Deangelo was the first athlete to come to mind while creating this article topic. Over the past two years we haven’t seen a more disruptive athlete in the trenches in the entire state. The 5’11” 235 lbs DL has proven to be unblockable at times. He is violently explosive off the snap, has such strong and effective hand use, and his ability to dip and change pad level makes him so hard to get hands on and stick a block on. Clay’s blend of speed and power are unmatched and the reason that he is a top 3 DL despite being undersized for the position. Nobody lives in the backfield like Clay does and it forces offenses to have to identify him every snap if they want to find any sort of success.

Next up we have one of the state’s most disruptive athletes along the DL. Deangelo has put up video game numbers vs some of the best competition in this state. He may be undersized for the position, but that is right about where the weaknesses in his game stop. Clay is extremely explosive, and can play with such a low pad level that OL have fits trying to get hands on him. He plays with elite leverage and the power he can create pairs with that leverage to be able to shock a lot of OL as he drives them into the backfield. The 2027 DL is so impressive when it comes to his active hands too. The tools and traits he has built are extremely effective. Don’t miss out.

Deangelo Clay Deangelo Clay 5'11" | 235 lbs | DL Monona Grove | 2027 State WI of Monona Grove is the epitome of explosive athleticism and disruption. Nobody creates more backfield havoc and chaos than the 2027 DL. His first step at the snap is outstanding, giving him a major advantage right from the jump. That burst and his overall acceleration makes him a nightmare to try and get a lineman in front of within the first few steps off the line from Clay. The kid’s motor matches his burst and disruption too. The kid never stops from the first snap to the final whistle. His ability to bend, dip, or make a counter move is so natural for the athletic DL. This is a disruptive force that you want on your trenches.

Deangelo has put together two of the most disruptive seasons on the DL that we have seen in recent history. HIs junior season was unreal, finishing with a massive two way impact. That includes 18 Carries, 86 Yards, 2 TDs, 2 Receptions, 21 Yards, 80 Tackles, 25 TFLs, 9 Sacks, 2 FRs, and 1 FF.

The dominance didn’t take an offseason either. Deangelo would end up going 47-7 while battling in the heavyweight weight Class at the D1 level. His season would culminate in the State Finals where he left as the Runner Up.

Deangelo is so disruptive. He is quick, violent, able to bend and change pad level. The hands are strong, and his lower body can create a bull rush that will put OTs into the lap of the QB. It is no surprise that the ’27 is also a dominant wrestler. This is one of the top DL to know among the Class of 2027.

Stats: 10 Tackles, 4 TFLs, 2.5 Sacks

Havoc, chaos, destruction. That is what Deangelo creates and leaves behind from snap to whistle. While undersized, Deangelo has never really struggled in the trenches. He explodes out of his stance and instantly turns that into power. He has the upper body strength to shed OL very quickly and his athleticism for a DL is some of the best I have seen in his Class. So much so that I could see him playing more LB at the next level. Until then, the junior is going to keep being an excellent mismatch in the trenches with his power and speed combo. A duo like Nick and Deangelo can create a lot of success for a defense. Pumped to see how they perform vs that Homestead offense this Friday.

Stats: 10 Tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1 Sack

When it comes to disrupting the backfield you will have a hard time finding a more consistent force than Monona Grove’s Deangelo Clay Deangelo Clay 5'11" | 235 lbs | DL Monona Grove | 2027 State WI . The 5’11” 235 lbs DT has one of the best first steps off the line in WI, and it isn’t wasted either as he instantly flashes quick hands and can turn that burst into power. His leverage quickly bull rushes IOL into the QB’s lap, and his quickness gives him so many chances to only have to beat half a man because of the way he attacks them while also getting up field. There is so much to like about the IDL presence of Deangelo Clay Deangelo Clay 5'11" | 235 lbs | DL Monona Grove | 2027 State WI . Check out his Week 3 performance more!

The reigning Badger Large Defensive Player of the Year is no doubt a member of this list. The numbers are elite, but what is even more exciting is physical tools. His first step and ability to turn that speed into power are among the best in the state. He has heavy hands that are quick and violent. The ’27 has shown a variety of tools to get into the backfield. Keep a close eye on what Deangelo does this fall.

Rise: 68 -> 36

Deangelo is another kid in this Class that I was able to see in person over the summer, and my high hopes were validated with what I saw. The reigning Badger Large Defensive Player of the Year is blessed with an elite first step and initial burst off the line. The 2027 DL has done a great job of turning that speed into power giving him a variety of ways to defeat blocks of much larger OL. Clay has shown he can change pad levels at full speed, his hands are equally strong and quick, and his ability to change direction mid-pass rush was second to none at the camps I saw him perform at. Get ready for another monstrously productive year for the 2027 DL.

The most explosive and violent athlete of the day was Monona Grove DL Deangelo Clay Deangelo Clay 5'11" | 235 lbs | DL Monona Grove | 2027 State WI . The 5’11” 235 lbs incoming junior ran a pari of 4.85 40s, and broad umped 9’1″. That was nothing compared to how impressive his 1v1 portion of the day went. Clay launches off the line of scrimmage and instantly brings power as soon as he makes contact. Power that could bull rush OL into the backfield or rip him through block attempts. The ’27 showed off heavy hands that never stopped working until the whistle blew. His violence set the tone and overwhelmed a lot of the OL in attendance. His use of leverage was outstanding as well and earned him a ton of wins in the board drill where OL couldn’t seem to move him backwards. The only thing that slowed him down was a late injury to his leg, but hopefully that won’t slow him down for long.

Moving on to a Class of 2027 athlete that people need to have on their radars today is the dominant Deangelo Clay Deangelo Clay 5'11" | 235 lbs | DL Monona Grove | 2027 State WI . Clay is coming off a sophomore season where he won Defensive Player of the Year for the Badger Large Conference. A conference that is one of the best in the state. The sophomore finished the year with an insane 111 tackles, 28 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks in 2024. Once the tape starts rolling you are instantly wowed by his blend of explosive athleticism and power. Clay is quick off the line, has fast and heavy hands, agile in tight quarters, and the underclassman already has several consistently effective hand fighting and pass rush moves. The sophomore is a nightmare matchup because he is able to win in so many ways. The kid seems to always have a plan of attack and executes it perfectly. Big things are ahead of him at the HS level, and I expect it to lead to plenty of options beyond HS as well.