2022 LB Spotlight

For the last piece of our defensive 2022 spotlight series for the state of Georgia, we’ll be providing some exposure to some LB’s who we think have already started to show out. Some of them have already recorded decent defensive statistics, and have managed to put themselves in a good position to make some noise as they enter into their junior year. While there have already been some 2022 LB’s like [player_tooltip player_id="33863" first="Daniel" last="Martin"] who have received a large amount of national attention, we would hope that you can discover some new names below right before they gain some more attention during the 2020 season. [player_tooltip player_id="33877" first="Devon" last="Irving"]- 5’11 180 Hapeville Charter Career Academy [player_tooltip player_id="33877" first="Devon" last="Irving"] has a toolbox of skills that have already contributed to his success as a 2022 prospect. What makes him such a fun prospect to evaluate is the fact that he has a combination of burst, speed, and the ability to sift through traffic and make plays on the ball carrier. He also displays unique athleticism that translates to his ability to move well laterally. His willingness to come downhill and make tackles contributes largely to his team and we feel that as he progresses, he will only get better. We would definitely liked to see him continue to work on his drop steps and angles, but feel that some of this will come natural as he grows into the position. [player_tooltip player_id="33882" first="Donelius" last="Johnson"]- 5’10 198 Pierce County Perhaps the most explosive player on this list, [player_tooltip player_id="33882" first="Donelius" last="Johnson"] lets his burst and speed translate to the football field in every way possible. This comes as no surprise, as he has recently posted a video of him hang cleaning 315 pounds on twitter. This kind of strength shows on film as well due to the fact hat he is able to fly around the field at a good pad level, and make huge tackles. He definitely is not afraid of contact, and the attitude that he plays with is very attractive to college programs looking to bring him into the next level of play. Johnson also has a good sink and bend in his stance, and plays at an incredible pad level for a younger prospect. If he continues to tie all of these traits together with his ability to play smart football and take good angles, the sky is the limit. [player_tooltip player_id="33911" first="Gary" last="Davis"]- 5’9 184 Cairo In his sophomore season, [player_tooltip player_id="33911" first="Gary" last="Davis"] recorded 79 solo tackles, with 10 sacks, and 1 interception. This is a great season for a sophomore linebacker who most will view as undersized. Despite this, Davis is one of our sleeper prospects due to his ability to move very athletically, and to display pop while making contact. While he does need to take better angles at times, he has a knack for the game of football, and is quick to the ball. Going into his junior year, we would like to see him continue to develop within his frame, as well as his ability to play out of a more flexible stance. From here, his ability off of the snap will only continue to improve, especially if he continues to improve upon the things he has done well so far. Look for him to gain some lower level interest following this season.