Thomas Erdman
River Hill, lineman, senior
* Great speed and quickness for a 6-2, 230-pound defensive end; could make the tackle or force the takeaway
* Had 86 tackles - 49 solo and 24 for a loss; tied team record with 10 sacks; forced five fumbles and recovered four
* Key to a defense that allowed just 681 yards rushing and held opponents to an average of 6.5 points
* Had eight tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in comeback win over Atholton that decided the Howard County championship
* Considering James Madison and Shepherd among other colleges; selected for the Crab Bowl but likely will not play because of injuries sustained in an automobile accident
Anthony Ferguson
Gilman, lineman, senior
* Great strength and balance at tackle made him able to handle multiple players converging on the middle from different angles
* At 6-2, 280 pounds, kept opponents from running inside on the MIAA A Conference champs
* Had 68 tackles, 21 for losses; had five sacks and caused five fumbles
* Consistent player who had his best games against top A Conference foes Loyola and McDonogh
* Committed to Iowa
Kyle Jaski
Kenwood, punter, senior
* Became a punter after suffering a shoulder injury as a sophomore that ended his career as a tight end
* Punted 43 times for 40.3-yard average, 16 for 50 yards or more; also the Bluebirds' kicker with 11 of 13 extra points and one field goal
* Placed two 65-yard punts inside the 10-yard line; placed eight punts of 50 or more yards inside the 15
* In upset win over Milford Mill, landed three punts inside the 10-yard line and averaged 46 yards on six kicks
* Being recruited by Division I programs, including West Virginia
Kevin Johnson
River Hill, cornerback, senior
* Great speed and agility make the 6-1, 165-pounder excellent at pass coverage
* Had 26 tackles, three interceptions; only allowed four passes this season; did not allow a touchdown pass in two years
* Also played halfback, rushing for 1,220 yards on 137 carries; caught 12 passes for 251 yards; scored 18 touchdowns
* Hardly ever left the field; returned kickoffs and punts for the state Class 3A semifinalists
* A member of two state championship teams who has committed to Wake Forest
Isaac Jorgensen
McDonogh, linebacker, senior
* Rangy 6-2, 220-pounder, played with consistency and intensity; key to stopping the inside run
* Had 103 tackles - nine for losses; had six pass breakups
* Workhorse for the MIAA A Conference runners-up, often playing every down on both sides of the ball at inside linebacker and offensive guard
* Eagles coach Dom Damico: "He likes contact, likes being in the pile making hits. You love to coach him because he goes so hard."
* Mainly drawing attention from Patriot League and Division II programs
Jake McGinnis
Joppatowne, linebacker, senior
* Has all the physical tools at 6-1, 225; runs well, has great instincts for the football and is rarely fooled
* Made 13 tackles in the state Class 1A final loss to Catoctin
* Had 162 tackles this fall, 413 for his career; six sacks and four fumble recoveries this season; also played nose guard in some defensive fronts
* Mariners coach Bill Waibel: "The best linebacker we've ever had in 24 years"
* Getting college looks from Division I and Division II schools
Dan McManus
Eastern Tech, lineman, junior
* Aggressiveness, quickness, good off-ball speed make the 5-11, 240-pound tackle tough to contend with
* Good at finding the ball and chasing it down, strong pass rusher
* 92 tackles, 11 sacks for the state Class 2A champions
* Mavericks coach Marc Mesaros: "He's a throwback to the 1950s. He's just a tough kid."
* Some Ivies interested in his game and his 3.8 GPA
Chris Nash
Hereford, lineman, senior
* Intensely aggressive nose guard that most opposing offensive schemes were built around trying to stop
* Had 78 tackles - 14 for a loss - as well as 15 sacks and four forced fumbles
* Made 11 tackles in the state Class 3A semifinal loss to eventual champ Linganore
* Bulls coach Steve Turnbaugh: "His motor never turns off. He's relentless. Every play is 100 percent, non-stop."
* Drawing some college looks after breakout season
Reynard Parks
Dunbar, linebacker, senior
* Consistent, strong and speedy at 6-0, 210 pounds; had great sideline-to-sideline coverage
* Led the state Class 1A semifinalists with 148 tackles, 14 against top rival Poly's triple-option offense; also played fullback
* Transfer from Calvert Hall voted a captain by his teammates
* Poets coach Lawrence Smith: "He is Ray Lewis. He doesn't always make the big hit, but if he gets his hands on you, you're going down."
* Considering offers from UNLV, Central Michigan and Towson
Jim Poggi
Gilman, linebacker, senior
* Known for his great closing speed and as a student of the game; tough on foes trying to run up the middle
* Had 127 tackles - 17 for a loss - eight sacks and three interceptions in 10 games; called all the defenses and audibles on the field
* Son of Greyhounds coach Biff Poggi, missed a game and a half during which the defense gave up 28 percent of the points it allowed for the season
* Coach Poggi: "He is everything to our defense."
* Committed to Iowa
Tyler Weedon
Catonsville, linebacker, junior
* Only repeat All-Metro first-team defender
* Had 135 tackles in nine games; started every game on defense since his freshman year
* Slippery defender at 5-10, 230 pounds; quick and aggressive with good instincts, rarely caught out of position
* Played fullback, running for 231 yards and two TDs; also kicks off
* Getting attention from LSU, Georgia, Pitt, Iowa and Rutgers, among others