Standout Defenders Start the Summer Grind

With June upon us and the camp season starting to blow up, it is a busy time kicking off the summer grind.   Many of the ballers training to be elite travel to one or two camps a week through June and into July.   There are also the team camps starting, summer 7v7, the on-going lifting and speed work, fine-tuning via trainers and, obviously, the recruiting process motors on at warp speed.   June is one crazy month for ballers.   In this report we are going to take a look at a handful of defensive standouts who are arguably as good as any in the state at their positions and then wrap up with a couple of guys flying under the radar so far but getting ready change that this fall.   So, without further adieu, let's see who is stepping up this summer to be ready for this fall:     [player_tooltip player_id='1655189' first='Remington' last='Merlau']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/remington-merlau/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/remington-merlau/"></a> , 6'4, 245, DE/Edge, Rose Hill, '28, a couple of years ago all-state trench warrior Maddox McGinnis from Wichita NW pointed this guy out at one of Coach Rashad's intense training sessions and boy was he spot on. With prototype size, explosive first step and an impressive speed:power ratio he plays lights out with good bend and burst going around or over the top with a violent bull-rush trampling anyone in his way. He is coming off a sophomore season when he started generating significant D1 attention and recently picked up an offer from K-State in March and then Missouri in April. He has been busy in the off-season wrestling and playing baseball, continuing to train with Coach Rashad and plans on hitting camps this summer at Oklahoma, Iowa, and William Jewell. This guy is already in beast-mode and ready to own it this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='1594489' first='Joshua' last='Duerksen']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/joshua-duerksen/"></a> , LB/ATH, 5'11”, 205, Hesston,  ‘27, up next is an athletic, ball-buster of a linebacker who is coming off a season when he piled up 107 tackles, averaging 11 per game, and added two tackles for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble and had a pick-6. With his next-level speed and explosive game, he plays with physicality, arriving fast and delivering a blow on contact. His off-season has been busy meeting/visiting with schools and just wrapped up track where he was one of the best in his class in the shot and discus and also had the speed and acceleration to anchor the 4x1 team. He has a busy summer planned with June booked and is heading to Washburn and Northwest Oklahoma camps next week. The gains are showing, as he has put on 10 pounds, bumped up his squat to 550 pounds and bench up to 335 to go with an explosive 38" vertical and 10'2 broad jumps. This guy is fast and powerful and is going to dominate this fall.     [player_tooltip player_id='823254' first='Terrence' last='Bryant'] , 6'1”, 185, DB/LB/RB, Aquinas, '27, next up is a hybrid defensive back/LB coming off a sizzling junior season, earning all-state honors with 55 tackles, six TFL, a pair of sacks, a pick and a forced fumble. An athletic, multi-positional baller, he has good lateral quickness and a nose for the ball whether coming off the edge or sinking back in the secondary to disrupt the pass game. With his top-end read and react skills and instincts he reads plays quickly and can jump on the run play or smother a receiver's route with the glove treatment. He has had a busy off-season visiting/meeting with schools and has already hit camps at KCVarsity and Augustana with a team mini-camp starting soon and camps at Baker and South Dakota coming up this week He also plans to visit Nebraska Kearney and Missouri Western later in the summer. This guy is primed and ready for an electric season this fall.     Kaedrin Phillips, 6'3, 195, DB, Wichita SE, '27, he is one of the ballers in this report flying under the radar so far but is getting ready to flip the script on that with a big senior year. He and his Buffalo teammates are coming off a season when they won the most games since 2007 and had the first winning season since 2008. He is a hybrid defender who is varsatile enough to play either safety or even as an OLB if needed. With prototype size, speed and athleticism for a safety he uses finely-tuned instincts to get a quick-read on the ball at the snap and shows good closing speed in pursuit. When he reads the run he collapses on the ball and brings the sledgehammer making open-field tackles on the perimeter. He is starting to generate interest from schools in the region and recently received an offer from a McPherson College team that gets better every year. This guy has the physical tools and measurables and is ready for a breakout season this fall.     Jackson DaSilva, 5'9, 175, LB/RB/LS, Jefferson West, '28, and last but certainly not least, we have another guy who has not received the attention deserved but is determined to change that quickly this fall. He is coming off a sophomore season as a two-way baller, playing running back on offense and is a headhunter linebacker on defense who made 31 tackles and had a pair of tackles for a loss. On offense he is a scrappy RB who has the quickness to make big plays coming out of the backfield. On defense he has really stood out as quick-strike linebacker who can mash plays at the line of scrimmage or use his instincts and lateral speed to cut off speedy backs on the outside. He has had a strong off-season, training with Mammoth trainer Ryan Koontz, playing 7v7 with Top City and has hit camps at McPherson and KC Varsity with more to come. Jeff West is going to be a team to watch this year and this guy is going to be a big part of that.     In conclusion, get out and see these guys dominate this fall - you will not be disappointed. Also, DM me via X if you run across any players flying under the radar.   And, as usual…   Keep grindin'

With June upon us and the camp season starting to blow up, it is a busy time kicking off the summer grind.