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*Week 4 & 5: Defensive Movers and Shakers - IsaStarcrossed - 09-05-2019 We are moving into my third Defensive Movers and Shakers article now, so you guys know what to expect. We are now a third of the way through the season and we're really really seeing seasons start to shape up for these players. Lets dive in! Defensive Line Freezer Riposte: Moving up is always better than being consistent. Riposte has been a reliable producer throughout his career, but now he is heading deep into what should be his prime as a player. Everyone expected him to pick up his game this season and so far he has delivered. He had respectable numbers last season with his 32 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and nine sacks and remained an ever present force for the SaberCats. In five games this season, he's already marked 20 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and five sacks. At his current rate of play, he should more than pass his previous season numbers with three games left to play. Nero Alexander: Big man shaking things up. As a defensive line enthusiast, perhaps my favorite statistic of all time is tackles for a loss. I feel like on the defense, there are a lot of stats that get glory and fanfare, but I don't think tackles for a loss gets near the attention it deserves. It is every bit as devastating as a sack and Alexander has gone out of his way to show that to the league. After only posting 10 tackles for a loss in the entirety of last season, Nero already has eight in his first five games. He's been a dominant player in the trenches and his ability to get to the runner in the back field is a big part of why Yellowknife currently has the second ranked defense. If he continues to improve, they're only a skip away from that number one spot. D’Pez Poopsie: Heading down as another veteran may be showing fatigue. In season 16, Poopsie worked his way into a campaign that showed he was one of the top defensive linemen. 38 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks. This was a man who was in his opponent's backfield more than almost anyone in the league as he continuously dominated offensive lines time and time again. This season his presence has basically disappeared. He's managed now to only put up four tackles, two tackles for a loss, and has put zero in the sack column. He isn't in the same form as he was last season, he no longer has the physical dominance he flashed last season, and lucky for the Butchers they're still the least scored against team in the league without his production. Chicago would love to see the player who was second in tackles for a loss round back into form, but this may be his final campaign as what should be a pivotal piece in this defense. Linebackers Guy Nikko: Second year starter with a chance to continue rising. In his rookie campaign, Nikko saw himself have some impact with his 77 tackles and six sacks. His ability as a pass rusher showed that it had potential and could easily be developed. He's already hit 32 tackles and four hits on the quarterback in five appearances. At this rate, he should hit double digit sacks for the first time in his career and help this Butchers squad make a run at a championship. Honda Edmond: A rookie shaking up the middle of the field. In what was a small class for potential impact at the linebacker position, Honda Edmond was always the clear choice for the first guy off the board. There were some questions on if he could live up to his first round stock, but he is beginning to silence them. 33 tackles, two sacks, and three passes defended is the resume of a young player who is beginning to show his range. He's effective all over the field and he can only continue to grow. He's really got a chance to shake the league and move this Austin defense up the rankings. Ben Horne: An expected drop for an aging player. After week one, I thought Horne had a chance to recover his season and make strides forward. It simply wasn't to be. He had great range last season, putting up 106 tackles, 10 sacks, and 16 passes defended. He had sideline to sideline range that was almost unparalleled in the league. He is currently on pace to fall short of every one of those numbers. The best of Horne looks likely to be behind us. Cornerbacks Arbin Asipi III: Moving up and literally can't fall backwards. Through my reporting so far, I've managed to miss the much improved Arbin Asipi. Last season he didn't really have an impact in coverage as he only found himself catching a single interception and deflecting on four balls total. He has already topped those numbers in this young campaign with two picks and five pass defenses. No matter what else happens this season, statistically he can no longer be worse than he was in season 16 and that is a step in the right direction for this guy. He's moving into his prime and now would be an incredible time for him to have a career season. William Tell: Potential shake up for the Sabercats. As a rookie in season 16, Tell found himself at times exposed and a little slow to react to the play. He managed 44 tackles and 11 pass defenses, but neither statistic ranked even in the top 20 in the league. He had his struggles, but as a second year player it appears he is making the leap. With 21 tackles and eight passes knocked out of the air this season, Tell looks to be one of the best pass defenders in the NSFL this season. A young player producing at a top tier level on defense could be just what San Jose needs to move into dominant form. Spencer Castle: Taking a bit of a regression. I feel like Austin has done a spectacular job at putting together a young core of developing players that have really taken the next step this season. I've not had much chance to talk about any of the Copperheads going the wrong direction. Castle is the exception to that rule. After posting a campaign that saw him knock down 16 passes and be one of the best coverage guys in the NSFL, he has struggled to find the ball this season. He's only broken up two passes all season long and its not a good look for a young guy that should have been entering his prime. Safeties Quentin Sinclair: A Yeti moves forward. Few players have made strides to improve their coverage a much as third year play Quentin Sinclair has this season. He showed some flashes as a potential ball hawk last season with his four interceptions and five pass defenses, but there were times he just couldn't get to the ball. This season he looks to take a leap with two interceptions and three pass defenses in a campaign with eight games left to go. Colorado hasn't had a lot of players stand out so far this season, but Sinclair seems to be on pace to best his coverage numbers from season 16 at a minimum. Chase Jensen: Another shaker for the Copperheads. In his debut season in the Austin secondary, Jensen put up some paltry numbers with only nine pass defenses and no picks. In his second season he's managed to get the ball going the other way once and has broken up seven passes to boot. Jensen is another in a long line of young guys taking their next step for the Copperheads this season and it's already shaking up the league with their two wins on the season. Danny Grithead: Difficult to say, but taking a step back. Grithead is coming out of season 16 as a player who was almost unarguably the best cover player in the league. 10 interceptions and 20 pass defenses made him a dominant ball hawk in the secondary that had no equal. Throwing in his direction was a flight risk not worth taking. This season he hasn't quite been able to get his hands on the ball. He's only managed a single pick in this campaign despite seeming to be in the area of the ball on a regular basis. Its hard to say a guy like Grithead is taking a step back, but when you go from the top guy to being on the outside looking in at the top five, it is a regression. *Week 4 & 5: Defensive Movers and Shakers - flyeaglesfly29 - 09-05-2019 Love these write ups! Keep up the good work man! *Week 4 & 5: Defensive Movers and Shakers - dizzyDC - 09-05-2019 Thanks for the shout out!