Alabama's Game Wreckers- Dominant Defenders in the 2026 Class

We have some seriously talented defenders throughout the state's 2026 class- today we are taking a look at some of the game wreckers on that side of the ball!   Watch out for these prospects- they're set up for huge seasons in 2025!    [player_tooltip player_id='1603669' first='JJ' last='Bush'] is one of the state's most dominant EDGE prospects- year after year he has caused chaos in the trenches for Theodore's defensive front, making a ton of huge plays against the run and pass. At 6'3 206, Bush plays with a ton of speed and pursuit, consistently hunting down and making huge plays on the ball carrier nearly every snap. It's incredibly impressive watching Bush go to work in the trenches, he easily works his way around OTs with his speed and leverage, flies into the backfield, and creates huge stops. Bush is also incredibly valuable as a pass rusher, he has a wide variety of different moves to get off the edge and pressure/place huge hits on the quarterback. What really stands out with Bush's tape is just how athletic he is at his size- he's incredibly fast and made a ton of huge plays at both RB and as a returner on special teams. Bush had a terrific season last fall, ending his junior year with Bush has had a huge offseason in the recruiting world, listing offers from Georgia Tech, Colorado, Michigan, and plenty of other top-tier programs. Take a look at his film below and you will not be disappointed- [player_tooltip player_id='1603669' first='JJ' last='Bush'] is a dominant force on Theodore's defensive front and is set for a huge season this fall, just watch.      [player_tooltip player_id='1627217' first='Thaelon' last='Henton'] is a versatile corner out of Foley coming off a great season last fall where he made tons of plays all around the field against some of the state's top offenses. Henton is incredibly reliable in coverage- he has great size, speed, and skills in man coverage that allow him to come away with a lot of plays on the ball. Henton isn't easily beaten off the LOS, wears down WRs with his physicality, and consistently uses his hands to break up passes and haul in interceptions. Henton is just as productive as a run defender- he has great pursuit skills and consistently flies downfield from the secondary to fill in lanes and wrap up the ball carrier. It seems like teams at the next level are starting to take notice of Henton's tape (see below)- he has been picking up a lot of attention from schools this offseason, listing offers from UAB and Arkansas State over the past few weeks. Watch out for Henton this fall, he's got a massive season ahead of him and is bound to make a ton of big plays!      [player_tooltip player_id='1627238' first='Amari' last='Matthews'] had a huge junior season last fall for Wenonah, making a ton of massive plays out in their secondary at FS all season long. Matthews is a rangy ball hawk over the top of the field that can ruin an opposing offense's day with how well he flies to the ball and creates turnovers. It's incredibly fun watching Matthews out in coverage- he has great size and speed, terrific instincts and vision, and just makes impossible plays look easy. Frequently on tape, Matthews tracks the ball and works from the opposite side of the field to haul in some incredibly impressive interceptions. Matthews is also a brutal run defender capable of delivering huge hits to the ball carrier- he has excellent pursuit and puts himself in great position to come up with stops against the run. Something that really stood out to me with Matthews's tape was his high intelligence and leadership over the defense- on some of his highlight plays, you can see him communicating pre-snap to his teammates exactly what the offense is about to run- that is a special trait to have at any level of play. Matthews was incredibly reliable last fall- ending his junior season with 57 total tackles (36 solo, 2 for loss), 4 INTs, one FF, and two blocked FGs. Since the end of last year, Matthews has seen his recruitment open up a lot- he's picked up offers from UT Martin, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama over the last few weeks and is sure to pick up more soon. Take a look at his film below and you'll see why, he's a really talented defender heading into a huge senior season this fall.      [player_tooltip player_id='1322028' first='Brennan' last='Core'] is a really talented linebacker prospect out of Phenix City who's coming off one of his best seasons yet, he made tons of massive plays throughout the entire season and teams at the next level have taken notice. Core is a monster over the middle of the field that makes a ton of plays down at the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. Core is a dominant run defender- he plays with a ton of speed and strength, overwhelms blockers, and fights to get to the ball carrier to make some seriously impressive tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Core is just as valuable on passing downs- he's excellent at blitzing and affecting the quarterback, but can also make some great plays on the ball out in coverage as well. I'm really impressed with how well-rounded an LB Core is, he can make huge plays every down against the run and pass, and he's only going to keep getting better. Core put together a huge season for his team last fall, ending the year with 108 total tackles (70 solo, 8 for loss), 4 sacks, one INT, 4 PBUs, and one FF. Since the end of last year, Core has made a name for himself in the recruiting world- picking up offers from EKU, Kennesaw State, Southern Miss, and more. Be sure to watch Core's tape below, he's a seriously talented prospect set up for a huge senior season this fall!      [player_tooltip player_id='1627245' first='Ward' last='Jones'] has been fantastic for Saraland's secondary, he made a ton of huge plays all around the field last fall at DB and isn't slowing down anytime soon. Jones is incredibly physical and can make great plays against the run- he is terrific at fighting off blocks and pursuing/wrapping up the ball carrier no matter where he lined up pre-snap. It's seriously impressive watching him work his way into the backfield to deliver huge hits, he plays with a ton of speed and instincts and does a great job flying to the ball. Jones brings the same level of play out in coverage- he's great at keeping targets in front of him, delivers huge hits to WRs to jar the ball free, and is really good at tracking the ball and adjusting his positioning as needed. Jones was incredibly reliable out in the secondary last season, ending the year with 22 total tackles (8 solo, 2 for loss) and one interception. Jones already lists an offer from Mississippi State and is sure to have more on the way soon as he has serious potential for the next level. Be sure to check out his film below and later on this fall, he's a special prospect with tons

We have some seriously talented defenders throughout the state's 2026 class- today we are taking a look at some of the game wreckers on that side of the ball!