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 PerryBenjaminPerry6'3" | DBMount Carmel | 2021StateIL, DB, Mount Carmel, SR Next in Line Mac UihleinMacUihlein6'1" | LBLake Forest | 2021StateIL, LB, Lake Forest, SR Dark Horse Sebastian CheeksSebastianCheeks6'2" | LBEvanston | 2022StateIL, LB, Evanston, JR Other Names to Watch Jeremiah PittmanJeremiahPittman6'2" | DLSt. Viator | 2021StateIL, DL, St. Viator, SR Justin WaltersJustinWalters6'1" | DBBolingbrook | 2021StateIL, DB, Bolingbrook, JR Malachi McNealMalachiMcNeal6'0" | LBWarren | 2021IL, LB, Warren, SR Bryan SanbornBryanSanborn6'2" | LBLake Zurich | 2021StateIL, LB, Lake Zurich, SR Daine HansonDaineHanson6'7" | DLNazareth | 2021StateIL, DL, Nazareth, SR Ahmad RobinsonAhmadRobinson6'0" | DBEast St. Louis | 2022StateIL, DB, East St. Louis, JR T.J. McMillenT.J.McMillen6'3" | DLSt. Francis | 2023IL, DL, St. Francis, SO Tyler McLaurinTylerMcLaurin6'2" | LBBolingbrook | 2021StateIL, LB, Bolingbrook, SR   Defensive Player of the Year Favorite Mac UihleinMacUihlein6'1" | LBLake Forest | 2021StateIL, LB, Lake Forest, SR Next in Line Justin WaltersJustinWalters6'1" | DBBolingbrook | 2021StateIL, DB, Bolingbrook, JR Dark Horse Michael GaughanMichaelGaughan6'0" | LBSt. Rita | 2021IL, LB, St. Rita, SR Other Names to Watch Sebastian CheeksSebastianCheeks6'2" | LBEvanston | 2022StateIL, LB, Evanston, JR Malachi McNealMalachiMcNeal6'0" | LBWarren | 2021IL, LB, Warren, SR Jeremiah PittmanJeremiahPittman6'2" | DLSt. Viator | 2021StateIL, DL, St. Viator, SR T.J. McMillenT.J.McMillen6'3" | DLSt. Francis | 2023IL, DL, St. Francis, SO Tyler McLaurinTylerMcLaurin6'2" | LBBolingbrook | 2021StateIL, LB, Bolingbrook, SR Bryan SanbornBryanSanborn6'2" | LBLake Zurich | 2021StateIL, LB, Lake Zurich, SR Daine HansonDaineHanson6'7" | DLNazareth | 2021StateIL, DL, Nazareth, SR Ahmad RobinsonAhmadRobinson6'0" | DBEast St. Louis | 2022StateIL, DB, East St. Louis, JR Mojo WeertsMojoWeerts6'2" | LBBatavia | 2021IL, 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 PittmanJeremiahPittman6'2" | DLSt. Viator | 2021StateIL, DL, St. Viator, SR Next in Line T.J. McMillenT.J.McMillen6'3" | DLSt. Francis | 2023IL, DL, St. Francis, SO Dark Horse Nasim CairoNasimCairo6'3" | DLEdwardsville | 2022StateIL, DL, Edwardsville, JR Other Names to Watch Daine HansonDaineHanson6'7" | DLNazareth | 2021StateIL, Nazareth, SR Jared BadieJaredBadie6'4" | DLOswego East | 2022StateIL, Oswego East, JR Zach MyersZachMyers6'4" | DLEvanston | 2021IL, Evanston, SR Vontrell ChairseVontrellChairse6'3" | DLPhillips | 2021IL, Phillips, SR Jireh MaysJirehMays6'2" | DLEast St. Louis | 2022StateIL, East St. Louis, JR Brad Walker Jr.BradWalker Jr.6'1" | DLHuntley | 2021IL, Huntley, SR Jonah PaceJonahPace6'3" | DLMarengo | 2021IL, Marengo, SR   LB of the Year Favorite Bryan SanbornBryanSanborn6'2" | LBLake Zurich | 2021StateIL, LB, Lake Zurich, SR Next in Line Sebastian CheeksSebastianCheeks6'2" | LBEvanston | 2022StateIL, LB, Evanston, JR Dark Horse Michael GaughanMichaelGaughan6'0" | LBSt. Rita | 2021IL, LB, St. Rita, SR Other Names to Watch Mojo WeertsMojoWeerts6'2" | LBBatavia | 2021IL, Batavia, SR Malachi McNealMalachiMcNeal6'0" | LBWarren | 2021IL, LB, Warren, SR Tyler McLaurinTylerMcLaurin6'2" | LBBolingbrook | 2021StateIL, LB, Bolingbrook, SR Jackson WiegoldJacksonWiegold6'2" | LBVernon Hills | 2021IL, Vernon Hills, SR Jamol MoltonJamolMolton6'1" | LBEast St. Louis | 2022StateIL, East St. Louis, JR John WeidenbachJohnWeidenbach6'1" | LBBenet | 2023IL, Benet, SO Al PontrelliAlPontrelli6'2" | LBLemont | 2021IL, Lemont, SR Myles JonesMylesJones6'0" | LBBrother Rice | 2021IL, Brother Rice, SR Naahylee Bryant, Oak Park River Forest, SR Tommy BarnettTommyBarnett6'0" | LBWheaton Warrenville South | 2021IL, Wheaton Warrenville South, SR   DB of the Year Favorite Justin WaltersJustinWalters6'1" | DBBolingbrook | 2021StateIL, DB, Bolingbrook, JR Next in Line Ahmad RobinsonAhmadRobinson6'0" | DBEast St. Louis | 2022StateIL, East St. Louis, JR Dark Horse Matt KordasMattKordas6'0" | DBLincoln Way East | 2021IL, Lincoln Way East, SR Other Names to Watch Cameron GraysCameronGrays5'11" | DBDeKalb | 2022StateIL, DeKalb, JR Deavion PierceDeavionPierce5'11" | DBPhillips | 2021IL, Phillips, SR Malik RaineyMalikRainey5'10" | DBBolingbrook | 2021IL, Bolingbrook, SR Kaleb MillerKalebMiller5'8" | ATHNazareth | 2023IL, Nazareth, SO Saveon BrownSaveonBrown6'0" | DBThornwood | 2022StateIL, Thornwood, JR Peter RollPeterRoll6'1" | DBNazareth | 2022IL, Nazareth, JR Willie JonesWillieJones6'2" | DBPhillips | 2021IL, Phillips, SR