Pre-Season Award Predictions: Defense

Rules No athletes shall be put as the “favorite” for multiple awards. Athletes can be any age freshman-senior. Athletes can be listed under “Other Names to Watch, Next in Line & Dark Horse” multiple times.    Mr. Football Favorite Benjamin Perry Benjamin Perry 6'3" | DB Mount Carmel | 2021 State IL , DB, Mount Carmel, SR Next in Line Mac Uihlein Mac Uihlein 6'1" | LB Lake Forest | 2021 State IL , LB, Lake Forest, SR Dark Horse Sebastian Cheeks Sebastian Cheeks 6'2" | LB Evanston | 2022 State IL , LB, Evanston, JR Other Names to Watch Jeremiah Pittman Jeremiah Pittman 6'2" | DL St. Viator | 2021 State IL , DL, St. Viator, SR Justin Walters Justin Walters 6'1" | DB Bolingbrook | 2021 State IL , DB, Bolingbrook, JR Malachi McNeal Malachi McNeal 6'0" | LB Warren | 2021 IL , LB, Warren, SR Bryan Sanborn Bryan Sanborn 6'2" | LB Lake Zurich | 2021 State IL , LB, Lake Zurich, SR Daine Hanson Daine Hanson 6'7" | DL Nazareth | 2021 State IL , DL, Nazareth, SR Ahmad Robinson Ahmad Robinson 6'0" | DB East St. Louis | 2022 State IL , DB, East St. Louis, JR T.J. McMillen T.J. McMillen 6'3" | DL St. Francis | 2023 State IL , DL, St. Francis, SO Tyler McLaurin Tyler McLaurin 6'2" | LB Bolingbrook | 2021 State IL , LB, Bolingbrook, SR   Defensive Player of the Year Favorite Mac Uihlein Mac Uihlein 6'1" | LB Lake Forest | 2021 State IL , LB, Lake Forest, SR Next in Line Justin Walters Justin Walters 6'1" | DB Bolingbrook | 2021 State IL , DB, Bolingbrook, JR Dark Horse Michael Gaughan Michael Gaughan 6'0" | LB St. Rita | 2021 IL , LB, St. Rita, SR Other Names to Watch Sebastian Cheeks Sebastian Cheeks 6'2" | LB Evanston | 2022 State IL , LB, Evanston, JR Malachi McNeal Malachi McNeal 6'0" | LB Warren | 2021 IL , LB, Warren, SR Jeremiah Pittman Jeremiah Pittman 6'2" | DL St. Viator | 2021 State IL , DL, St. Viator, SR T.J. McMillen T.J. McMillen 6'3" | DL St. Francis | 2023 State IL , DL, St. Francis, SO Tyler McLaurin Tyler McLaurin 6'2" | LB Bolingbrook | 2021 State IL , LB, Bolingbrook, SR Bryan Sanborn Bryan Sanborn 6'2" | LB Lake Zurich | 2021 State IL , LB, Lake Zurich, SR Daine Hanson Daine Hanson 6'7" | DL Nazareth | 2021 State IL , DL, Nazareth, SR Ahmad Robinson Ahmad Robinson 6'0" | DB East St. Louis | 2022 State IL , DB, East St. Louis, JR Mojo Weerts Mojo Weerts 6'2" | LB Batavia | 2021 State IL , LB, Batavia, SR   Defensive Newcomer of the Year Favorite Tyler Jansey, LB, Batavia, SO Next in Line Boston Bower, LB, Huntley, SO Dark Horse Eric Nowak, DB, Lincoln Way West, JR Other Names to Watch Jayson Harris, DL, Marist, JR   DL of the Year Favorite Jeremiah Pittman Jeremiah Pittman 6'2" | DL St. Viator | 2021 State IL , DL, St. Viator, SR Next in Line T.J. McMillen T.J. McMillen 6'3" | DL St. Francis | 2023 State IL , DL, St. Francis, SO Dark Horse Nasim Cairo Nasim Cairo 6'2" | DL Edwardsville | 2022 State IL , DL, Edwardsville, JR Other Names to Watch Daine Hanson Daine Hanson 6'7" | DL Nazareth | 2021 State IL , Nazareth, SR Jared Badie Jared Badie 6'4" | LB Oswego East | 2022 State IL , Oswego East, JR Zach Myers Zach Myers 6'4" | DL Evanston | 2021 IL , Evanston, SR Vontrell Chairse Vontrell Chairse 6'3" | DL Phillips | 2021 IL , Phillips, SR Jireh Mays Jireh Mays 6'2" | DL East St. Louis | 2022 State IL , East St. Louis, JR Brad Walker Jr. Brad Walker Jr. 6'1" | DL Huntley | 2021 IL , Huntley, SR Jonah Pace Jonah Pace 6'3" | DL Marengo | 2021 IL , Marengo, SR   LB of the Year Favorite Bryan Sanborn Bryan Sanborn 6'2" | LB Lake Zurich | 2021 State IL , LB, Lake Zurich, SR Next in Line Sebastian Cheeks Sebastian Cheeks 6'2" | LB Evanston | 2022 State IL , LB, Evanston, JR Dark Horse Michael Gaughan Michael Gaughan 6'0" | LB St. Rita | 2021 IL , LB, St. Rita, SR Other Names to Watch Mojo Weerts Mojo Weerts 6'2" | LB Batavia | 2021 State IL , Batavia, SR Malachi McNeal Malachi McNeal 6'0" | LB Warren | 2021 IL , LB, Warren, SR Tyler McLaurin Tyler McLaurin 6'2" | LB Bolingbrook | 2021 State IL , LB, Bolingbrook, SR Jackson Wiegold Jackson Wiegold 6'2" | LB Vernon Hills | 2021 IL , Vernon Hills, SR Jamol Molton Jamol Molton 6'1" | LB East St. Louis | 2022 State IL , East St. Louis, JR John Weidenbach John Weidenbach 6'1" | LB Benet | 2023 State IL , Benet, SO Al Pontrelli Al Pontrelli 6'2" | LB Lemont | 2021 IL , Lemont, SR Myles Jones Myles Jones 6'0" | LB Brother Rice | 2021 IL , Brother Rice, SR Naahylee Bryant, Oak Park River Forest, SR Tommy Barnett Tommy Barnett 6'0" | LB Wheaton Warrenville South | 2021 IL , Wheaton Warrenville South, SR   DB of the Year Favorite Justin Walters Justin Walters 6'1" | DB Bolingbrook | 2021 State IL , DB, Bolingbrook, JR Next in Line Ahmad Robinson Ahmad Robinson 6'0" | DB East St. Louis | 2022 State IL , East St. Louis, JR Dark Horse Matt Kordas Matt Kordas 6'0" | DB Lincoln Way East | 2021 IL , Lincoln Way East, SR Other Names to Watch Cameron Grays Cameron Grays 5'11" | DB Oswego | 2022 State IL , DeKalb, JR Deavion Pierce Deavion Pierce 5'11" | DB Phillips | 2021 IL , Phillips, SR Malik Rainey Malik Rainey 5'10" | DB Bolingbrook | 2021 IL , Bolingbrook, SR Kaleb Miller Kaleb Miller 5'8" | ATH Nazareth | 2023 State IL , Nazareth, SO Saveon Brown Saveon Brown 6'1" | DB Thornwood | 2022 State IL , Thornwood, JR Peter Roll Peter Roll 6'0" | DB Nazareth | 2022 State IL , Nazareth, JR Willie Jones Willie Jones 6'2" | DB Phillips | 2021 IL , Phillips, SR