Stats: 16 Tackles, 1 TFL

Things didn’t go Appleton East’s way in Week 3, but senior safety Birk Kozlowicz Birk Kozlowicz 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Appleton East | 2026 State WI seemed to be everywhere for their defense. The kid has a nose for the football and next level quality tools to get himself to it. Birk has explosive acceleration that he uses to quickly come downhill and fly through gaps to get into the backfield. I love his range and the mentality he plays with. It led to a lot of tackles near the line of scrimmage while lining up 15 yards deep. The senior is a very sound wrap up tackler, and his strength when hitting usually ends the forward progression. Tap into these highlights. A steal in the making.

A legitimate hidden gem at the safety position is Appleton East’s Birk Kozlowicz Birk Kozlowicz 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Appleton East | 2026 State WI . Birk is an aggressive safety. He is quick to trigger downhill and close on short to intermediate passes over the middle. The ’26 shows great timing and use of his hands to breakup catch attempts. He also does it in a way that he will still be able to make the tackle if the catch is completed. Birk also has several clips showing that he can read, diagnose, and react to plays as they develop. Birk is a nice piece to look at on the back end of the defense.