High school football’s best defensive stoppers in the Sacramento area for the 2024 season
Stop us if you’ve heard this line before: You can’t win in football without defensive stoppers, guys who get after it, grinders who make the tackles, sacks, hurries and goal-line stands.
The Sacramento region has a train load of defenders of note to look for this high school football season: interior linemen, edge rushers, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.
The regular season kicks off Aug. 23-24. Here’s who to look for.
George Adrian
School: Liberty Ranch
Position: OLB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 190
Comment: Adrian did his part in 2023 for the playoff Hawks of Galt, making 10 sacks for 47 yards in losses to go with 29 hurries. He figures to up those totals considerably.
Maddox Ali
School: Pleasant Grove
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 205
Comment: Versatile, tough, physical and a “tone setter,” according to coach Josh Crabtree, Ali makes plays on defense and hammers away on special teams and as a short-yardage fullback. That’s a football player.
Lucan Amituanai
School: Elk Grove
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-4, 230
Comment: Committed to Washington State, LA is a LOAD, a rush-end who figures to have a big senior season for the storied Thundering Herd of the Delta League. He earned first-team Bee All-Metro honors in 2023 and sported a 3.6 grade-point average.
Briggs Bevans
School: West Park
Position: DE
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 180
Comment: Briggs was big in 2024, using quickness and skill to get around bigger linemen. He recorded 73 tackles and eight sacks in earning All-Foothill Valley League honors for a team that reached the playoffs. Plays with a great motor, his coach Jason Tenner said.
Nick Bernasconi
School: Roseville
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-3, 275
Comment: A two-way lineman and a three-sport athlete, Bernasconi is gearing up for a big fall for a program that seeks another playoff berth. He received a ringing endorsement from his coach, Adam Reinking.
Max Bringgold
School: Sutter
Position: DB
Year: Junior
Height/weight: 6-0, 180
Comment: Bringgold was gold for the small-school powerhouse Huskies, finishing second in the section with seven interceptions in 2023. He also had 47 tackles, broke up six passes and got plenty of grass and dirt on his uniform on his school’s classic natural turf.
Jace Budenbender
School: Bella Vista
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 175
Comment: A superb wrestler who plays safety, Budenbender has speed and quickness, and he’s a team captain who will be a focal point for perhaps the program’s best team in more than 20 years.
Josiah Campbell
School: Christian Brothers
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 215
Comment: How’s this for an athlete? JC had 93 tackles in nine regular-season games, including 15 for loss, was a track guy and earned Bee, section and All-NorCal honors. Expect even bigger numbers this fall.
Mason Cartwright
School: Sutter
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 220
Comment: Here’s what small-school studs do — play sports in every season. Cartwright is especially good at linebacker, recording 114 tackles in 2023 with four sacks, two interceptions and a blocked field goal despite facing double-teams.
Ezekiel Castex
School: Grant
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-10, 160
Comment: Castex started his prep career at Christian Brothers, transferred to Rocklin and wound up at Grant. The three-star prospect with superb grades holds offers from Arizona State, Cal, Washington and others.
Mavrik Collins
School: Rocklin
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-11, 170
Comment: Mavrik was a menace on D for the powerhouse Thunder, making 47 tackles and three interceptions for a section championship team. He also caught three touchdown passes and brings experience as a three-year varsity player.
Manuel Colon
School: Inderkum
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 290
Comment: Colon looks the part of plugger and played the role for a team that impressed in the D-I playoffs last season, defeating Monterey Trail and nearly sticking it to powerhouse Folsom. Colon had 41 tackles in eight games, 16 for loss.
Kamarrion Cook
School: Inderkum
Position: DE
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-3, 190
Comment: Big K was cookin’ last season for the Capital Valley Conference champions, recording 49 tackles, 15 for loss, and 10 sacks. He’s capable of adding to those totals.
Polo Cooper
School: Elk Grove
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 180
Comment: Polo makes plays. He was in on 35 tackles, had five interceptions, averaging 19 yards a return, broke up five more passes and made plays as a receiver and special-teams player.
Alan Cordano
School: Jesuit
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-0, 175
Comment: A three-year varsity player for Big Red, Cordano has a nose for the ball, appreciates contact (he also plays rugby) and will be needed to make plays as Jesuit moves from the Delta League into the muscle-bound Sierra Foothill League.
Mikey Cunningham
School: Rocklin
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-9, 170
Comment: An unsung grinder and playmaker, Cunningham was in on 56 tackles and three interceptions as an anchor in the secondary, and he will make an impact this season as a receiver, too. He plays hard and inspired for his inspirational father, Mike, a longtime Rocklin coach and beloved member of the Placer County program who has courageously battled cancer.
Clifton Currie
School: Foothill
Position: DE
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 190
Comment: In nine games, Currie had 63 tackles and nine sacks for the Greater Sacramento League champions. He will have to up those totals for a league title repeat.
Darren Dalton
School: Casa Roble
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-5, 300
Comment: Double D was a nightmare for opponents in 2023, when he had 12.5 sacks for 44 yards in losses. He was in on 94 tackles for a section title team, and he’s even better now, coach Chris Horner says.
Ivan De Silva
School: Placer
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-6, 260
Comment: Big Ivan fills a door frame and a uniform and has tremendous upside, his coaches say. The storied Hillmen seek their 12th league championship in 13 seasons, and it could be rooted in the trenches.
Isaiah Ene
School: Granite Bay
Position: DB
Year: Junior
Height/weight: 5-9, 195
Comment: The very definition of a player, Ene is a third-year varsity anchor who pounds teams as a hard-charging runner and makes plays in the secondary. He had 89 tackles and returned three of his four interceptions for touchdowns. Ene has a big family of followers and a growing recruiting profile.
Alex Durham
School: Rocklin
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-9, 185
Comment: He goes by “Bubba” and he’s “the most spirited young man you can find,” Rocklin coach Jason Adams said. Durham had 91 tackles, three sacks and a lot of effort for the D-II section champions, and he’s inspired even more now to make his family proud after his father, Rob, died of cancer earlier this summer.
Elijah Folau
School: Monterey Trail
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 230
Comment: The longtime powerhouse in the Elk Grove Unified School District always seems to have a linebacker stud, and here comes Folau for another go after earning Bee All-Metro honors. Physical and fast, Folau had 77 tackles, broke up three passes, forced seven fumbles and recovered three for another playoff team.
Jojo Fotofili
School: Grant
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 195
Comment: He comes from a long line of football talent, and Fotofili fills it up stat wise for the storied Pacers of Del Paso Heights. He had 99 tackles as a junior, 12 for loss, and vows to up those numbers for another championship season.
Theo Greule
School: Folsom
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 240
Comment: He’s a bruiser, a thinker, a leader by example and in production, and he has a name fitting of a man who revels in the trenches. Difficult to block and a four-year anchor with recruiting interest, Greule had 35 hurries and was a Bee All-Metro first team pick in 2023.
Gabriel Hernandez
School: Johnson
Position: DB
Year: Junior
Height/weight: 5-11, 170
Comment: Hernandez helped his proud old Sacramento City Unified School District program break in a new home field with strong play in the secondary. He had six interceptions for 98 yards in returns and broke up 17 passes.
Jaron Hodson
School: Folsom
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-0, 180
Comment: A tough cover man who had big games during Folsom’s CIF state title run, Hodson has given a verbal commitment to Sacramento State. He’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
Logan Hutton
School: Folsom
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-10, 195
Comment: Hutton comes from a football/baseball family, including older brother CJ, who had big moments as a receiver at UC Davis. He had 70 tackles in 2023, two interceptions and three pass breakups for a championship team.
Luke Jeffers
School: Bear River
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-5, 245
Comment: A force on the front line, Jeffers has made plays for the storied Bruins since his sophomore season, and he was paramount in getting his program back into the playoffs in 2023. His size and motor make him a recruit prospect.
Calvon Johnson
School: West Park
Year: Senior
Position: LB
Height/weight: 6-1, 180
Comment: Deemed one of the brightest players in the history of the Panthers of Roseville, CJ has a nose for the ball. He had 109 tackles and four sacks.
Zion Johnson
School: Sheldon
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 175
Comment: A tough defender who can cover and also play receiver, Zion could go by first name only since we don’t have enough Zions out there. The recruiting interest is there, including from the Big Sky Conference.
Isaiah Jordan
School: Christian Brothers
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 200
Comment: A three-star prospect, Jordan is committed to Air Force and continues to impress his coach, Larry Morla. A third-year varsity starter, Jordan had 45 tackles last season and broke up six passes for a playoff team.
Grady Kamba
School: Nevada Union
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Comment: Kamba had a big year at free safety for the Miners of Grass Valley, recording 82 tackles and seven interceptions for a playoff team. He also broke up three passes in making a quantum leap from his sophomore year to his junior campaign.
Derek Keeley
School: Rocklin
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-11, 190
Comment: Keeley, in a word, is active. When he isn’t pounding away as a running back, going for 1,070 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2023, he’s unleashing on defense. Keeley had 97 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions and maintained a 3.7 GPA.
Max Keough
School: Bella Vista
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 225
Comment: Keough is a key for the resurgent Broncos of Fair Oaks. A team captain with a 3.7 GPA, he is also one of the top wrestlers in the state and has rising football recruiting interest.
Brody Krupp
School: Woodcreek
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 225
Comment: A four-year varsity starter and as great of a player in the program’s 30-year history, Krupp is closing in on 200 career tackles after going for 98 last season. BK is also a bruising rusher at fullback and is praised by coaches and teammates for his work ethic.
Devin McDonald
School: Bradshaw Christian
Position: DE
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-4, 220
Comment: A defensive team captain, McDonald was a force in 2023. He had 13 sacks for 82 yards in losses, giving him 22 and 124 over two varsity seasons, and was in on 106 tackles for a playoff team. He also plays tight end for an offense that runs the ball.
Mateo Mojica
School: Bradshaw Christian
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-9, 210
Comment: A four-year varsity two-way standout for the small-school Pride, Mojica is closing in on 300 career tackles. He had 142 stops last season for a team that reached the section finals. Also a punishing rusher with 3,298 career yards.
Logan Murray
School: Vista del Lago
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-3, 220
Comment: Entering his third varsity campaign, Murray had some good moments for the Capital Athletic League champions. He had 44 tackles and 7 ½ sacks.
Nick Navarre
School: Vista del Lago
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2, 215
Comment: Navarre spends his off time in the weight room and running hills, all the better to improve from a strong 2023. He had 99 tackles for a playoff team.
Roman Patterson
School: Pleasant Grove
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1, 245
Comment: A three-year starter in the defensive trenches, Patterson earned all-Delta League honors in 2023. He has since shed some 20 pounds while gaining some recruiting interest. He is ready for a monstrous fall.
John Patock
School: Jesuit
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-0, 185
Comment: The Marauders lost a ton of talent to graduation from their Delta League title team, but Patock is back. He made 35 tackles in 2023 and is also a tough runner. Physicality and durability is vital as Jesuit heads into the muscle-bound Sierra Foothill League.
Kaiden Pedone
School: Roseville
Position: LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-3, 185
Comment: Pedone led the Tigers in tackles in 2023, averaging nearly six a game, and he had two sacks and an interception for a playoff team in earning all-league honors.
Guy Razzano
School: West Park
Position: DB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-11, 190
Comment: A tough, hard-nosed safety, this Guy made plays all over the place for the Tigers’ playoff team. He had 78 tackles and may have 100 this season.
Josiah Sharma
School: Folsom
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-4, 325
Comment: A transfer from Inderkum and a four-star recruit committed to the Texas Longhorns, Sharma had 45 tackles and five sacks in 2023. He can also play on the offensive line.
Isaiah Stephen
School: Grant
Position: DL
Year: Sophomore
Height/weight: 6-3, 320
Comment: The big kid showed he could play as a freshman, which just doesn’t happen at Grant very often, including holding his own in the playoffs when it mattered most. He had 62 tackles, 17 for loss, in 2023.
Jeremiah Tuiileila
School: Grant
Position: DL/OLB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-3, 235
Comment: The Bee’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, JT was a brutal draw for opponents. He made 130 tackles, had a section-leading 23 sacks and recorded a remarkable 40 stops for loss as the Pacers powered their way to another section and NorCal championship. He is every bit worthy of recruiting interest.
Kam Totton
School: Folsom
Year: Senior
Position: DB
Height/weight: 5-11, 180
Comment: Totton made a lot of plays for Cosumnes Oaks of the Delta League last season before his transfer to Folsom. At CO, he made 72 tackles with three sacks, two interceptions, five pass breakups and four forced fumbles. He also scored five offensive touchdowns and is on the recruiting radar.
Nela Tupou
School: Folsom
Position: DL/LB
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-4, 225
Comment: Committed to the Utah Utes, Tupou caught three touchdowns as a tight end and is a rising-fast defender whose effort and upside impress his Bulldogs coaches. He is a three-star prospect.
James Williams
School: Woodcreek
Position: DL
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-7, 200
Comment: Never mind the body size, marvel at the effort. Williams had 44 tackles and muscled, slithered and barreled his way to nine sacks for 66 yards in losses with 20 hurries for a Timberwolves program that reached their first section final. He also rushed for 277 yards and four scores.
Jasen Womack
School: Oak Ridge
Position: DB
Year: Junior
Height/weight: 6-1, 180
Comment: A quick, shifty and talented runner on offense who can catch the ball, Womak also showed promise in the secondary. He has emerged as a three-star prospect with a rising recruiting profile. He sparkled in the Lake Tahoe Football Camp over the summer.
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This story was originally published August 13, 2024 at 5:00 AM.