PrepzoneCO

With spring getting closer we list our top 2027 recruits going into the 2026 season. No Twitter, No mention. Obviously as the season shakes out we will see who continues to rise. Full writeups in the article. Starting today with QBs: Marquise Reese | 6'3" 200 | @MarquiseReeseQB Jackson Craig | 6'3" 180 | @jacksoncraig08 Ki Ellison | 5'10" 185 | @EllisonKir16924 Cash Williams | 6'1" 190 | @CashWilliams_ Logan Gabler | 6'3" 200 | @logangabler Noah Smyth | 6'5" 205 | @NoahSmyth Noah Anacleto | 6'2" 195 | @noahanacleto Tucker Ingersoll | 6'2" 205 | @tuckeringersol Brody Hopwood | 6'4" 165 | @Brodyhopwood Jackson Gebhardt | 5'10" 180 | @jackgebby15 Grady Feeney | 5'11" 185 | @GradyHFeeney Nico Rizzello | 6'4.5" 200 | @NicoRizzello Riley Wilson | 5'10" 170 | @Wil_son0202 Jack Arnold | 6'3" 185 | @Jack_Arnold2 Koa Dietrich | 5'11" 191 | @koadietrich8 Eric Jackson | 6'4" 200 | @EricJackson Thatcher Matthews | 5'11" 175 | @ThatcherMa1713 Knox Tinlin | 5'10" 175 | @knox_tinlin7 Cash Lacy | 6'2" 190 | @CashLacy28 Andrew Gardner | 6'0" 195 | @_AndrewGardner Jack Widdifield | 6'0" 177 | @Jack_Widdifield Matthew Merilatt | 6'1" | @MMerilatt Halas Wise | 6'0" 175 | @HalasWise Dolphka Lewis | 5'10" 165 | @DolphkaL prepzoneco.com/articles/top-2…

@EllisonKir16924 Just so you know Colt says fairview is winning state and you're going to drop 50 TDs at 80%. When it comes to @FairviewfbBoCo he's worse than a raiders fan. You've set the bar too high 😅

Thank you @PrepZoneCO for the write up!

@EAbramsonQB12 @DordtFB @fb_coachrobbins @Coach_JohnsonOC @BrittGusmus @coach_penner @Luke_Teiger One of our favorites. This is a steal by @DordtFB

ALL GLORY TO GOD! Blessed to continue my athletic and academic career at @DordtFB! Thank you to my family, coaches, teammates, and friends for your support and encouragement on this journey! Go Defenders!

@TonyML522 @EllisonKir16924 Fact of the matter is, if you're under 6' you've got an uphill battle. There's a lot of guys you could make arguments for, which is why everyone gets recruited by different schools. We love all these guys.

@PrepZoneCO I’m pretty certain Dave Logan would write a handwritten letter of recommendation for @EllisonKir16924 after playing Fairview in the quarters. Dude is a magician 🪄 Respectfully 1. Reese 2. Ellison 3. Gebhardt

With spring getting closer we list our top 2027 recruits going into the 2026 season. No Twitter, No mention. Obviously as the season shakes out we will see who continues to rise. Full writeups in the article. Starting today with QBs: Marquise Reese | 6'3" 200 | @MarquiseReeseQB Jackson Craig | 6'3" 180 | @jacksoncraig08 Ki Ellison | 5'10" 185 | @EllisonKir16924 Cash Williams | 6'1" 190 | @CashWilliams_ Logan Gabler | 6'3" 200 | @logangabler Noah Smyth | 6'5" 205 | @NoahSmyth Noah Anacleto | 6'2" 195 | @noahanacleto Tucker Ingersoll | 6'2" 205 | @tuckeringersol Brody Hopwood | 6'4" 165 | @Brodyhopwood Jackson Gebhardt | 5'10" 180 | @jackgebby15 Grady Feeney | 5'11" 185 | @GradyHFeeney Nico Rizzello | 6'4.5" 200 | @NicoRizzello Riley Wilson | 5'10" 170 | @Wil_son0202 Jack Arnold | 6'3" 185 | @Jack_Arnold2 Koa Dietrich | 5'11" 191 | @koadietrich8 Eric Jackson | 6'4" 200 | @EricJackson Thatcher Matthews | 5'11" 175 | @ThatcherMa1713 Knox Tinlin | 5'10" 175 | @knox_tinlin7 Cash Lacy | 6'2" 190 | @CashLacy28 Andrew Gardner | 6'0" 195 | @_AndrewGardner Jack Widdifield | 6'0" 177 | @Jack_Widdifield Matthew Merilatt | 6'1" | @MMerilatt Halas Wise | 6'0" 175 | @HalasWise Dolphka Lewis | 5'10" 165 | @DolphkaL prepzoneco.com/articles/top-2…

foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nf… Rest in peace Rondale Moore. 25 years old. One of the most versatile college players, maybe ever. 2nd round pick. The details are still coming out and we won't speculate. But we will say this to every kid we cover out there: someday you will not be playing football. That's true for everyone. For some of you it ended 3 months ago. For a few of you it might end in 15 years. Football is something you do. It is not who you are. You are more than just one game, regardless of how much time it takes up in your life. Please know that. Mental health struggles can happen at anyone at any age. Always reach out to someone. Life is precious. Your life is precious.

@Tatepears69 @SixZeroAcademy @Coach @CoachBain75 @j_schlichte @CoachLubick @spedbraet @CoachMattRhule @CoachTuitele @105CoachTerry @OU_CoachB @MichaelSwitzer @CoachMirabal @T_Dean55 @PaigeHilliard23 @DuranteJ5 @Coltonts12 @VinnyG_FB @Coach_CPace Love it. And coach is on point as usual....like Ben told a kid one time: Inside hand on time or you're basically a revolving door at a Marriott lobby.

Great work this morning @SixZeroAcademy @coach 53 @coachbain75 @j_schlichte @coachlubick @spedbraet @coachmattrhule @coachtuitele @105coachterry @ou_coachb @michaelswitzer @coachmirabal @coachzachjanson @t_dean55 @paigehilliard23 @durantej5 @coltonts12 @vinnyg_fb @coach_cpace @cufbrecruit @tmatthews16 @coachkue @coachnicknissen @prepredzoneco @prepzoneco @fairviewknoghtsfbboco @jamobrown_ @billybeatol @m_pears69 @shanemcmurdo @wylder_grafft @ffballallday @cade_draughon @will_notar @aleczierlein @coachvlrn @j0hnr0dr1guez @coachm_schmidt @coach_cbooth @coachbangsdsu @billybonneau @coachcnorcross @tevis_bartlett

Thank you @CoachNickNissen for the invite. I can’t wait to be on campus again and put in some work. @PrepZoneCO @PrepRedzoneCO @CoPreps @sixstarfootball @CoachSchrenk

DEs DEFENSIVE END OF THE YEAR - TOP 10 Performances Colorado High School Football | 25-26 Season ======================================== Scoring: Sacks 28%, TFL 22%, Tackles 15%, FF 12%, Tkl/Game 8%, Solo% 8%, INTs 4%, PD 3% ======================================== Not a ranking or recruiting list, 2025s, no twitter, no list. --------------------------------------------- #1 Brody Sieck | Score: 84.5 | Sr. | 6'2" 220 | Arapahoe (DE) | @brody_sieck --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 Sacks: 17.5 TFL: 27 Tackles: 97 (74 solo) FF: 2 Per Game: 8.1 tkl/g | 1.46 sacks/g Why #1: We've been banging the drum on this guy for AGES. In fact just look at the example from last year. Well, he's no secret anymore, and hasn't been for a while. Air Force commit. CHSAA 5A First Team All-State. All-Centennial League. And honestly, those accolades are the least interesting things about what Sieck did this year. 17.5 sacks. Go ahead and read that again. That's not a typo. The man averaged nearly 1.5 sacks per game over 12 contests in one of the toughest leagues in Colorado. 27 TFL is the kind of number that makes you wonder if opposing OCs just started drawing up plays that went away from his side entirely, and the 97 tackles suggest even that didn't work. 74 of those were solo. He wasn't cleaning up other people's messes. He was creating his own chaos and finishing it himself. Arapahoe's defense had teeth this year, and Sieck was every single one of the sharp ones. Denver Post had him on the preseason "101 Impact Players" list at 14 sacks and 20 TFL from his junior year. He looked at those numbers and said "that's cute." Troy Calhoun is getting a dog in Colorado Springs. When we ask OCs "who do you lose sleep over facing?" multiple have said "Brody Sieck" --------------------------------------------- #2 Carlos Tarango | Score: 78.7 | Sr. | 5'11" 205 | Westminster (DE/MLB) | @clostarango12 --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 Sacks: 9.5 TFL: 29 Tackles: 135 (84 solo) FF: 2 Per Game: 12.3 tkl/g | 0.86 sacks/g Why #2: Metro North Defensive Player of the Year. All-Metro North First Team. Westminster's senior leader on a team that made the 5A playoffs behind a freshman QB. Now, full disclosure, Tarango also lines up at MLB, which is partially why the tackle numbers look like they belong to a different position group entirely. 135 tackles and 12.3 per game from a guy listed as a DE is the kind of stat that makes you double-check MaxPreps three times. We checked. It's real. He plays both spots. 29 TFL is the highest number in this entire top 10, period. 9.5 sacks from a 5'11" frame means he's winning with technique, motor, and what his coach called being "a really good kid, really smart kid, bright kid." Which is coachspeak for "he's always in the right place because he knows the play before the snap." Westminster's new coach Chris Helbig, who played in NFL Europe, by the way, named Tarango as one of his go-to guys before the season even started. He wasn't wrong. --------------------------------------------- #3 Rylan Tisdall | Score: 56.4 | Jr. | 6'4" 240 | Lutheran (DE/OLB) | @rylantisdall27 --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 Sacks: 8.0 TFL: 17 Tackles: 63 (33 solo) FF: 2 | FR: 2 | PD: 5 Per Game: 5.7 tkl/g | 0.73 sacks/g Why #3: 6'4" 240 as a junior. Just let that sit for a second. That's the kind of frame that gets FBS programs doing Google Maps searches for "Lutheran High School Parker Colorado." The Lions ran through a 3A schedule and Tisdall led the team in sacks while his brother Kaden (a senior) led in tackles per game. Family business. 8 sacks and 17 TFL from the edge shows a pass rusher who's still learning how dangerous he can be, and that's the terrifying part for 2026 opponents. 5 passes defended from a defensive end is unusual enough to be noteworthy. Either he's dropping into coverage or he's getting his hands up at the line. Either way, offensive coordinators have to account for it. 2 forced fumbles and 2 recoveries means he's not just getting to the quarterback, he's taking the ball away. Lutheran lost a heartbreaker to Holy Family 42-45 and then bounced back to close out the regular season with blowout wins. Tisdall's senior campaign has "breakout recruit" written all over it. --------------------------------------------- #4 Javon Jones | Score: 49.6 | Sr. | 6'1" 230 | Eaglecrest (DE/DT) | @Javongoes --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 Sacks: 9.0 TFL: 22 Tackles: 35 (19 solo) FF: 1 | PD: 2 Per Game: 2.9 tkl/g | 0.75 sacks/g Why #4: CHSAA 5A Second Team All-State. All-Centennial League First Team. We were watching OTHER Eaglecrest film and kept noticing him. Pure havoc. Scrapes like a linebacker. Blitzes like a strong safety. Throws tackles down like a 0 tech nose. The guy Eaglecrest's coach built the defensive identity around in Year 2 of the Jesse German era. Jones is fascinating because the tackle numbers are low, 35 total, 2.9 per game, but the disruption numbers are elite. 9 sacks and 22 TFL means when he made a play, it was behind the line of scrimmage. He wasn't racking up tackles 8 yards downfield. He was in the backfield. Eaglecrest's "ECB" culture took a real step this year: first playoff win since 2019, upset of Legacy in the first round, and a respectable loss to undefeated Mountain Vista in round two. Jones was at the center of all of it. The two-way factor matters too: he also played TE for the Raptors. The dude was on the field basically every snap. At 230 pounds (his Twitter keeps updating, started at 225, now says 240, so pick your favorite number), he could legit be a Mike (where they lined him up at times), a DE, or a DT at the next level, but his motor doesn't have an off switch. --------------------------------------------- #5 Connor Knezel | Score: 45.2 | Jr. | 6'2"-6'3" 225 | Hoehne (DE) | @connorknezel --------------------------------------------- GP: 8 Sacks: 3.0 TFL: 10 Tackles: 76 (45 solo) FF: 2 | FR: 1 Per Game: 9.5 tkl/g | 0.38 sacks/g Why #5: The small-school wildcard. Hoehne is deep in the Trinidad area running 6-man ball, which means Knezel is playing a fundamentally different game than the 5A guys above him. Context matters here. 76 tackles in 8 games is absurd volume, and 9.5 per game says he's basically involved in every play, which, in 6-man, he probably literally is. Prep Redzone scouted him and wrote he has "the kind of motor that makes him a game changer" and praised his size/speed combo. That sounds generic but they aren't wrong. The kid also threw discus at the 2A state track meet (finished 9th) and competed in shot put. So he's a legit multi-sport athlete with the frame to grow into something serious. 3 sacks looks modest until you realize how few passing plays exist in small-school football. The sack opportunities just aren't there. What IS there is his 45 solo tackles, a 59% solo rate that says nobody else is getting there first. The question is always the same with small-school prospects: what happens when the competition scales up? We'll find out in 2026. The tools are real. --------------------------------------------- #6 Cade Pohlen | Score: 43.7 | Sr. | 6'4" 230 | Windsor (DE) | @cade_pohl_fb1 --------------------------------------------- GP: 14 Sacks: 5.0 TFL: 21 Tackles: 82 (30 solo) FR: 1 | PD: 6 Per Game: 5.9 tkl/g | 0.36 sacks/g Why #6: UNC signee. CHSAA 3A All-State Second Team. And here's the part that matters most: 14 games played. Windsor went 13-1 and lost the 3A state championship to Pomona 14-17 at Canvas Stadium. Pohlen played every single game of a state runner-up season. His 5 sacks led the team, confirmed by the Greeley Tribune, and 21 TFL over 14 games shows consistent disruption across a full playoff run. 6 passes defended from a defensive end is the same kind of "wait, really?" stat we saw with Tisdall. The 82 tackles at 5.9 per game won't blow your hair back, but remember he was anchoring the defensive line for a team that allowed just 6 points per game on average. Windsor's defense was suffocating, and Pohlen was the guy setting the edge. He'll grayshirt at UNC alongside teammate John Stephens, who went First Team All-State. Pohlen was the quieter half of that duo, but make no mistake: Windsor doesn't sniff the title game without him on that line. --------------------------------------------- #7 Stellar Cook | Score: 43.7 | Sr. | 6'2" 190 | North Fork (DE) | @stellarbcook --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 Sacks: 6.0 TFL: 15 Tackles: 60 (35 solo) FF: 1 Per Game: 6.0 tkl/g | 0.60 sacks/g Why #7: First of all, yes, his name is Stellar. We are not going to pretend that's not incredible. North Fork out of Hotchkiss in the 1A Western Slope, this is small-town Colorado football at its finest. The Miners went 6-4 and made the playoffs before falling to Centauri in the first round. Cook put up 6 sacks and 15 TFL in 10 games from a lean 190-pound frame, which tells you he's winning with speed and effort rather than size. 60 tackles at 6 per game is solid production. At 1A, the competition level caveat applies, same as Knezel, but the per-game disruption is legitimate. We couldn't independently verify his stats beyond what was reported, and he didn't land on any all-state lists we found. But that's not unusual for 1A Western Slope guys who don't have the recruiting machinery behind them. Sometimes the best players in the smallest towns just play football and go home. Stellar Cook did that, and apparently did it well. --------------------------------------------- #8 Bryen Stalcup | Score: 42.8 | Jr. | 6'1" 215 | Weld Central (DE) | @bryenstalcup75 --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 Sacks: 9.0 TFL: 19 Tackles: 68 (10 solo) FR: 2 Per Game: 7.6 tkl/g | 1.00 sacks/g Why #8: A sack per game over 9 contests is legit production, and 19 TFL says this kid was living behind the line of scrimmage for Weld Central in Keenesburg. Now, we need to flag something. 10 solo tackles out of 68 total is a 14.7% solo rate, and that number is... unusual. Most defensive ends are in the 40-60% solo range. It's almost certainly a stats entry issue on the reporting side, not a reflection of how Stalcup actually plays. Assists likely got overcounted or solos undercounted somewhere along the way. It happens with small-program stat keeping. The sack and TFL numbers are the ones that jump off the page anyway, and those are harder to misreport. 9 sacks would rank him tied for 4th in this entire top 10 if taken at face value. His dad appears to be a coach at Weld Central based on the roster history, so this is a football family. As a junior, Stalcup has another year to build on what's already an impressive pass-rush resume. Just... somebody fix the solo tackle column before we get there. --------------------------------------------- #9 Jacob Martin | Score: 41.0 | Sr. | 6'4" 210 | Northglenn (DE) | @martin_jac52902 --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 Sacks: 9.5 TFL: 17 Tackles: 68 (6 solo) Per Game: 6.8 tkl/g | 0.95 sacks/g Why #9: All-Metro North League Second Team on BOTH sides of the ball, DL and TE. The kid played every snap. 9.5 sacks in 10 games is nearly a sack per game, and at 6'4" 210, he has the length to cause serious problems off the edge. 17 TFL shows consistent backfield penetration. And now the elephant in the room: 6 solo tackles out of 68 total is an 8.8% solo rate, which is essentially impossible in actual football. We're calling this a reporting issue just like Stalcup's numbers above. Northglenn's stat crew probably lumped everything into the "assisted" column. It happens. The stuff that matters, the sacks, the TFL, the all-league recognition, all check out. Martin played in the same Metro North League as Tarango (#2), who won Defensive POY, and that context helps frame where Martin fits in the hierarchy. He's a tier below Tarango but still one of the better pass rushers in that league. Fun fact: there's a Jacob Martin currently playing DE for the Washington Commanders who also grew up in Aurora. No relation that we know of, but the Colorado-to-pass-rusher pipeline continues. --------------------------------------------- #10 Colton Heimlicher | Score: 39.5 | Jr. | 6'4" 230 | Regis Jesuit (DE) | @Colton_Heim19 --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 Sacks: 7.0 TFL: 11 Tackles: 72 (30 solo) INT: 1 Per Game: 5.5 tkl/g | 0.54 sacks/g Why #10: The Heimlicher name should ring a bell at Regis Jesuit. Jake Heimlicher (Class of 2018) played DE at Penn and UCLA. Football bloodlines. Colton is building his own resume at 6'4" 230 as a junior in one of the toughest leagues in the state. 7 sacks and 72 tackles over 13 games shows durability and consistent production, even though the Raiders went 4-7 in the 5A Southern League, which featured Pine Creek, Legend, and Chaparral. Here's the honest assessment: despite 7 sacks and solid tackle numbers, Heimlicher did not make the All-Southern League teams this year. Regis Jesuit had Cade Filleman (LB), Ian Marshall (DL), and Logan Singer (DB) get all-league nods, but not Heimlicher. Coaches vote on those, and sometimes politics or team record weighs in. The Raiders' losing record might have hurt his candidacy. An INT from a defensive end is always a nice bonus, either he's reading screens or he's got hands at the line. Either way, with another year of development and presumably a better team around him, Heimlicher has the frame and production floor to be a serious 2026 prospect. The ceiling is interesting.

Literally just said this yesterday to one of you fine young men out there. But don't take it from us....

@SixZeroAcademy @sixzeroequip @davisrmoon @NickM6013 @Noyesashton @MichaelLeach303 @EverettCapehart @DevynwestF77 @kaden_myers_72 @carson_wallace @grimescaden1 @DeionSanders @CoachCasey_ @CoachDanLanning @coach_cristobal @MichaelSwitzer @coachjharding @CoachTuitele @BrandonHuffman @BlairAngulo @CoachMattRhule @BrennanMarion4 @GarinJustice @OU_CoachB @CoachZachHanson @Coach_Eck @CoachCushing @CK_KleinCollin Doing the Lord's work right here.

#OL Came to WORK this AM! @sixzeroequip @davisrmoon @NickM6013 @Noyesashton @MichaelLeach303 @EverettCapehart @DevynwestF77 @kaden_myers_72 @carson_wallace @grimescaden1 : @DeionSanders @CoachCasey_ @CoachDanLanning @coach_cristobal @MichaelSwitzer @coachjharding @CoachTuitele @KennyDillingham @adamgorney @MattT8Scouting @RobertLDavisIV

Thank you to @CoachMo_ISU for the camp invite this summer. Will be planning a trip to come showcase my abilities! @SixZeroAcademy @coachjajczyk @coach_terell

@JacksonRoper_CO Brian votes: "Red Raiders!" Colt votes: "The U because who doesn't want to live in Miami" Ben votes: Wherever they are promising the most playing time. Which is very stick in the mud. But also based.

Where’s home?

Top 2025 LB seasons Colorado High School Football | 25-26 Season Same disclaimer. Not our recruiting rankings. Not a career list. 2025 season. No Twitter, no mention. ======================================= Scoring: Tackles 25% | TFL 18% | Sacks 12% | Tkl/Game 10% | FF 10% | INTs 8% | Solo% 7% | PD 5% | FR 5% ======================================= --------------------------------------------- #1 Levi Schield | Score: 66.3 | Sr. | 6'2" 200 | Rock Canyon (OLB) | @28levischield --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 | Tackles: 112 (75 solo, 67%) | TFL: 13 | Sacks: 7.0 | INT: 1 | FF: 2 | FR: 3 Tackles/Game: 11.2 Name sounds familiar to Highlands Ranch football people? It should. Older brother Vann was the 5A South Metro MVP at Rock Canyon before heading to CSU as a running back. Levi chose violence instead of the ball-carrying gene. 112 tackles, 7 sacks (tied for the state lead among LBs), and 6 total turnovers created from an OLB on a team that went 4-6. Rock Canyon was getting outscored in league play and Schield was still averaging 11.2 tackles a game like a man trying to single-handedly drag his team to .500 through sheer will. 75 of his 112 tackles were solo (67%), meaning two-thirds of the time he was finding the ball carrier on his own. 3 fumble recoveries tells you he's always around chaos. 2 forced fumbles tells you he's causing it. The fact that he produced these numbers on a losing team is the most impressive part. There's nowhere to hide when you're losing. Schield just kept showing up. We wrote "somebody's missing something" in our first draft, then found his November tweet: CSU Pueblo offer after a visit. AGTG indeed. At 6'2" 200 with this stat line, don't be surprised if more follow. --------------------------------------------- #2 Kevin Sanchez | Score: 64.3 | Sr. | 6'0" 210 | Arvada West (LB) | @kevin_sanchez64 --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 111 (66 solo, 59%) | TFL: 12 | Sacks: 6.0 | FF: 4 | FR: 3 Tackles/Game: 9.2 Four forced fumbles. Three fumble recoveries. Seven total turnovers, none of them interceptions. Every single one came from hitting people so hard the ball came out and then being in the right place to fall on it. Dude has violent ball skills. Sanchez and teammate Jaxon Pyatt (#16) gave Arvada West two legitimate LBs in the same front. The Wildcats made the 5A playoffs and beat Grandview before falling to Mountain Vista. 6.0 sacks rank 5th among all qualifying LBs. At 6'0" 210, he's got the frame and the production that should translate. Adams State was the first to figure it out, offering Sanchez back in July after a call with Coach Kyser. First offer. At the rate he created turnovers this fall, it probably shouldn't be the last. If Schield is the best overall statistical profile, Sanchez is the best chaos agent. Ball's coming out when this kid shows up. Period. --------------------------------------------- #3 Tate Matthews | Score: 63.7 | Sr. | 6'2" 210 | Cherry Creek (OLB) | @tatewmatthews1 --------------------------------------------- GP: 14 | Tackles: 157 (55 solo, 35%) | TFL: 14 | Sacks: 4.0 | INT: 3 | FR: 3 Tackles/Game: 11.2 157 tackles. State leader. On a team that went 14-0 and won the 5A state championship. Let that marinate. You know what's hard to do? Lead the entire state in tackles while playing for Cherry Creek, a program so deep they rotate guys like an NBA bench. The Bruins beat a nationally-ranked Skyridge team from Utah, survived Valor Christian trailing in the fourth quarter of the semis, then blasted Ralston Valley 56-28 in the title game at Canvas Stadium. Matthews was there for all of it. Sacked Ralston Valley's QB on the final play of the first quarter. Recovered a fumble on the literal last play of the Valor semifinal after Creek sent both OLBs on a blitz. Threw in a pick-six against Skyridge. Just because he could. The 35% solo rate is low, but Cherry Creek's defense is a swarm. Everyone's around the ball because Dave Logan coaches it that way. Four-year varsity guy. State champion. The argument for #1 is legitimate. We just weighted sack production higher. Nobody should be mad about that, least of all Matthews, who's polishing a ring. --------------------------------------------- #4 Elian Oliva | Score: 63.6 | Sr. | 6'2" 180 | Northfield (OLB) | @elianolivafb --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 114 (47 solo, 41%) | TFL: 15 | Sacks: 7.0 | INT: 3 | FF: 2 | FR: 1 Tackles/Game: 9.5 2025 Denver Post Gold Helmet Award winner. Air Force commit. 5.02 weighted GPA. Co-founded his school's UNICEF chapter. Youth flag football coach. Placed 2nd at the 5A state track meet in the 300m hurdles. Has a twin brother. Also got kicked off a JV scrimmage field as a sophomore because the camp directors at CSU Pueblo decided he was too physical for the other teams. His coach told the Denver Post they "said it just wasn't safe." 250 career tackles. 7 sacks this season (tied state lead among LBs). 15 TFL. 3 INTs. All-Colorado selection. First DPS player to win the Gold Helmet since Marcus Houston. The gap between his score (63.6) and Matthews (63.7) is a rounding error. He showed up brand new to the sport as a freshman with zero youth football background, and four years later he won the Gold Helmet. That's not a stat line. That's a movie script. --------------------------------------------- #5 Lincoln Hageman | Score: 57.9 | Sr. | 6'3" 205 | Erie (MLB) | @LincolnHageman --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 123 (73 solo, 59%) | TFL: 17 | Sacks: 3.0 | INT: 1 | FF: 1 | PD: 3 Tackles/Game: 10.2 "Last year, it was just being on the side of my brother Carson Hageman. He was the best linebacker. I just learned everything from him and then this year, I get to execute by myself." That quote came after he singlehandedly dismantled Broomfield (then #1 in 4A) with a 49-yard receiving catch, a sack, and a 30-yard pick-six. Same game. From a linebacker. He also caught 12 passes for 258 yards and 2 TDs on the season because linebackers catching deep balls is apparently what the Hageman family does. Brother Carson was a 247Sports-rated LB and back-to-back Times-Call Defensive Player of the Year. Lincoln signed with Northern Colorado in the early signing period, which feels like a steal. 123 tackles, 17 TFL (5th in the state), double-digit per game, and he can line up on offense if you need him. The Hageman Pipeline at Erie is real. Somebody check if there's a younger one coming. --------------------------------------------- #6 Abel Flowers | Score: 57.0 | Sr. | 6'1" 200 | Buena Vista (MLB) | @AbelFlowers75 --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 | Tackles: 113 (53 solo, 47%) | TFL: 21 | Sacks: 2.0 | INT: 4 | FF: 1 Tackles/Game: 8.7 21 TFL. State leader among linebackers. Not second. Not tied for first. First, outright, by two. Buena Vista went 12-1, beat Limon during the regular season for the first time in program history, and made the 1A championship game before losing to those same Badgers 14-10 at CSU Pueblo. Coach Flavin told the local paper that defense was "by far the biggest highlight" after the regular-season Limon win. He didn't name Flowers. He didn't need to. 113 tackles. 21 TFL. 4 interceptions from a middle linebacker. At 1A, where the run game IS the offense, getting behind the line 21 times means you're diagnosing plays faster than the opposing QB. The 4 picks are absurd for a LB. That's coverage instinct you don't teach. The Flowers family has stocked the BV roster for years (brother Elijah, cousin Tam). Abel's the one who put the defense on his back for a title-game run. He also punts for the Demons, because small-school football is beautiful like that. --------------------------------------------- #7 Chase Richie | Score: 57.2 | Jr. | 6'1" 203 | Castle View (LB) | @Chase_Richie12 --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 | Tackles: 54 (36 solo, 67%) | TFL: 15 | Sacks: 5.5 | INT: 1 | FF: 4 | FR: 2 | PD: 3 Tackles/Game: 5.4 Let's address the elephant: 54 tackles from a top-10 linebacker looks thin. We know. Chase Richie does not care, because he was too busy creating 7 turnovers and living in the opposing backfield. 15 TFL. 5.5 sacks. 4 forced fumbles (tied state lead). 2 fumble recoveries. 1 INT. 3 PD. He's essentially playing DE from a standup position, which means his "tackles" metric is misleading. He's not flowing sideline to sideline making arm tackles; he's blowing up plays at the point of attack and creating chaos. Per-game disruption: 1.5 TFL, 0.55 sacks, 0.7 turnovers created. That's a havoc rate most college edge rushers would envy. And he's a junior. Castle View returns him next year. Offensive coordinators in the 5A South Metro have approximately 8 months to figure out how to account for him. Good luck. --------------------------------------------- #8 Titan Williams | Score: 56.9 | So. | 6'0" 205 | Grand Junction (LB) | @Titan45Williams --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 95 (64 solo, 67%) | TFL: 9 | Sacks: 6.5 | INT: 1 | FF: 4 Tackles/Game: 7.9 A sophomore. With 6.5 sacks. And 4 forced fumbles. At Grand Junction. The Tigers went 9-3 and made the 4A second round, and the fact that a 10th grader was their most disruptive defensive player tells you everything about where this program is headed. Titan Williams (and yes, that is his actual name, which is either the greatest coincidence or the greatest act of parental foresight in Colorado football naming history) is 205 pounds as a sophomore with two more years to add weight and terrorize the Western Slope. 67% solo rate. 4 forced fumbles tied for the state lead. 6.5 sacks rank 4th among all qualifying LBs, and he's younger than half the JV huddle at most 5A schools. If he adds 20 pounds and keeps this trajectory, we're talking consensus top-3 LB as a senior. Bookmark this one. Come back in 2027. --------------------------------------------- #9 Wyatt Chase | Score: 55.7 | Sr. | 5'10" 210 | Highland (LB) | @chasewyatt33398 --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 | Tackles: 130 (69 solo, 53%) | TFL: 18 | Sacks: 3.0 | PD: 1 Tackles/Game: 13.0 The Chase family doesn't do football casually. Wyatt was captain and standout LB/RB at Highland. Dad Matt was the assistant coach. Twin sophomore sisters Vivi and Lucy were the team's kickers. Dad played at Wyoming on a football scholarship. Mom played soccer at Wyoming on a scholarship. They met rehabbing injuries in the athletic facility. Matt jokes they met in "rehab." Christine doesn't find it funny. We do. 130 tackles in 10 games is 13.0 per game, 2nd in the state. 18 TFL ranks 3rd among all LBs. At 5'10" 210, he's a bowling ball with a motor. The zero interceptions and zero forced fumbles is the only thing keeping him out of the top 5. The disruption is there (18 TFL!), the volume is absurd (13 per game!), but the turnover production just isn't. Oh, and he's a state title contender in wrestling this winter. Because the Chase family gene pool doesn't produce people who sit still. --------------------------------------------- #10 Jared Ibarra | Score: 54.5 | Sr. | 6'1" 220 | Pine Creek (LB) | @jared_ibarra11 --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 | Tackles: 135 (34 solo, 25%) | TFL: 11 | Sacks: 5.0 | INT: 1 | FF: 1 | FR: 1 Tackles/Game: 10.4 135 tackles. Second in the state behind only Matthews. At Pine Creek against legitimate 4A competition, game after game, for 13 straight weeks. The 25% solo tackle rate is the lowest in the top 10 by a wide margin. 101 of 135 were assists. That's a lot of cleanup. But Pine Creek's defense was built to funnel everything to Ibarra's zone. When you're the guy the scheme is designed around, you're going to get a lot of "I was there too" credit. The 5.0 sacks validate that he's generating his own pressure, not just arriving after someone else started it. 10.4 tackles per game over 13 games is pure consistency. You don't accidentally stumble into 135 tackles. At 6'1" 220, he's got college size already. --------------------------------------------- #11 Kaden Souders | Score: 54.2 | Sr. | 6'1" 200 | Fort Collins (LB) | @KadenSouders --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 | Tackles: 81 (47 solo, 58%) | TFL: 8 | Sacks: 3.0 | INT: 6 | FF: 3 | FR: 1 | PD: 2 Tackles/Game: 8.1 Six interceptions. STATE LEADER. From a linebacker. Add 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery and you're looking at 10 total turnovers created. Most of any player on this list regardless of ranking. 10 turnovers in 10 games. One per game. From a linebacker. The tackle total (81) is the lowest among the top 11, and the 8 TFL doesn't jump off the page. But if we were picking one player from this list to personally guarantee a defensive turnover in a must-win game, it's Souders and it's not close. The guy is a ball magnet. Fort Collins doesn't make its playoff run without him creating chaos on a weekly basis. --------------------------------------------- #12 Nico Mavromat | Score: 53.5 | Jr. | 5'10" 180 | Cherokee Trail (LB) | @nicomavromat --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 | Tackles: 122 (82 solo, 67%) | TFL: 8 | Sacks: 3.0 | INT: 1 | FF: 1 | FR: 2 | PD: 2 Tackles/Game: 11.1 122 tackles. 82 solo. 67% solo rate. At 5'10" 180. Cherokee Trail's defense was basically Nico Mavromat in a trench coat pretending to be an entire unit. 11.1 tackles per game (double digits as a junior) and two-thirds of them he made by himself. That solo rate means he's reading the play, getting to the ball carrier, and finishing without help. At 180 pounds, he's doing it with technique and instincts, not brute force. And he's a junior. If he comes back at 195-200 with the same motor, the top 5 is wide open. --------------------------------------------- #13 Oliver Clark | Score: 52.0 | Sr. | 6'3" 170 | Durango (LB) | @OliverClark8689 --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 65 (42 solo, 65%) | TFL: 19 | Sacks: 4.0 | FF: 4 Tackles/Game: 5.4 19 TFL and 4 forced fumbles from a 6'3" 170-pound linebacker. How is a kid built like a wide receiver getting behind the line 19 times and stripping the ball 4 times? He shouldn't be winning physical battles at that weight. He's winning mental ones: anticipation, angles, timing. 65 tackles is the tradeoff. He's not a volume tackler. He's a surgical striker. 19 TFL means nearly a third of his total tackles happened behind the line of scrimmage. Most LBs are happy at 10%. Clark is at 29%. At 6'3", if he puts on 30 pounds, that frame is legitimately intriguing. --------------------------------------------- #14 Mikey Orawiec | Score: 50.5 | Sr. | 6'1" 155 | Colorado Springs Christian (LB) | @MikeyOrawiec --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 | Tackles: 121 (42 solo, 35%) | TFL: 4 | Sacks: 0 | INT: 4 | FF: 4 Tackles/Game: 13.4 State leader in tackles per game. 4 INTs. 4 forced fumbles. Leads his team in tackles, receiving yards, AND total touchdowns. Played through a broken foot. At 155 pounds. He's the backbone of Colorado Springs Christian on both sides of the ball, and when he went down with a concussion in the first-round playoff loss to Monte Vista, his coach told the Gazette "you could tell when he went out, people were dejected." The Lions lost 21-0 after being in the game at halftime. An O-lineman broke his thumb in that game. Another tore a bicep. Their starting RB had already torn an ACL before the season. Orawiec knelt on the turf and prayed after the loss. That detail matters more than any stat on this page. 13.4 tackles per game is the highest rate on this entire list. 8 total turnovers is second only to Souders' 10. Different archetype than everyone else here. Not a pass rusher. Just a 155-pound ball magnet who refuses to stop moving until the whistle blows. --------------------------------------------- #15 Everett Sawyer | Score: 50.2 | Sr. | 5'11" 190 | Falcon (MLB) | @EverettSawyer32 --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 | Tackles: 104 (60 solo, 58%) | TFL: 11 | Sacks: 2.5 | INT: 1 | FF: 2 | PD: 1 Tackles/Game: 11.6 104 tackles in 9 games. 11.6 per game, top-5 in the state. 58% solo rate, 11 TFL, 2.5 sacks. No one stat screams "elite," but nothing's missing either. That's the profile of a true middle linebacker: show up, make the tackle, get back in the huddle, do it again. Eleven times a game. For nine straight weeks. Not flashy. Not a highlight reel guy. Just consistent, relentless production from the QB of the defense. --------------------------------------------- #16 Jaxon Pyatt | Score: 48.2 | Sr. | 6'2" 225 | Arvada West (MLB) | @jaxonpyatt --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 110 (56 solo, 51%) | TFL: 11 | Sacks: 4.0 | INT: 1 | FR: 1 | PD: 1 Tackles/Game: 9.2 The other half of the Arvada West LB duo with Kevin Sanchez (#2). When your MLB puts up 110 tackles and 4 sacks next to a running mate who has 111 tackles and 6 sacks, that's a defensive coordinator's dream. Pyatt was the anchor while Sanchez was the chaos agent, and together they gave the Wildcats one of the more productive LB tandems in 5A. At 6'2" 225, he's the biggest linebacker in the top 20. That frame paired with 4.0 sacks says he can hold the point of attack AND rush the passer. Not the flashiest guy on the field (that was Sanchez's job), but the one who made sure nothing got through the middle. --------------------------------------------- #17 Dylan Cooper | Score: 48.1 | Jr. | 5'9" 155 | Pueblo East (MLB) | @DylanCooper_17 --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 | Tackles: 101 (28 solo, 28%) | TFL: 15 | Sacks: 1.5 | INT: 1 | FF: 2 Tackles/Game: 11.2 Not sure what it is lately with the kicker/LB crew. Is there some LB club that's like "No one covers the kicker on KO, free full field sprint at a small kick returner, ok in for that." 101 tackles and 15 TFL in 9 games from a 5'9" 155-pound junior. Not a typo. 155 pounds. With 15 tackles for loss. We're not entirely sure how a kid who weighs less than most running backs is getting into the backfield 15 times, but Cooper is doing it at Pueblo East and nobody's figured out how to stop it. 11.2 tackles per game is elite, and the 15 TFL ranks T-6th among all qualifying LBs. As a junior, if he adds 15-20 pounds without losing the speed that makes him a TFL machine, the top 10 is in play. Pueblo football doesn't get enough attention. Cooper is one reason it should. --------------------------------------------- #18 Cole Rueschhoff | Score: 47.9 | Jr. | 5'10" 203 | Cheyenne Mountain (MLB) | @ColeRueschhoff --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 | Tackles: 75 (58 solo, 77%) | TFL: 12 | Sacks: 3.0 | FF: 1 | FR: 3 | PD: 2 Tackles/Game: 7.5 77% solo tackle rate. Highest on this list. When Rueschhoff makes a tackle, he's making it alone. 58 out of 75 unassisted. That's a guy who reads the play, gets to the spot, and finishes. No help needed. 12 TFL and 3 sacks add disruption. 3 fumble recoveries. The tackle volume is lower than the guys above him, which is why the formula puts him at 18. But that solo percentage is genuinely remarkable. As a junior, the instincts are already there. The volume should climb. --------------------------------------------- #19 Bo Eves | Score: 47.6 | Sr. | N/A | North Fork (MLB) | @bo_eves --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 | Tackles: 74 (38 solo, 51%) | TFL: 10 | Sacks: 7.0 | INT: 1 | FF: 1 | FR: 1 Tackles/Game: 8.2 7 sacks. Tied for the state lead among linebackers. From North Fork. We don't have his height and weight because apparently nobody bothered to record it, which feels appropriate for a kid from Hotchkiss who's quietly co-leading the state in sacks from a middle linebacker position. North Fork is 1A, where most teams run the ball 80% of the time. Those 7 sacks came on probably 50-60 total pass plays. Think about that rate for a second. 74 tackles and 10 TFL are solid floor numbers. The 7 sacks from a 1A MLB are the story. That's a kid getting to the QB on sheer athletic ability. --------------------------------------------- #20 Cade Filleman | Score: 46.3 | Jr. | 6'3" 195 | Regis Jesuit (LB) | @CadeFilleman --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 | Tackles: 117 (78 solo, 67%) | TFL: 10 | Sacks: 0.5 | INT: 2 | PD: 3 Tackles/Game: 10.6 117 tackles (9th in the state). 78 solo. 67% solo rate. 10.6 per game. CHSAA All-State. Plays both ways (WR/LB). What keeps him at #20: 0.5 sacks in 11 games is essentially zero pass rush. But the coverage numbers (2 INTs, 3 PD) and the tackle volume suggest a rover who happens to make 10+ tackles a game. At 6'3", his length in coverage is a real asset. Returns next year as a senior with 117 tackles on the resume. If the sacks climb even slightly, we're talking top-5 candidate in 2026. --------------------------------------------- #21 Josh Gonsalves | Score: 45.4 | Sr. | 5'10" 172 | Mead (MLB) | @JoshGonsalves11 --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 | Tackles: 131 (67 solo, 51%) | TFL: 7 | Sacks: 1.0 | FF: 1 | FR: 1 | PD: 1 Tackles/Game: 10.9 131 tackles. Third in the entire state. Only Matthews (157) and Ibarra (135) had more. At 5'10" 172, Gonsalves is doing it on technique, motor, and instinct. 7 TFL and 1 sack is where the formula dings him. He's making tackles at or past the line, not behind it. But 131 tackles at 172 pounds is a kid who was in on nearly every snap for 12 games and simply refused to let ballcarriers get past him. Dude literally will chase guys down from 20 yards away. One part anger, one part determination, one part hammer. --------------------------------------------- #22 Brady Swigert | Score: 43.9 | Sr. | 200 | Rocky Mountain (OLB) | @Bradyswigert08 --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 | Tackles: 123 (58 solo, 47%) | TFL: 6 | Sacks: 2.0 | FF: 1 | FR: 1 Tackles/Game: 11.2 123 tackles, 5th in the state. 11.2 per game, tied with Schield and Matthews. From Rocky Mountain against legitimate 5A Front Range competition every week. The issue: 6 TFL and 2 sacks in 11 games. He's making tackles, but at or past the line of scrimmage, not behind it. There's a difference between tackling a RB 3 yards into the secondary and 2 yards behind the LOS. Both count as tackles. Only one changes the play. That said, 123 tackles is 123 tackles. He was everywhere for the Lobos. --------------------------------------------- #23 Dakota Rich | Score: 43.8 | Sr. | 6'3" 220 | Valor Christian (LB) | @DakotaRich16_ --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 | Tackles: 86 (37 solo, 43%) | TFL: 9 | Sacks: 3.0 | INT: 2 | FR: 1 | PD: 5 Tackles/Game: 6.6 5 passes defended is the highest mark on this list for a LB. Combined with 2 INTs, that's 7 coverage plays. Rich is essentially a safety who lines up at LB for Valor Christian. At 6'3" 220, that coverage ability in a linebacker frame is the kind of thing college DCs perk up for. Valor went 11-2, made the 5A semis, and had Cherry Creek on the ropes in Q4 before the Bruins escaped 21-13. Rich played all 13 games of a deep playoff run for one of the state's bluebloods. --------------------------------------------- #24 Emmitt Munson | Score: 43.3 | Sr. | 6'0" 175 | Pomona (LB) | @emmittmunson4 --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 | Tackles: 95 (66 solo, 69%) | TFL: 11 | Sacks: 2.0 | FF: 2 Tackles/Game: 7.3 Dude can do just about anything. But usually whatever he chooses involves violence. Just watch him in a wrestling mat. 69% solo rate. 11 TFL. On a Pomona team that won the 3A state championship on a last-second field goal against Windsor. 95 tackles in 13 games. The 69% solo rate tells you he's making plays independently. At 175 he's light for a LB but clearly plays bigger than listed. You don't rack up 11 TFL at 175 without elite speed or elite instincts, and probably both. Munson doesn't have the flashiest numbers on this list, but he has the one thing nobody else except Matthews can claim: a ring. --------------------------------------------- #25 Terrance Jones jr | Score: 43.0 | Jr. | 5'11" 195 | Rangeview (MLB) | @TerranceJonesjr --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 | Tackles: 105 (31 solo, 30%) | TFL: 18 | Sacks: 0 | PD: 1 Tackles/Game: 10.5 18 TFL. Third in the state. At Rangeview, against 5A Metro offensive lines. The profile: 105 tackles and 18 TFL, but zero sacks, zero INTs, zero forced fumbles. Jones is a pure run-stuffer. He finds the ball, gets to the ball, makes the play behind the line. 18 of his 105 tackles (17%) were for loss, which is an elite disruption rate. As a junior, if he adds any pass rush or turnover production, the top 10 is in reach. 18 TFL is not a fluke. That's a kid who knows where the play is going before the running back does.

Thanks @PrepZoneCO for recognizing our 🐐🐐in @Toray_Davis21 and @Sebastian_Rutt2. These guys are playing both ways at an ELITE level in 5A football. This will continue in 2026 @OttColton30144 @TommyBauer09 @CashinF60197 @StevenCoBrown12 will continue the tradition.

@FairviewfbBoCo @Toray_Davis21 @Sebastian_Rutt2 @OttColton30144 @TommyBauer09 @CashinF60197 @StevenCoBrown12 You telling us you have more wingrunningtailbackreceivers up your sleeve? That's scary.

* No twitter, no rank, no mention so if you were a stud and you weren't on here, best let us know your twitter.

PrepZone Colorado Top 25ish defensive back performances for 2025 Colorado High School Football | 25-26 Season As per the others, this is 2025 performance NOT RECRUITMENT OR RANKINGS. ======================================= Scoring: INTs 20-30% | PD 16-22% | Tackles 12-14% | Coverage Plays 10% | INT Yds 10% | Turnovers 8% | TFL 7% | FF 7% ======================================= --------------------------------------------- #1 Cameron Bell | Score: 68.7 | Sr. | 5'10" 162 | Eaglecrest (DB) | @CameronBell2008 --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 INTs: 3 (T-16th, top 20) PD: 14 (STATE LEADER) INT Yds: 113 (top 3) Tackles: 102 (47 solo) [top 3] TFL: 9 (top 3) FF: 1 | FR: 2 Per Game: 0.25 INT/g | 8.5 tkl/g | 1.2 PD/g Why #1: Three picks doesn't jump off the page until you realize quarterbacks stopped throwing his direction sometime around Week 4. 14 passes defended - most in the state - tells you why. And when he's the top returner in the state if you get picked, its probably getting housed. That's not a stat you accumulate by accident; that's a stat you accumulate by living in passing lanes. 113 INT return yards. 102 tackles at DB is borderline absurd - that's linebacker production from a 162-pound corner. 9 TFL means he's not just patrolling the secondary, he's showing up uninvited in the backfield. The 5A level only makes it more ridiculous. This is the most complete DB season we tracked in the state this year, and it wasn't particularly close. We even included a video of him high pointing a ball because....well, if you want to know what a good high point pick looks like, this is it. Helps when you can jump a solid 3 feet in the air too. --------------------------------------------- #2 Vince Basham | Score: 55.6 | Jr. | 6'1" | Chaparral (DB) | @V1nceBashan --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 INTs: 5 (T-8th, top 10) PD: 10 (top 5) INT Yds: 100 (top 5) Tackles: 44 (26 solo) [top 20] FF: 1 Per Game: 0.50 INT/g | 4.4 tkl/g | 1.0 PD/g [INT rate: top 10] Why #2: First thing on his defensive highlight: playing single high safety, sniffs out an RPO and jumps into the hook zone for a pick. Thats nasty. Five picks and 10 PD in 10 games at Chaparral. That's a takeaway or coverage win on 1.5 plays per game. The 100 INT return yards tell you he's not just catching the ball - he's already running before the quarterback finishes his regret. 15 total coverage plays ranks 2nd in the state. Oh, and he's a junior. Offensive coordinators across 5A should be circling his name on their "do not test" list for 2026. Was already on our top 30 2025 seasons for WR, guess add DB to the list. -------------------------------------------- #3 A.J. Schlachter | Score: 53.6 | Sr. | 6'0" 195 | Grand Junction (FS) | @ajschlacht41502 -------------------------------------------- GP: 12 INTs: 6 (T-3rd, top 3) PD: 9 (top 10) INT Yds: 0 Tackles: 64 (49 solo) [top 10] TFL: 4 (top 10) FR: 1 Per Game: 0.50 INT/g | 5.3 tkl/g | 0.8 PD/g [INT rate: top 10] Why #3: Not sure we are buying 195lbs for AJ because he looks like a 215lb wall on tape. Six interceptions from the free safety spot at Grand Junction. pounds of Western Slope ball-hawking. The zero INT return yards is mildly hilarious because we watched him run over about 8 guys on the two we watched. How many yards? Who knows. but its not 0. 15 total coverage plays ties for 2nd in the state. 64 tackles with 49 solo tells you he doesn't need help finishing. 4 TFL from the deep safety? That's a guy reading the run and closing with intent. Or Trigger as his highlights call it. hey @AjSchlacht41502 update your hudl its showing 2024. One last note about him, special teams coaches dream. Guy can play WR, DB, and on special teams he absolutely obliterates gunners. If you put your 140 lb speed guy out there he might end up in the stands. Oh he's their punter too. He probably makes all their equipment by hand too. Ridiculous. --------------------------------------------- #4 Marcus Munoz | Score: 53.3 | Jr. | 6'0" 150 | Coal Ridge (DB) | @MacusMunozs3 --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 INTs: 8 (T-1st in state) PD: 4 INT Yds: 217 (STATE LEADER) Tackles: 16 (9 solo) Per Game: 0.89 INT/g | 1.8 tkl/g | 0.4 PD/g [INT rate: STATE LEADER] Why #4: Eight interceptions in nine games. Read that again. 217 INT return yards leads every DB in Colorado - he's not just picking you off, he's making you watch him score with your football. 16 tackles tells you he's out there to steal. A pure coverage specialist who turns opponents' best-designed plays into his personal highlight reel. 0.89 picks per game - basically one per outing. Still a junior. If Coal Ridge quarterbacks threw to him on offense this much, he'd be their leading receiver too. Oh wait he is. Once he has the ball in his hands he's like a matador. Ability to zone cut is off the charts. If he was 200 lbs he might be top 5 RB in the state. Beast. --------------------------------------------- #5 Toray Davis | Score: 53.0 | Sr. | 6'2" 180 | Fairview (FS) | @Toray_Davis21 --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 INTs: 6 (T-3rd, top 3) PD: 7 (top 20) INT Yds: 34 (top 20) Tackles: 56 (29 solo) [top 20] TFL: 3 (top 20) FF: 1 Per Game: 0.50 INT/g | 4.7 tkl/g | 0.6 PD/g [INT rate: top 10] Why #5: Dude was already on another top list, talk about a freak. Six picks from a 6'2" free safety at Fairview - that's the kind of frame and production that makes college coaches start returning calls. Oh wait they already did, he signed with TEXAS. 7 PD on top of that. 7 total turnovers created when you add the forced fumble. 56 tackles and 3 TFL show he's not floating around back there waiting for the ball to come to him. He's a willing tackler who happens to have elite ball skills. The 5A production is the cherry on top. --------------------------------------------- #6 Malachi Barros | Score: 50.7 | Sr. | 6'0" 155 | Eagle Valley (CB) | @malachibarros --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 INTs: 8 (T-1st in state) PD: 4 INT Yds: 2 Tackles: 38 (22 solo) FF: 1 | FR: 1 Per Game: 0.73 INT/g | 3.5 tkl/g | 0.4 PD/g [INT rate: top 3] Why #6: Co-leader in the state with 8 interceptions. 2 INT return yards. Two. That's either the most unlucky man in Colorado or he's catching every pick at the sideline with one toe on the chalk. 10 total turnovers created when you add the forced fumble and recovery - the kid is a possession thief. 0.73 picks per game is an elite clip. Eagle Valley doesn't get the spotlight that Front Range programs do, but Barros made sure the film spoke for itself. How fast can this guy make up ground? Go look about 1:32 into his hudl film (hudl.com/video/3/195515…) --------------------------------------------- #7 Andrew Miller | Score: 50.3 | Sr. | 6'1" 170 | Windsor (FS) | @drewmiller191 --------------------------------------------- GP: 14 INTs: 6 (T-3rd, top 3) PD: 7 (top 20) INT Yds: 71 (top 10) Tackles: 58 (26 solo) [top 20] TFL: 1 FR: 1 Per Game: 0.43 INT/g | 4.1 tkl/g | 0.5 PD/g [INT rate: top 20] Why #7: The guy has great ball skills and we will get to that in a sec but first things first. He is the hammer, you are the nail. If he made any soft tackles we did not see them. 170 lbs should not punish so hard. Six picks over a full 14-game season at Windsor - that means he was doing this deep into the playoffs when the competition tightens up. 71 INT return yards. 7 PD. 58 tackles. He's tall, he's got good hands, he hits like a truck - just basically a free safety who shows up every Friday and takes something from you. They won state for 3A. No short-season inflation here. No offers (that we could find, except PWO for UNC) is criminal. Criminal. --------------------------------------------- #8 Seth Gregory | Score: 47.3 | Sr. | 6'1" 170 | Dakota Ridge (DB) | @SethGregory1113 --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 INTs: 5 (T-8th, top 10) PD: 9 (top 10) INT Yds: 69 (top 10) Tackles: 29 (24 solo) TFL: 2 Per Game: 0.38 INT/g | 2.2 tkl/g | 0.7 PD/g [INT rate: top 20] Why #8: 140 pounds is what he's listed at on Maxpreps. It's a lie. 170 might even be a lie. Hes throwing guys down every other play. Let's just acknowledge that up front. Seth Gregory is out here competing in 4A football at the weight of a strong gust of wind, is what they're selling you and instead you get a 6'1 170ish lockdown with 5 picks and 9 PD. 14 total coverage plays across 13 games. 24 of his 29 tackles are solo - he doesn't need help getting guys to the ground. Whether they get the ball or not. There are TEs on his tape getting thrown around like rag dolls. Ball skills are legit. Honestly, whole reason he doesn't have more INT is because he on dudes like white on rice. Consistently matched up in the slot and they can't even hit flats against him. --------------------------------------------- #9 Sabi Ruttgers | Score: 47.0 | Sr. | 5'10" 170 | Fairview (DB) | @Sebastian_Rutt2 --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 INTs: 2 (T-19th, top 20) PD: 12 (top 3) INT Yds: 80 (top 10) Tackles: 59 (31 solo) [top 20] TFL: 6 (top 5) Per Game: 0.17 INT/g | 4.9 tkl/g | 1.0 PD/g Why #9: We let Colton write this one since he is an unabashed @FairviewfbBoCo fan. Unedited because, why not: First of all my dawg of dawgs. TD and Sabi is the best 1-2 safety duo in the state and its not even like debatable. This isn't defense but look what a dawg he is. hudl.com/v/2TD0fW Can't defend that on offense or defense. The dawgness. 12 passes defended, 2nd in the state. He's playing a deep third one game posted about 10 deep and freaking yoinks a flat and houses it. Bro is too fast for your receivers and he's just straight nasty. Watched his trash the field all year now he's gonna go savage on dudes down at the blo. Hes repping 500 lb hack squats at 175. He is HIM. --------------------------------------------- #10 Mason Godshall | Score: 46.5 | So. | 5'8" 150 | Cheyenne Mountain (CB) | @GodshallMason --------------------------------------------- GP: 9 INTs: 5 (T-8th, top 10) PD: 6 (top 20) INT Yds: 110 (top 5) Tackles: 51 (35 solo) [top 20] TFL: 5 (top 10) Per Game: 0.56 INT/g | 5.7 tkl/g | 0.7 PD/g [INT rate: top 5] Why #10: A sophomore. 5'8", 150 pounds, putting up 5 picks, 110 INT return yards, and 51 tackles in 9 games. 5 TFL at corner as a 10th grader is genuinely strange in the best way. 0.56 INTs per game is a top-5 rate. 35 of 51 tackles are solo. He's tiny, productive, and has two full seasons left. If you're a 4A offensive coordinator, you've got two more years of this to look forward to. Good luck. Side note, he probably should have gone in our LBs category because they definitely played him more LB than nickel but whatever. Take a top 10 spot because if you pick off a ball intended for a 6'4 receiver you're playing DB style ball anyway. Not going to lie though, maybe the worst intro to a song for a highlight real we have ever heard. Colt wanted to stop film and play tetris. But we love you anyway Mason. --------------------------------------------- #11 Camden Davis | Score: 43.1 | Jr. | N/A 180 | Resurrection Christian (SS) | @Camden_davis12 --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 INTs: 6 (T-3rd, top 3) PD: 4 INT Yds: 40 (top 20) Tackles: 38 (23 solo) TFL: 6 (top 5) FR: 1 Per Game: 0.60 INT/g | 3.8 tkl/g | 0.4 PD/g [INT rate: top 3] Why #11: Debatable if he goes on the LB or DB list but the man is straight up the defensive patron saint of the curl flat. Six picks from the strong safety spot at Resurrection Christian. 0.60 per game is a top-3 rate in the state. 6 TFL from a safety says he's reading the run like a linebacker but covering like a DB. The tackle numbers aren't huge, but when you're picking off 6 passes, you're making your impact in a different column. A junior with this kind of instinct has room to climb. If the PD numbers tick up next year, he's in the conversation for the top 5. Note to QBs probably don't try and throw that flat. Just saying. --------------------------------------------- #12 Moise Toure | Score: 42.0 | Jr. | 6'2" 180 | Denver East (CB) | @Built4Lock --------------------------------------------- GP: 6 INTs: 3 (T-16th, top 20) PD: 10 (top 5) INT Yds: 53 (top 20) Tackles: 45 (27 solo) [top 20] TFL: 2 (top 20) Per Game: 0.50 INT/g | 7.5 tkl/g | 1.7 PD/g [INT rate: top 10] Why #12: Six games. That's it. Moise Toure played six games and still cracked the top 5 in PD with 10. Do the per-game math: half a pick, 7.5 tackles, and 1.7 PD per outing. Over a full 12-game season at that rate, you're looking at 6 INTs, 90 tackles, and 20 PD. That's a fantasy stat line. The handle @Built4Lock might be the most honest recruiting account name in the state. 6'2" corner at Denver East with those ball skills and a full senior year ahead? Someone's getting a problem they can't scheme around. If someone teaches this man how to get hands on in press, whole league is screwed. --------------------------------------------- #13 Donovan Nesladek | Score: 39.8 | Sr. | 5'10" 165 | Broomfield (S) | @NesladekDonovan --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 INTs: 5 (T-8th, top 10) PD: 5 (top 20) INT Yds: 12 (top 20) Tackles: 62 (39 solo) [top 10] TFL: 3 (top 20) Per Game: 0.42 INT/g | 5.2 tkl/g | 0.4 PD/g [INT rate: top 20] Why #13: How many guys can make a one handed supinated pick? This guy can. Five picks and 62 tackles at Broomfield. He's your classic do-everything safety - picks off passes, gets downhill in run support, finishes tackles. 39 of 62 are solo. He's not riding cleanup crew; he's the first one there. 12 INT return yards means he's catching picks in traffic, not in open space - which honestly makes 5 of them more impressive. Quiet production at a 4A program that deserves a second look. --------------------------------------------- #14 Easton Krasuski | Score: 38.2 | So. | 5'10" 150 | Windsor (DB) | @EastonKrasuski --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 INTs: 4 (T-13th, top 20) PD: 7 (top 20) INT Yds: 59 (top 10) Tackles: 38 (16 solo) Per Game: 0.31 INT/g | 2.9 tkl/g | 0.5 PD/g [INT rate: top 20] Why #14: This one is qualitative as much as quantitative. There's a plan where there is motion, he's at the numbers, moves in when #2 motions away, tells everyone else what to look for and then 2 seconds later breaks to the middle and picks the ball off. Insane football IQ. Windsor's second DB on this list - and he's a sophomore. 4 picks and 7 PD across a 13-game playoff run. He's in the same secondary as Andrew Miller (#7), which means opposing QBs had no safe windows. 59 INT return yards says he's making things happen after the catch. Two more years of development in a program that clearly knows how to produce defensive backs. The trajectory here is the story. --------------------------------------------- #15 Diego Gamez | Score: 37.3 | Sr. | 6'2" 155 | Coal Ridge (CB) | @diegogamez1_ --------------------------------------------- GP: 8 INTs: 4 (T-13th, top 20) PD: 6 (top 20) INT Yds: 30 (top 20) Tackles: 21 (16 solo) FF: 1 Per Game: 0.50 INT/g | 2.6 tkl/g | 0.8 PD/g [INT rate: top 10] Why #15: The other half of Coal Ridge's secondary alongside Munoz (#4). Four picks and 6 PD in only 8 games. At 6'2" with a half-pick-per-game rate, Gamez has the frame and the production. 10 total coverage plays in 8 games is efficient. Imagine being an opposing OC game-planning for Coal Ridge and realizing both outside corners are on this list. At some point you just run the ball and pray. --------------------------------------------- #16 Tanner Guthrie | Score: 37.1 | Sr. | 5'10" 185 | Heritage (SS) | @Tanner_Guth --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 INTs: 1 PD: 10 (top 5) INT Yds: 10 Tackles: 83 (51 solo) [top 5] TFL: 2 (top 20) FR: 2 Per Game: 0.08 INT/g | 6.4 tkl/g | 0.8 PD/g Why #16: One interception. That's it. He's still #16 because 83 tackles and 10 PD from a strong safety at Heritage is violent production. 51 solo tackles - more than most linebackers in 4A. 10 PD ties for 4th in the state. The 1 INT with 10 PD ratio is fascinating - he's in position to pick off everything but apparently prefers to just slap the ball into the stands. Two fumble recoveries round it out. This is a tone-setter, not a stat-chaser. --------------------------------------------- #17 Miguel Chavez | Score: 36.7 | So. | 5'8" 150 | Denver East (S) | @chavezmig7 --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 INTs: 1 PD: 10 (top 5) INT Yds: 0 Tackles: 62 (33 solo) [top 10] TFL: 1 FF: 1 Per Game: 0.10 INT/g | 6.2 tkl/g | 1.0 PD/g Why #17: Denver East's second DB on this list - and like Toure, he's got time left. 10 PD and 62 tackles as a sophomore safety is the kind of production that makes you wonder what Denver East is putting in the water. 1 PD per game and 6.2 tackles per game at 5'8" 150 as a 10th grader. The INT numbers will come - he's clearly in position, he's just not finishing the catch yet. Two more years to figure that part out. The Angels secondary is going to be a headache for 5A opponents for a while. --------------------------------------------- #18 Christopher Hinojosa | Score: 36.4 | Jr. | 5'9" 160 | Mesa Ridge (FS) | @ChrisHinojosaJr --------------------------------------------- GP: 12 INTs: 1 PD: 3 INT Yds: 45 (top 20) Tackles: 90 (55 solo) [top 3] TFL: 10 (top 3) FF: 2 | FR: 1 Per Game: 0.08 INT/g | 7.5 tkl/g | 0.2 PD/g Why #18: This is a free safety playing like a middle linebacker who got lost on the depth chart. 90 tackles - 3rd among all DBs in the state. 55 solo. 10 TFL - 2nd among all DBs. Those are not safety numbers. Those are "the coaching staff moved me to FS but forgot to tell my legs" numbers. Only 1 INT and 3 PD tells you he's not living in coverage - he's in the box, blowing up runs, and making offensive linemen reconsider their life choices. 2 forced fumbles add to it. Still a junior. Mesa Ridge has a wrecking ball with another year of eligibility. --------------------------------------------- #19 Cristian Mbamarah | Score: 35.7 | Jr. | 6'0" 154 | Cherokee Trail (DB) | @CristianMbama --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 INTs: 1 PD: 9 (top 10) INT Yds: 30 (top 20) Tackles: 65 (42 solo) [top 5] FF: 1 Per Game: 0.10 INT/g | 6.5 tkl/g | 0.9 PD/g Why #19: 65 tackles with 42 solo and 9 PD from a 6'0" junior at Cherokee Trail. That's a two-way impact player - he's breaking up passes and stuffing runs in the same drive. Only 1 INT with 9 PD is the same story we've seen a few times on this list: always in the right spot, just not hauling it in yet. At Cherokee Trail's level of competition, 6.5 tackles per game is legit. One more year to turn those PDs into picks and this ranking climbs in a hurry. --------------------------------------------- #20 Adriel Richardson | Score: 34.1 | Sr. | 5'9" 150 | Eaglecrest (DB) | @adriel_rich --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 INTs: 1 PD: 12 (top 3) INT Yds: 0 Tackles: 22 (4 solo) TFL: 2 (top 20) FR: 1 Per Game: 0.09 INT/g | 2.0 tkl/g | 1.1 PD/g Why #20: Bell's running mate in the Eaglecrest secondary. 12 PD - 2nd in the state - with only 1 INT. He's the human swat team. Quarterbacks couldn't throw at Bell (14 PD), couldn't throw at Richardson (12 PD) - where exactly were they supposed to put the ball? 22 tackles is low, but when you're breaking up a pass per game, you're not really in the tackling business. The Eaglecrest secondary put up a combined 26 PD between these two. That's not a secondary, that's a no-fly zone. --------------------------------------------- #21 Halden Robinson | Score: 33.6 | Jr. | 5'7" | Mountain Vista (DB) | @haldenrobinson6 --------------------------------------------- GP: 13 INTs: 3 (T-16th, top 20) PD: 5 (top 20) INT Yds: 126 (top 3) Tackles: 41 (25 solo) Per Game: 0.23 INT/g | 3.2 tkl/g | 0.4 PD/g [INT rate: top 20] Why #21: 5'7". That's not a typo. Halden Robinson is listed at 5'7" and he has 126 INT return yards - 2nd in the entire state. Three picks and he averaged 42 yards per return. The kid doesn't just intercept passes, he takes them to the house. At Mountain Vista in 5A, against real competition, playing 13 games into the playoffs. The lack of height clearly hasn't stopped quarterbacks from testing him, and it clearly hasn't stopped him from making them regret it. Junior year. Still growing - hopefully in multiple directions. --------------------------------------------- #22 Ayden Dodge | Score: 33.2 | Jr. | 6'0" 150 | Strasburg (CB) | @AydenMarrero11 --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 INTs: 6 (T-3rd, top 3) PD: 2 INT Yds: 12 (top 20) Tackles: 16 (13 solo) TFL: 2 (top 20) FR: 1 Per Game: 0.55 INT/g | 1.5 tkl/g | 0.2 PD/g [INT rate: top 5] Why #22: Six interceptions is elite. Full stop. Only 2 PD is the interesting part - when Dodge gets his hands on the ball, it's not getting knocked away. We've seen him in 7s, he does not drop balls. He's catching it. 13 of 16 tackles are solo. 16 total tackles and 6 INTs means roughly one-third of his defensive contributions end with him holding the football. That's either a coverage savant or the luckiest DB in Colorado, and over 11 games, luck runs out. A junior at Strasburg with a 0.55 INT rate has serious upside if he adds to the tackle sheet next year. --------------------------------------------- #23 Ethan Bonafede | Score: 27.3 | Sr. | 5'10" 160 | Golden (DB) | @ethan_bonafede --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 INTs: 1 PD: 4 INT Yds: 0 Tackles: 52 (22 solo) [top 20] FF: 2 | FR: 1 Per Game: 0.09 INT/g | 4.7 tkl/g | 0.4 PD/g Why #23: The coverage numbers won't blow anyone away - 1 INT, 4 PD. But Bonafede gets on this list because he creates chaos in other ways. 2 forced fumbles and a recovery give him 4 total turnovers. 52 tackles at 4.7 per game shows reliable run support. He's the kind of DB who won't make the highlight reel but makes the game plan work - the guy the coaching staff trusts to be in the right gap, make the right play, and occasionally punch the ball out when everyone else forgot to. --------------------------------------------- #24 Damarius Lavender | Score: 25.8 | Sr. | 5'11" 183 | Cherry Creek (FS) | @damariuslavend2 --------------------------------------------- GP: 14 INTs: 2 (T-19th, top 20) PD: 0 INT Yds: 0 Tackles: 141 (73 solo) [STATE LEADER] TFL: 5 (top 10) FR: 1 Per Game: 0.14 INT/g | 10.1 tkl/g | 0.0 PD/g Why #24: 141 tackles. State leader. At free safety. Let that settle for a second. 10.1 per game. That's not a DB stat line, that's a stat line you see from a Mike linebacker at a Division I program. 73 solo tackles. Zero PD - not a single pass defended all year. This is the most lopsided stat profile on the entire list and we kind of love it. He's not back there to cover anyone. He's back there to hit everyone. Cherry Creek's run defense essentially had a free safety playing as a rover/enforcer for 14 games into the state championship bracket. 5 TFL on top of it. Is he a safety? Is he a linebacker? Does it matter? 141 tackles says he was the best defender on the field more nights than not. --------------------------------------------- #25 Zach Johnston | Score: 25.0 | Jr. | 5'11" 170 | Grandview (S) | @Zach_Johnston2 --------------------------------------------- GP: 10 INTs: 5 (T-8th, top 10) PD: 0 INT Yds: 0 Tackles: 43 (21 solo) Per Game: 0.50 INT/g | 4.3 tkl/g | 0.0 PD/g [INT rate: top 10] Why #25: Five picks with zero PD is a stat line that makes you look twice. When Johnston gets near the ball, he doesn't swat it - he takes it. Zero PD means every time he disrupted a pass, it was an interception. That's either incredible hands or an incredibly small sample of "almost" plays. --------------------------------------------- #26 Cache Villeneuve | Score: 24.5 | Jr. | 5'10" 175 | Loveland (CB) | @Villeneuve22661 --------------------------------------------- GP: 11 INTs: 2 (T-19th, top 20) PD: 6 (top 20) INT Yds: 16 (top 20) Tackles: 25 (20 solo) Per Game: 0.18 INT/g | 2.3 tkl/g | 0.5 PD/g [INT rate: top 20] Why #26: We were going to stop at 25 but decided to go to 26 just for Mr Villeneuve. Loveland's corner put up 2 picks and 6 PD in 11 games - solid, not spectacular, but that's 8 coverage plays at a 4A program. 20 of 25 tackles are solo - 80% solo rate is the highest on this list among players with 20+ tackles. He's not getting assisted on anything. Junior year at a program that's been competitive gives him a full senior season to push these numbers up.

Similarly to the core training if you're not hitting film in the off season, you're falling behind.

QBs definitely should be doing core, hip, flexibility stuff. Tends to get overlooked when all you guys are hitting heavy weights at school and at the gym. Honestly, important for every position.