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The SoCon conference should be one of the best again in the FCS. Who will be the top defensive players to watch in the SoCon in the 2024 college football season?
Best Defensive End
Luke Clark, Furman, Sr. DE/LB
Sack by Luke Clark forces a VMI fumble! pic.twitter.com/4QnufhMryg
— Furman Football (@PaladinFootball) November 11, 2023
2023 STAT LINE: 30 tackles, 7 TFLs, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Clark stars at the Bandit position for the Paladins, but with his 6-foot-3, 235-pound frame he is one of those multi-faceted athletic players who could play on the defensive line or drop back into pass coverage potentially at the next level. He has had an impressive career with 119 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, 12 sacks, 4 forced fumbles.
Best Interior Defensive Lineman
Marlon Taylor, Chattanooga, Sr. DL
Sports Illustrated ranks Chattanooga Moc Marlon Taylor the number 1 returning DL in FCS football! https://t.co/deFK1akjTW
— Bob Mulkey (@gomocs57) July 7, 2024
2023 STAT LINE: 30 tackles, 9 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 4 hurries
Taylor is a terror, like an out-of-control raging bull on the field at times. He’s 6-foot-2, 322 pounds, and can flat-out move or plug a necessary hole. His career 68 tackles and 16 TFLs as a block-absorbing nose guard is already catching pro scouts’ eyes.
Best Linebacker
Noah Martin, Samford, Grad. ILB
𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐨𝐂𝐨𝐧 🥇
— Samford Football (@SamfordFootball) November 21, 2023
Congrats Noah Martin 👏#HatchAttack | #AllForSAMford pic.twitter.com/xbHTVXWh8k
2023 STAT LINE: 109 tackles, 14.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks
Martin is a Tennessee native of the prestigious Baylor School in Chattanooga. He led the Bulldogs in tackles by over 40 from the next player last season. The man in the middle had five tackles, a TFL, and a QB hurry in a game against Auburn last year. He also posted 14 tackles, a TFL, and a hurry against playoff bound Mercer. Mercer’s Isaac Dowling and Ken Standley and ETSU’s William McRainey are all honorable mention here in the SoCon.
Best Safety
Amir Annoor, Wofford, Sr. Safety
Interception by Amir Annoor with 46 seconds left, game tied at 41 pic.twitter.com/SYXG5qhuGl
— Wofford Football (@Wofford_FB) October 29, 2022
2023 STAT LINE: 32 tackles, 6 passes defended, 1.5 TFL
Annoor is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound multi-dimensional prospect out of Tennessee. He has played most of his Wofford career at cornerback. However, he’s highly regarded and listed as the No. 2 free safety prospect out of the FCS by Draft Scout. He has started games for the Terriers since 2021.
Best Cornerback
CJ Williams, Western Carolina, Sr. CB
4 Days until Catamount Football Kickoff – CJ Williams and De'Andre Tamarezhttps://t.co/8UbBNMSqzW pic.twitter.com/J2MDIlMASc
— CatamountSportsForum (@CatSportsForum) August 29, 2023
2023 STAT LINE: 59 tackles, 8 passes defended, 3 TFLs
Williams, an Alabama native, is 31 games into his Western Carolina career. He had a breakout season in 2023 and is respected as the No. 5 cornerback prospect in the FCS according to Draft Scout. WCU had a strong year in 2023 and looks to build on that in the SoCon this fall, and Williams will be heavily counted on for that.
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