2023 Defensive Players Primed to Explode

We’re continuing to look at the 2023 class in Indiana and some players who could have huge senior years. The 2023 class is shaping up to be a great defensive class and these guys are only adding to that depth. Jamari Jefferson - West Side - DT - 6’0" 280 lbs Jefferson is going to end up making some college program very happy. For a guy his size, Jefferson has a great ability to shoot off the line and get downhill immediately. He’s a physical and powerful player who likes to take on contact and overpower his guy. He has strong hands and once he gets his hands on his guy, he isn’t letting go. In the run game, he’s able to shoot gaps and make the play. He isn’t going to miss the tackle if the ball carrier comes to his gap. In the passing game, there are times Jefferson overpursues and misses his landmark which allows the QB to step up. Right now, he doesn’t have great pass-rushing moves to win consistently and stack a ton of sacks in college. I do think that he’s explosive enough that some schools may move him to the outside and make him a DE. I do also think that he could continue to stay in the weight room and keep bulking up and refining his mechanics while adding some more pass-rushing moves. Assuming he continues to grow and develop over the next year, Jefferson is going to become a highly sought-after recruit and will be able to pick between a handful of offers. [player_tooltip player_id="185536" first="Damarion" last="Campbell"] - Bowman Academy - MLB - 6’1" 217 lbs Campbell is still a fairly raw player but you can see the potential immediately. He’s explosive, physical, and likes to hit. He’s got a fantastic ability to time the snap perfectly and get upfield and past the line almost immediately. More often than not, when he’s blitzing he’s able to make the play in some sort of fashion whether it be a sack of a TFL. I do think at the college level he may struggle to shed blocks unless he’s able to bulk up. I don’t recall seeing him drop back into coverage once so it’s very likely that he is extremely raw in that category but he’s more than athletic enough to do it successfully in college. There are also other mechanics where Campbell could be developed but those are minor things such as coming to balance and not overshooting his gap. Campbell has the intangibles and instincts you want in a LB. He trusts his eyes and is willing to be aggressive on the field. Depending on where he goes to college, I anticipate Campbell redshirting for a year and being developed in all phases of being a LB. If he does and soaks up as much knowledge as possible, Campbell has the potential and ability to be a dynamic game-changer in the college ranks. Coty Johnson - Pike - DB - 6’0" 215 lbs Johnson has a shorter frame but has rather lengthy strides and is able to cover a ton of ground in a hurry. He really trusts his eyes and what he sees developing in front of him. He’s right most of the time and comes down to make the play. There are times he puts his head down when he goes to make the tackle and not only does that need cleaned up, that could be dangerous. He does also cross his feet and overstep sometimes which causes him some wasted movement. He doesn’t really miss tackles and is able to make the open field tackle just about every time. He’s alright in coverage. He’s able to drop back and run with RBs and TEs and cover them when he’s asked. I don’t recall seeing a time where he went 1 on 1 with a WR, but he has the speed to do so as well. When he drops back and covers the backend, he’s going to try jumping routes and try making a play on the ball. Johnson has the natural abilities and physical tools to be a really good Safety at the next level and by the time he graduates, he’s going to be able to pick the school that best fits him. Alex Bailey - Tippecanoe Valley - DT - 6’4" 230 lbs Bailey is a high motor player who gets stronger as the game goes on. You can never count him out of any play and he’s willing to run down the field 30-yards to make a tackle. For a defensive lineman, he is fairly light and could put on a decent amount of weight, but it doesn’t impact how he plays. He has no issue lining up right over the ball and attempting to split gaps and make the play. If he’s not able to beat his guy 1 on 1, Bailey does struggle breaking free and making the play. He’s able to split some gaps and make the play behind the LOS. He isn’t going to miss very many tackles and once he gets his hands on the defender in the open field, they’re going to end up on the ground and start preparing for the next down. With Bailey, I think he could really bulk up and then be coached up in a handful of categories, but all the potential and natural instincts are there. Bailey’s future and how far he’s able to go is up to him and how hard he works. Multiple college programs are going to take a shot on him and if he’s able to keep developing, Bailey is going to be a starter in college.