Wow Factor: Defensive All-State Players Who Bring The Energy

"He's a high motor guy."   You hear that all the time, and it's one of the biggest compliments a coach can pay a player. He's talking about the type of athlete who never stops, a player who's constantly on the go and going about making his teammates better, who has a knack for finding the ball and making things happen.   Those guys are in abundance on the defensive side of the ball of our Preseason All-State squad. But there are some who play bigger than their size, faster than their speed, and better than their numbers.   Here's a look at five guys at each defensive position group who fall into that high motor category - and who have to be accounted for on every down.   DEFENSIVE LINEMEN   [player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant'] Irmo (DE), 2027 - Bryant is a PROBLEM, as Irmo's opponents find out quickly. He made 75 tackles last season, with 16 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and nine more hurries. He also nabbed an interception, forced two fumbles, recovered three, and blocked a punt. He does a lot of that with a devastating first step, but the rest he does with relentless energy that never seems to stop.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn'] Boiling Springs (DT), 2027 - Glenn (pictured) is a guy who should jump out at you just because of the circumstances he routinely faces. He's typically met with double-teams, but he's able to work around those consistently. That helped him to 64 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, six sacks, and 22 QB hurries last season. But Glenn's impact goes far beyond just his stats. The LBs behind him combined for more than 200 tackles last season, and a lot of that is due to the bodies who have to account for Glenn on every play.   [player_tooltip player_id='1536398' first='Simeon' last='Jones'] North Augusta (DT), 2027 - Jones is massive at 325 pounds, and he's a weight room standout, with a 600-pound squat to his credit. So yeah, he's got a knack for dominating the line of scrimmage and absolutely wrecking what opposing offenses want to do in the middle of the field. He also has the ability to get up the field, and his power and quickness make him incredibly frustrating for an OL to try to handle by himself.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172361' first='Matthew' last='Ponkow'] Bishop England (DE), 2027 - Ponkow's got the speed and quickness of an OLB, the power of a DE, and the video game statistics to match the best of both. He had 93 tackles last season, with 28.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He's a guy whose effort is an even better match for his other sport. A lacrosse player, Ponkow seems to be able to run all day. So he does, chasing down plays and finding the ball - usually in the opponent's backfield, where he's able to create a bunch of chaos.   [player_tooltip player_id='409882' first='Jaden' last='Wuerth'] Dutch Fork (DE), 2027 - One of the most highly-regarded, highly-sought player in the 2027 class, it's clear that Wuerth's speed and ability off the edge are his biggest attributes. Take last year's stat line: 62 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks. And that was with people constantly trying to run away from him and take him out of plays. A player with Wuerth's reputation often has to work even harder to be a factor. That's not an issue for Wuerth. He's just going to make plays anyway.   LINEBACKERS   [player_tooltip player_id='1422617' first='Jackson' last='Conner'] Indian Land, 2027 - There are guys who are always around the play, and then there's the style [player_tooltip player_id='1422617' first='Jackson' last='Conner'] has crafted for himself He was credited with 150 tackles last season in which the Warriors lost just two times, both to eventual state champion Northwestern. He's back to lead a very good Indian Land defense, and he'll do it with quickness, great instincts, and a work ethic that just never seems to stop.   [player_tooltip player_id='1820573' first='Ty' last='DuBose'] Belton-Honea Path, 2027 - There have been flashier players in the Bears two-year run as Upper State champions. There have been bigger names. But there might not have been anybody who's been as steady as DuBose. He's quiet, but he leads by example, and that example includes flying all over the field and being violent when he gets to the ball. He's one of the best in the Upstate, and he gives the Bears a real shot at competing for yet another Upper State crown.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172360' first='Kelvion' last='Manning'] Dillon, 2027 - Manning is a tall, rangy LB who does his best work sideline-to-sideline, and he does plenty of it. He's on this list because he's seemingly always in on the play, chasing down the ball with what looks like limitless energy. He's been a key building block for the Wildcats' defense, and he's looking at an even bigger role as a senior.   [player_tooltip player_id='1172368' first='Andrew' last='Massey'] Hilton Head, 2027 - Massey had 93 tackles and 14 tackles for loss last season, and he's back to help lead the Hilton Head defense as a senior. The reigning Region Defensive Player of the Year is a fast-twitch guy who moves great laterally and has a knack for finding the ball. His football instincts are off the charts, and he's a player who just always seems to make something happen.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816968' first='Eli' last='Pressley'] Summerville, 2027 - Pressley's 91 stops last season came with 14 tackles for loss and five sacks. He's capable of creating havoc behind the line of scrimmage, and he's poised to take on an even bigger role for the Green Wave in his senior season. Pressley has blazing speed, and he uses it to fly to the ball and to cause big-time problems when he gets there.   DEFENSIVE BACKS   [player_tooltip player_id='1271263' first='KJ' last='Burg'] Northwestern (S), 2027 - We can say a ton about Burg, but let's just settle on this: he's a game changer. He's also one of the highest-impact transfers in the state. He had more than 100 tackles last season for South Pointe, and he's moved across town to Northwestern. That addition is more than a rich-get-richer situation. Burg's abilities are going to make an immediate impact for a Trojan team that's stepping back into 5A into a rugged region.   [player_tooltip player_id='873100' first='Zion' last='Dawkins'] Gaffney (S), 2028 - Gaffney's loaded on defense, with a bunch of stars on every level. Dawkins is certainly one of those. He's been a standout since he was a freshman, and his sophomore campaign was stunning - he had 57 tackles and created five turnovers, with a team-leading four interceptions included. He's fast and physical and with the talented players around him he's capable of taking over a game from the back end of the defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422601' first='Wytrayvious' last='Dugar'] Strom Thurmond (S), 2027  - Consider this: with 87 tackles for the 2A state champions, Dugar wasn't necessarily the defensive headliner for the Rebels last year. He didn't have to be. He was part of a stacked, stingy unit that led Strom Thurmond to heights they hadn't seen in quite a while. Now, he'll without question be one of the team's defensive leaders. He's a great cover guy, a sure tackler, and a disruptive force when he's blitzing.   [player_tooltip player_id='1054957' first='Gray' last='Kitchings'] Aiken (S), 2027 - Kitchings is an active, athletic guy who led the Hornets in tackles while also notching 10 games of action on offense in the backfield. He'll see plenty more action on the defensive side of the ball this season, where he added three sacks, picked off two passes, and recovered a fumble last season. It's pretty clear that Kitchings fits into the "football player" description. He's good at a lot of things, and seems willing to do anything he needs to do to help the Hornets.   [player_tooltip player_id='1667977' first='Aidyn' last='Wiggins'] Byrnes (CB), 2027 - Byrnes has got a ton of talent back, a bunch of high expectations, and exactly one defensive starter back. That would be Wiggins. He's what coach Reggie Shaw calls the quarterback of the back end of the defense, getting the Rebels in the right coverages and schemes. He's good at that, and he's also very good at the physical aspect of his job. He's one of the Rebels' best cover guys, and he's a big hitter in run support.

"He's a high motor guy."