Drake’s sophomore season of 2025 was cut short by a knee injury after just two weeks. In that time, he made his mark on the varsity and gave PCM hope that big production could be ahead once healthy. Drake caught four balls for 129 yard and a pair of touchdowns, and totaled 11.5 tackles, eight of which were solo stops. He also came up with a tackle for a loss and was credited with four pass breakups. Highlights from his abbreviated 10th-grade campaign impress. The first clip features him lining up as a weak-side linebacker in a 4-3, reading pass and quickly jumping the route to break it up. Drake sets up as a deep safety on Play 2, diagnosing a throw across the middle before coming up for a form tackle on the tight end. His pre-snap reads are clean, and his ability to cover receivers is keen. Drake could be a safety at the next level, but has the frame to stick at linebacker as it fills out. If you’re looking for a breakout prospect in 2026, Drake is a great choice.

It seems like PCM has been a great place to find athletic defenders lately! The next one to start watching out for is freshman Danson Drake Danson Drake 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Pcm | 2028 State IA , who looks like he could play LB or safety, depending on how he continues to fill out his frame. I believe Danson could play a hybrid role because of the well-rounded skill set he put on display on Sunday. He was one of the better cover LBs at the camp, displaying fluid hips and top-tier instincts to go and make a play on the ball. Drake plays his hands very well, using them to break up passes in the air or to scrape the ball out of his opponent’s hands. He also showed that he can be a physical downhill defender who can disengage from blockers during RB v LB drills, where he consistently won his reps.

Drake flashes upside whether he’s lining up at linebacker or running routes, as you can see when viewing his freshman highlight videos. On defense, he a versatile performer on the second level. Drake plays the run well and can stick with receivers. He contributed 12 solo tackles and a touchdown catch as a ninth-grader on a state semifinalist. Expect that production to spike in 2025.