Youth Movement: A Look at Houston Top Young Defenders

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Youth Movement: Underclassmen Amongst Houston’s Best

Defensive Edition

Ahmard Vital

Fox Sports Next

Across the city there are a number of Greater Houston area players who are the best at their positions not only state wide, but also nationally. What many may not know is that plenty of these players are not even going into their final years of high school football.

Yes indeed, the Houston area is loaded with talent in the class of 2014. Here are a few players to watch on the defensive side of the ball.

It matters not where you put him, up front, at middle linebacker or on the edge in coverage, La Porte defender Hoza Scott will be effective. With an already college-built body, Scott has college coaches across the country courting him for a future signature. Alabama and Texas are just a couple of programs that have been by La Porte, but that line stays long.

At Linebacker U (also known as Pearland High School) Justin Phillips has already pulled in a Big 12 Conference offer with Oklahoma State stepping up. North Shore’s Zach Whitely is another on the recruiting radar with a number of colleges in on him. At Klein Oak, Javon Shelley was a player whom coach David Smith raved about for years and in the same district at Collins, Isaiah Santos will fall in line with his brothers as a solid defender.

Out west, Katy Jake Blomstrom has the physical nature to be a big-time player and the same can be said of Reagan’s Trevor O’Reilly, who is the soul of the Bulldog defense.

Looking for the best of the best of the secondary? Come to the Bayou city and the surrounding areas and that and more can be found. In Southwest Houston, at Taylor, cornerback Chris Hardeman started with an offer from SMU and then the flood gates opened to the point where he had over 20 offers. In July, he decided to make the early (early) commitment to LSU. Up Interstate 10 in Beaumont, Ozen defensive back Tony Brown has already received All-American status and has Top 10-program offers, including LSU and Alabama.

He is splitting time as a receiver, but Klein Collins’ Jordan Thomas made a name for himself as a freshman and has continued to improve each year. Utah has made him and early offer, but the Utes will not be the last. Brenham’s Darrion Johnson is high on the boards for several colleges as well, including Oklahoma.