Top Three Opposing Players: Defensive Skill Groups

Part two, looking at the best LB, CB, and S that UWF is going to face this season.

Linebacker

De’Iveon Donald NGU

The North Greenville standout was among the best LBs in the GSC for the last two seasons, culminating in a 1st Team All-GSC nod in 2022. Justifiably so, Donald lead the GSC in tackles (99 total in 11 games), bringing his two year tally to 156 tackles along with 11 TFL. A consistent tackling machine, he finished the 2022 campaign with just two games of less than 8 tackles (UWF and UWG), and had five double digit tackle games. In their season opener against D1 Furman, he posted 9 tackles 2 TFL 1 sack. He is a thickly built MIKE backer and plays a physical brand of between the tackles football, but shows good athleticism in coverage and regularly chases plays down toward the sidelines. At 6’0” 235, Donald is a true thumper and will probably push triple digit tackles in 2023.

Isaiah Major FAMU

Major had a monster year in his first season with in Tallahassee. He finished the season with 13.5 TFL, a top 10 mark for the SWAC, which propelled him to a 2nd Team All-SWAC finish. The leading tackler for the rattlers with 83, also posted 4 sacks, and two games with at least 10 tackles and 2 TFL. Against a P5 FBS opponent, North Carolina, he put up 9 tackles 0.5 TFL, and followed that up with 8 tackles 1 TFL 1 sack against SWAC champions Jackson State. You dont always see true MIKE backers with this kind of playmaking, a testament to Major’s athleticism and instincts, and he was acknowledged as a preseason 1st Team All-SWAC LB by both the league’s Coaches’ poll and college football guru Phil Steele. Look for a big year from Major in 2023.

Trevon Stanford UWA

Stanford came to UWA prior to the 2021 season from UT Chattanooga and after putting up just 12 tackles that year, had a breakout 2022. Playing WILL for the Tigers, he is a rangy playmaking backer who finished with 9.5 TFL 1.5 sacks 1 INT 4 PBU 2 fumble recovery. His 63 tackles was good for 11th in the GSC and he finished 9th in TFL and 7th in solo tackles. He had particularly good outings against co-conference champions Delta State and UWF, in two games vs the Statesmen he had 16 tackles (9 solo) 4.5 TFL 1 sack 1 hurry 1 FR, he also had 8 tackles (6 solo) against the Argonauts. Stanford plays physical and is a solid pass rusher who uses his 6’3” 200 lb frame well. With two of the best DL in the GSC in front of him, Stanford should have an excellent 2023 campaign.

Cornerback

Malik Jones Delta

Malik Jones was one of the top cover corners in the GSC last fall, and was rewarded with a 1st Team All-GSC recognition as a result. The Junior finished his first year in Statesboro with 59 tackles 4 TFL 2 INT 9 PBU plus a blocked kick. Of his two INT, one went all the way back for a 99 yard score when he jumped a route in the end zone and cruised down the sideline uncontested against North Greenville. His disruptive length really shows up on the tape, he looks comfortable in press and running man to man, plus he’s a willing tackler, which makes for a very potent Cornerback prospect. His 9 PBU is the top mark in the conference among returning DBs. Teams just didn’t test Jones in 2022 and I dont expect that changes much in 2023.

Kendrick Clark NGU

Cornerback is a difficult position to come in as a True Freshman and make an impact, but Clark was up to the task winning GSC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. As part of a four man CB rotation he ended up leading the conference in INT (4) and adding 2 PBU. His best performance was vs a dangerous UWG passing attack, when Clark picked off current XFL backup QB Harrison Frost twice in one game and returned both for TDs one 94 yards for the score and the other 34 yards. For a young guy he looks very comfortable in coverage, even against some of the better QB/WR combos in the GSC, showing good instincts and ability to break on the ball. Lookout for an even bigger Sophomore campaign for Kendrick Clark.

Trey Thomas Shorter

Shorter had a stout pass defense in 2022, holding 8 of 11 opponents under their season averages for passing yards, including all three games against the top two passing attacks in the GSC (UWG and Valdosta twice). A big part of that was Thomas, a 5’10” Soph. from Jacksonville, FL, who finished his second season with the Hawks with 41 tackles 2 INT and 7 PBU. Thomas is smooth in coverage and looks good breaking out of his backpedal. He demonstrates really good timing with contact, getting to the pass catcher just as the ball comes in and securing a PBU with physical play. The Sophomore was regularly matched up against some of the best WRs in the conference last year, and while he gave up some plays, looked like he belonged. He demonstrated plus physicality, especially for his size, and should shine in his third year playing for the Hawks.

Safety

Javan Morgan FAMU

Morgan, a Tallahasee native, has been a steady presence with the Rattlers over the last two seasons. In 2021 he tallied just 16 tackles but had 3 INT and 4 PBU, and last year he really stepped up finishing tied for 2nd in the SWAC with 4 INT and tacking on 4 PBU and a career best 42 tackles (33 solo). He had INTs against four different team, Alabama A&M, South Carolina State, Southern, and Bethune-Cookman. This breakout season earned him 2nd Team All-SWAC honors for the 2022 season and a place on the 2023 preseason 1st Team All-SWAC list by both Steele and the SWAC Coaches.

Marlon Windham Delta

Windham played the Nickel role for the Statesmen in 2022, and he turned in a stat stuffing performance in the process. The 6’1” 197 pounder posted a team high 82 tackles (48 solo) to go along with 8 TFL, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery, 3 PBU, and 1 QB hurry. He had multi-TFL games against Kentucky State, MC, and West Alabama, and had five games with 9 or more tackles. The Junior finished with the most TFL by a GSC DB and was 5th in tackles in the conference, regardless of position. All this lead to a 2nd Team All-GSC nod, and set Windham up as one of the big time returning defensive playmakers in the conference.

Tyrell Goldsmith Delta

The third member of a formidable Delta State backfield returning for 2023 is Tyrell Goldsmith. As a 5th year Junior he broke out in 2022 with nearly as impressive of a stat line as Marlon Windham, finishing among the league leaders with 74 tackles (8th) 3 forced fumbles (1st) 2 INT (t-3rd) and 7 PBU (t-3rd). Goldsmith is a true Strong Safety, who shows up well in run support but also was clearly disruptive in pass defense as well. His two INT came in one game, against North Greenville, where he showed good awareness around the ball and made two heads up plays.