Underclassman Preview: Elite Rising Prospects (Defense)

Lewis is one of the top freshman defenders across the state of California and is an elite linebacker that moves extremely well, is fluid in space and is the complete package from the second level. He is coming off a great freshman season for Saint Francis, one of the top teams in Northern California and is a fast, physical and diverse defender that is always around the ball and has the ideal build and frame for the P4 level. He's a natural pass rusher and plays well beyond his years and will be one of the top players at his position over the next three seasons. Currently, he holds one offer from San Jose State and should really see his stock rise through and after his sophomore season.     Roberts played his first season at Central Catholic and recently made a transfer to Turlock after a great freshman campaign. He is a no-brainer FBS caliber prospect that already has a huge frame and strong build while extremely athletic and twitchy for his size. He snaps out of his stance, plays with heavy inside hands to reset the line of scrimmage and shows redirect abilities down the line and short area twitch and snap when rushing the passer. He can play both on the edge or inside and offers tremendous position versatility while very technically sound for his age. Heading into his sophomore year, he should collect plenty of college interest/offers and be one of the top defenders across the Central Valley for the next three years.     Williamson saw plenty of snaps in his sophomore season for one of the top teams in the country and is a candidate to have a truly breakout campaign in 2025. He is a very athletic second level defender that has elite closing speed and range from his outside linebacker position and shows natural pass rush abilities coming off the edge with bend and initial punch while able to win with both speed and power at the POA. He does a good job coming up and setting the edge, can take on bigger blockers and consistently make splays behind the line. Williamson currently holds one offer from Sacramento State and should see plenty of other FCS+ interest come his way over the next two years and checks all the boxes for a linebacker at the next level.     Reis checks into our rankings as one of the top linebackers in the state and is a top 50 overall player in California in the 2028 class. He is extremely athletic for the position and is a true sideline to sideline defender that runs to the ball, tackles well in space and is violent at the point of attack. He shows he can move through or around blockers with good bend and violent hands while knifing into the backfield and dialing up well timed pressures. He flows to the ball and flashes cover abilities downfield while a high IQ player that recognizes plays quickly and triggers fast. He is another very technically sound prospect the plays well beyond his years and with three years left of his high school career, should draw plenty of college interest/offers in the coming months.     Payne is one of the top pass rushers across the region heading into his Junior season and currently holds one offer from UNLV. He is quick off the ball and gets hands-on blockers quickly while showing a consistent lockout and violent shed at the point of attack while able to take on double teams and chase down ball carriers backside. He provides a consistent pass rush off the edge with good bend and primary/countermoves while showing he can redirect out in space and is very fluid for his size. As he continues to grow and develop he should see other opportunities come his way and as well on his way to being one of the better edge prospects in his class.