6A Preseason All-State Team: Defense

<em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering AJ30 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em> Defenses in 6A are as tough as ever this upcoming season. Across the state, every single team looks like it has at least one dominant player who can rush the passer, tackle anything in the open field, or come down with an interception. That makes creating our 6A All-State preseason team even more difficult! This year’s defensive crop in 6A could be one of the best of all time. Check out the names of those who made this year’s preseason team below! <strong>DEFENSIVE LINE</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="104419" first="Zxavian" last="Harris"] | Germantown The Ole Miss commit has been no stranger to hearing his name called on all-state teams before. Harris is one of the most dominant defensive linemen in all of Mississippi. He has great initial twitch off the ball, athleticism in space, and strength when engaged with blockers. Look for this guy to cap off an incredibly impressive high school career and play early for the Rebels in 2022. [player_tooltip player_id="104422" first="Aaron" last="Bryant"] | Southaven Bryant is one of the most impressive pass rushers in 6A. The interior lineman knows how to use his hands and ability to bend to come up with some big time TFLs and sacks for Southaven. Players like this don’t come around very often and colleges around the nation have taken notice of that. Bryant lists offers from Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Tennessee among others. [player_tooltip player_id="104420" first="Jacarius" last="Clayton"] | Tupelo Another Ole Miss commit checks in on the list. Clayton is a long and athletic defensive end capable of playing multiple positions. His best ball comes as an edge rusher, but he is fully capable of playing tackle as well. Clayton has great burst off the ball and a variety of pass rush moves to get to the quarterback. Watch for him to impress for the Golden Wave. [player_tooltip player_id="104421" first="RJ" last="Moss"] | Biloxi A recent Mississippi State commit, [player_tooltip player_id="104421" first="RJ" last="Moss"] checks in on the list as the other defensive end for this talented d-line. Moss is a similar player to Clayton who has great length and explosion off of the ball. He has violent hands and is a force against the run as well. Looking for him to keep up the same intensity he has played with the past 3 seasons. <strong>LINEBACKERS</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="104461" first="Raymond" last="Collins"] | Harrison Central Collins boasted incredible production in 6A last season with over 150 tackles, 7 sacks, and 1 INT. A big traditional MIKE, Collins brings a physical presence to the Harrison Central defense that opposing coaches must gameplan for. It is much safer to run opposite of this guy, but watch out for him because he has the speed to chase anything down. Lists no offers currently, but that should change this year. [player_tooltip player_id="106769" first="Alex" last="Sanford"] | Oxford Sanford checks in as a junior on this all-state team after a geat sophomore season. Rarely do you see backers in 6A have so much success early on in their careers, but Sanford did exactly that. The leader of the Oxford defense has had a great offseason and will look to prove that he is one of the best linebackers in the entire state this season. Lists an offer from Ole Miss. [player_tooltip player_id="104464" first="Zion" last="Edwards"] | Petal Last season, Edwards missed 6 games due to injury, but is limited tape showed he was extremely talented and that Petal missed a step without him. Edwards is a hyper-athletic hybrid backer who fits any modern defense. He blitzes well and can cover a ton of ground quickly. Looking for him to have a big time bounce back campaign as a senior. [player_tooltip player_id="104472" first="Jalyn" last="Nickelberry"] | Pearl Nickelberry is another hybrid type player who can play multiple positions. His best fit is as a outside linebacker who can stick his hand in the dirt at times. Nickelberry has impressive strength off the edge and knows how to set and fill against the run well. Watch for him to continue dominating as he did last season. <b>DEFENSIVE BACKS</b> [player_tooltip player_id="104545" first="Marquez" last="Dortch"] | George County The Ole Miss commit has been one of the most electric players in all of Mississippi over the course of his career. Dortch plays well on both sides of the ball, but will find his future home most likely as a corner or safety. He has great ball skills and truly amazing speed and transition in coverage. Early playing time candidate for the Rebels. [player_tooltip player_id="104546" first="Jerry" last="Johnson"] | Pearl Similar to Dortch, [player_tooltip player_id="104546" first="Jerry" last="Johnson"] is another speedy corner who plays wide out as well. Johnson has great hips and can play man and zone coverage efficiently. No player in the state can burn this guy deep as he has impressive recovery speed. Watching for him to shine on offense and defense this year. Lists offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Southern Miss among others. [player_tooltip player_id="104527" first="Dontavious" last="Howard"] | Oak Grove The state championship winning defensive back can play either safety or corner at the next level. Howard has impressive length for the position and knows how to use it to be successful on the field. He can jar balls loose and out jump wide outs for the football in the air. Howard holds offers from Co-Lin and Northwest CC. [player_tooltip player_id="107045" first="John" last="Slaughter"] | Southaven One of the best ball hawking safeties in all of 6A, Slaughter finds himself on an all-state list for the first time this season. As a sophomore, he was dominant in coverage but also was a physical presence in the box. This guy can truly do it all. Watching for him to be a productive member of an already good defense at Southaven. Lists offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Michigan, and Arkansas State among others. <strong>Rashard Daniels</strong> | Horn Lake In coverage last season, Daniels allowed a grand total of zero touchdowns on his side of the field. Although he isn’t always the biggest guy on the field, Daniels loves contact and is an aggressive tackler when the ball carrier comes his way. The senior defensive back has good speed and knows how to track the ball in the air. Lists offers from Campbell and Austin Peay.