a two-way player playing RB/FS. He measures in at 5'9 170-pounds. Last season, he had 74 total tackles (27 solo, 47 assisted), 3.5 TFL, 1 INT, 2 PD, 112 carries for 451 yards with 6 touchdowns, including 13 receptions for 118 yards. Demonstrates good athletic ability due to very good balance, change of direction, good speed, and acceleration. Stubbs ranges from the deep safety to the box. Good read and reaction time. He puts himself in position to succeed. Stubbs has very good zone coverage paired with good man coverage. Good range as well. Look for Stubbs to take that next step and thrive this off-season.

As we continue through camp season, I curated a list of 5 defenders who are must know prospects. With the proper performance and the right audience, these defenders can be looking at new offers and gaining traction on the college circuit. Let's dive into my analysis.