2024 College Gridiron Showcase Top Defensive/Special Teams Performers
The College Gridiron Showcase is an annual post-season college football all-star game in Fort Worth, Texas consisting of top players from across all levels of college football.
Today we feature the top defensive performers from the week of practice. For further details, film, contact info, and more testing information please refer to player’s profiles on the ALL22 scouting app, or contact J.C. Abbott.
To sign up for ALL22, contact Derek Sawyer at dsawyer@all22.org.
Top Performers
EDGE Jordan Williams - Emporia State University (2018-2023)
Height: 5112v | Weight: 271v | Hand: 9 4/8v | Arm: 28 6/8v | Wing: 74 1/8v
Career stats: 45 GP | 174 TCK | 41 TFL | 18.5 SCK | 2 FF | 1 FR | 11 QBH | 2 PD
Athletic awards:
2023: First-team All-MIAA
2022: Honorable mention Div. II All-American | First-team All-MIAA
2021: Second-team All-MIAA
Video:
Player snapshot: Short and stout defensive end who is extremely length-limited. Twitchy off the snap with jittery feet, stays active and wins with relentless effort. Not a burner off the edge and has his pass-rush arsenal restricted by short arms. Excels using speed-to-power and wins with a stutter rush, imparts force down the middle of blockers with good hand placement. Naturally low to the ground and tough to displace, experience playing inside allows him to align as both 3-4 or 4-3 DE. Physical limitations will disqualify him from most U.S. pro opportunities but should be a priority import target.
IDL Kyler Baugh - University of Minnesota (2022-2023) | Houston Christian University (2019-2021)
Height: 6021v | Weight: 293v | Hand: 9 4/8v | Arm: 32 4/8v | Wing: 78 5/8v
Career stats: 52 GP | 181 TCK | 18 TFL | 9 SCK | 2 FF | 2 FR | 8 PD
Athletic awards:
2023: Honorable mention All-Big Ten
2022: Honorable mention All-Big Ten
Video:
Player snapshot: Prototypical 4-3 DT with good length and little excess fat. Flashes violent hands that jar opponents and is decisive with his plan of attack, winning with little wasted movement. Plays with good pad level and sticks tight to the blocker’s hip while getting penetration. Fundamentally sound and maintains strong position against the run, tough to knock off the ball. A hard worker and tone-setter who should get NFL interest.
LB Tristan Wheeler - University of Richmond (2019-2023)
Height: 6002v | Weight: 223v | Hand: 9 2/8v | Arm: 29 4/8v | Wing: 72 4/8v
Career stats: 53 GP | 487 TCK | 33 TFL | 7 SCK | 3 FF | 1 FR | 4 INT | 11 PD
Athletic awards:
2023: First-team FCS All-American (AFCA) | First-team All-CAA
2022: Second-team FCS All-American (Stats Perform) | First-team All-CAA
2021: Second-team FCS All-American (Stats Perform) | First-team All-CAA
2020: Second-team FCS All-American (Stats Perform) | First-team All-CAA
2019: First-team FCS Freshman All-American( Phil Steele) | Third-team All-CAA | CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year
Player snapshot: Undersized linebacker with adequate weight and a trim, muscular physique. Has good athletic ability in space with excellent feet and fluid hips in coverage, able to stay in the back hip in man coverage against backs and TEs. Quickly gains depth in his Zone drops and flashes good closing speed to make plays on the ball with timing. Shows good processing and comes downhill with anticipation against the run. Has very good range to make plays sideline to sideline and takes good angles. Limited by his small frame and average play strength, is willing to get his nose dirty but gets swallowed up by bigger blockers. Coverage ability makes him a potential CFL fit, with top-tier import value if he slips through the cracks.
CB Edwin Morales III - Monmouth University (2018-2023)
Height: 5083v | Weight: 180v | Hand: 9 4/8v | Arm: 28 2/8v | Wing: 69 5/8v
Career stats: 50 GP | 171 TCK | 7.5 TFL | 2 SCK | 2 FF | 4 FR | 10 INT | 32 PD | 11 KR | 130 YDS | 40 PR | 309 YDS
Athletic awards:
2023: Honorable mention All-CAA
2021: First-team All-Big South
2020: First-team All-Big South
2019: First-team All-Big South (PR)
Video:
Player snapshot: Physically unremarkable defensive back with a tiny frame who continuously pops for his playmaking ability. Good athlete with a corner’s movement skills, but the range and instincts of a safety. Exhibits an innate understanding of spacing and concepts, seems to play with a mental head start and goes through the quarterback’s progressions for him in Zone coverage. Is able to recover and find the ball regardless of what happens early in the rep, reacting only to the receiver’s hands. Can get overpowered by size in man coverage and will miss some tackles due to his small build. A fit for any off-coverage heavy system at the sub-NFL level.
SAF Clay Fields III - University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (2023) | Marist College (2018-2022)
Height: 5090v | Weight: 206v | Hand: 9v | Arm: 28 5/8v | Wing: 70 4/8v
Career stats: 43 GP | 218 TCK | 7 TFL | 0.5 SCK | 1 FR | 8 INT | 1 TD | 29 PD | 11 KR | 176 YDS | 20 PR | 191 YDS | 1 TD
Athletic awards:
2022: First-team All-PFL [DB] | Second-team All-PFL [PR]
2021: Third-team FCS All-American (AP) | Second-team All-PFL
Video:
Player snapshot: Short safety prospect with a thick midsection and enough weight to pack a punch. Comes downhill violently as a tackler and finishes every hit with good form. Shows good anticipation and mental processing to drive on underneath routes and the range to make plays in the flats when aligned up high. Has spent time at corner and shows more coverage upside than most safeties, with good hip fluidity and active feet. Is guilty of false steps in coverage but recovers well. Should get an NFL look as a potential nickel option.
Subscribe to the ALL22 Global Scouting Network Substack to view the remaining players, including more top performers, import targets with positional versatility, intriguing non-Americans, and high career producers.