Colorado’s 2028 Breakout Defensive Candidates

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2028 class has a plethora of talented defenders each creating headaches for opposing offenses. Whether it's knocking an offensive tackle off his anchor, running through a running back in pass protection, or creating interceptions with tight coverage, these defenders are breakout stars in the making. Let's dive into the analysis. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2125832"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a39b0cd4bfe5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">If Summeril isn't on your recruiting board, take an extra look at his film. Measures in at 6'5 215-pounds playing DE/TE. Last season, he had 30 total tackles (20 solo, 10 assisted), 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, with 19 receptions for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns. Summeril displays very good athletic ability due to very good speed, balance, jumping, good lateral quickness, and acceleration. Very good initial quickness out of his stance with very good hand speed to engage first. Very good read and reaction speed. Uses his good bend and flexibility to get around tackles and into the backfield. Uses a strong bull rush to power through anchors and collapse the pocket. Very good get off and block shedding. Once he grabs ahold of the ball carrier, they're stopped. Very good tackling. Another aspect of his game is his patience on RPOs and read options plays. Takes the extra half-second to process what is going on and attacks. He'll have an even bigger impact going into his junior year!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2076012"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a39b0cd4c06d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Howell is an electric corner measures in at 5'11 150-pounds. Howell also plays receiver and returns kicks too. This past season, he had 31 total tackles (18 solo, 13 assisted), 2 TFL, 3 INT, 3 PD, 21 receptions for 360 yards with 3 touchdowns, including 16 kick returns for 423 yards with 1 touchdown. Howell displays very good athletic ability due to his very good balance, speed, acceleration, good change of direction, and jumping. Smooth and controlled back pedal. Howell shows off his hip fluidity by consistently matching receivers breaking out into their route. He stays physical as well, jamming at the LOS and re-routing throughout. Very good man and good zone coverage. Uses his athleticism to stay stride for stride sticking like glue. Very good closing quickness. His swats are purposeful and well-timed creating incompletions. Even with a receiver making the catch, Howell stays through and will punch it out for an incompletion. Good tackling as well. Rising name to know!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2119704"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a39b0cd4c0ca"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Irby is a rising linebacker prospect for Fort Collins who also plays RB. Measures in at 5'9 180-pounds, he had 73 total tackles (29 solo, 44 assisted), 4.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 QB pressures, 1 PD, 1 blocked punt, with 16 carries for 104 yards with 2 touchdowns. Irby has good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, balance, good lateral quickness, and jumping. Very good read and reaction speed. Uses his mental processing paired with watching the QB's eyes to put himself in position to disrupt the offense. Displays good range and consistently helps teammates finish tackles. When he's blitzing, he uses his good get off speed to disengage and wrap up the ball carrier. Good tackling as well. Irby makes his presence known with his hard-hitting ability and high energy. Exciting player that will take it to the next level this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Bowen Bacon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"180","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Chaparral","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a39b0cd4c1a4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bacon measures in at 5'10 180-pounds playing linebacker. Last season, he had 49 total tackles (25 solo, 24 assisted) with 3 TFL and 1 FF. Bacon has good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, good change of direction, balance, and speed. Good read and reaction time. Bacon has shown to be patient depending on the situation, not getting overzealous and putting his team in a bad spot. He thrives rushing the QB downhill. Explosive blitz take off speed. Stuffs gaps and eats up the run. Once he grabs ahold of a player, he will punch the ball out to create fumbles. Good get off and block shedding. Good tackling, uses his strength and pulls the ball carrier down. Bacon also is a productive special teamer. Very good competitive toughness. Watch out for him to break over the 80+ tackle mark next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Tucker Antone","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"155","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Falcon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a39b0cd4c260"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Antone measures in at 6'1 155-pounds playing FS for Falcon. Last season in 5 games played, he had 35 total tackles (19 solo, 16 assisted), 1 INT, 2 PD, 1 FF, and 1 FR. Antone has good athletic ability due to good speed, acceleration, change of direction, and jumping. Antone has very good competitive toughness. He is consistently the first person to create contact with the ball carrier even when he's lined up as a deep safety. Antone excels in run support. Uses his strong tackling and strength to stop defenders. Good get off speed to disengage from the block and attack. He has a smooth back pedal and is very quick breaking out and running towards the action. Antone has good ball tracking and good ball adjustment skills. Antone has good zone and man coverage. With an off-season focused on speed and technique, he is another breakout candidate to watch out for.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->