All-Basketball Football Team: Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today is National Signing Day for college football.&nbsp; On this day every year we release our <strong>All-Basketball Football Team</strong>.&nbsp; To be considered for this the player must be a ranked basketball prospect/under consideration to be ranked, but would also make an outstanding football player.&nbsp; Here is our Defense!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive End</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1284852' first='Chris' last='Riddle'] (Kenwood)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick twitched DePaul basketball commit would be an ideal defensive end with his strength, speed, and bull rush ability off the edge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive End</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iose Epenesa (Edwardsville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Epenesa is the top football recruit in the 2025 class by Prep Redzone and the defensive lineman is currently averaging 8 points and 7 rebounds per game on the hardwood.&nbsp; Easy addition for this squad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Tackle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Justin Scott (St. Ignatius)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Want an anchor to play next to Epenesa?&nbsp; How about the best 2024 prospect in the state's football class in Miami (FL) 5-star superstar Justin Scott who is a manchild playing football!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defensive Tackle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1978577' first='CJ' last='Worsham'] (Christ the King)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Worsham is a tough and athletic power forward that would be a monster defensive tackle playing football.&nbsp; Can get up field with his first step explosiveness and chase after backs in the run game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outside Linebacker</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1750599' first='Je'Shawn' last='Stevenson'] (Lindblom)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stevenson has the ability to rush the passer with a great first step along with chase down running backs..&nbsp; Lighting it up on the hardwood, but the Cleveland State commit would also be a great football player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Middle Linebacker</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1978581' first='Taylor' last='Powell'] (East St. Louis)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Powell can play in the secondary or at the linebacker level.&nbsp; We are going to put him in the middle of our defense as such a versatile piece that can anchor our run defense while being able to cover the middle of the field.&nbsp; NIU football commit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Outside Linebacker</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1488791' first='Carson' last='Brownfield'] (Homewood Flossmoor)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brownfield is a small forward that we can see easily making the transition to outside linebacker.&nbsp; Physical downhill hitter that is powerful with his hands tackling in space and rushing the passer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Strong Safety</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2105355' first='Davon' last='Grant'] (DeKalb)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This 2026 prospect can lay the hammer on the gridiron.&nbsp; Top 10 hoops prospect might end up being a better football prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Free Safety</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1552476' first='Nasir' last='Rankin'] (Whitney Young)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Same can be said about this rangy Dolphins 2026 prospect.&nbsp; Highly ranked hooper that was a beast picking passes off all season long for Whitney Young!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cornerback</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1157349' first='Jehvion' last='Starwood'] (Oswego East)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wyoming basketball commit is a high level athlete that has such an ease and fluidity to his game which will help him transition easily to the corner position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cornerback</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1285479' first='Isaiah' last='Green'] (Thornton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Green reminds me of a corner every time we see him play.&nbsp; He is an elite defender that plays with quickness, active hands, and speed.&nbsp; All translate well to the secondary!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->