2018 All-Metro football defense first and second teams

First team

Sam Alsheimer

Glenelg, linebacker, senior

» Made 134 tackles as Glenelg made it to the Class 2A state title game

» Finished with 95 solo tackles, plus 39 assisted tackles, and had three sacks and two interceptions

» Also had eight tackles for loss

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Deonte Banks

Edgewood, defensive back, senior

» Finished with three interceptions for 49 yards as teams did not enjoy testing him

» Averaged 30.1 yards on 10 kickoff returns and 24 yards on seven punt returns

» Has committed to play football at Maryland next year

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Leighton Bechdel

Towson, punter, senior

» Rated the No. 14 senior punter in the nation by Kohl’s Kicking; averaged 42 yards this fall with his longest punt at 57 yards

» Also the Generals’ kicker, hit three of four field-goal attempts during the regular season, including a 47-yarder; hit three of four attempts, including a 42-yarder, in the Baltimore Touchdown Club All-Star Game

» Signed with West Virginia

Chris Braswell

St. Frances, lineman, junior

» The 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end has the dominant speed and quickness off the edge that drew many Power Five offers early in his career

» Recorded 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, 11 tackles for a loss and scored off a fumble recovery for a defense that allowed zero points during the regular season

» Committed to Alabama

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D’Von Ellies

McDonogh, lineman, senior

» The 6-2, 290-pound tackle showed exceptional quickness off the line in disrupting the opposition’s offensive game plan

» Had 17 sacks, 72 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and blocked an extra-point attempt

» Plans to announce his college choice at the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii on Jan. 19; Southern California, Penn State and Ohio State among the top prospects

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Robert Garrett

Franklin, lineman, senior

» The 6-2, 220-pound defensive end has been making big plays for three years

» Had 18½ sacks, including one in the state championship victory over Linganore; had 136 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three touchdowns

» Still considering his college options

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Logic Hudgens

Archbishop Spalding, defensive back, senior

» Finished the season with 33 tackles — 32 of which were solo — for the Cavaliers

» Also made three interceptions

» Has not made a college choice yet

2018 All-Metro football Defensive Player of the Year: Shane Lee, St. Frances

Shane Lee led the Panthers to the No. 1 ranking in The Baltimore Sun and the Maryland state media poll.

By Katherine Dunn

Dec 28, 2018 6:00 AM

Osita Smith

Wilde Lake, defensive back, senior

» Made 50 solo tackles, 51 assisted tackles and 21 tackles for loss, along with eight sacks

» Also helped on offense with 26 catches for 467 yards and eight touchdowns

» Committed to play football at West Virginia starting in the fall

Gereme Spraggins

Arundel, linebacker, senior

» Finished the season with 85 tackles, 20 of which were for a loss

» Also recovered three fumbles, forced two fumbles and scored two touchdowns

» Turned into a leader on the Wildcats defense this season

Marlowe Wax Jr.

Mount Saint Joseph, linebacker, senior

» Finished with 101 tackles, nine sacks and four interceptions, along with four forced fumbled and two fumble recoveries, plus one defensive touchdown

» Also helped out on offense, rushing for 1,146 yards with 18 touchdowns; caught 10 passes for 57 yards and two more touchdowns

» Has received multiple offers from college and is leaning toward Syracuse

Jordan White

Havre de Grace, defensive back, senior

» Helped the Warriors on defense with 68 solo tackles and 14 interceptions

» Added 447 yards on interception returns and scored three touchdowns on picks; also had 33 catches for eight touchdowns as a wide receiver

» Verbally committed to play at Youngstown State

Billy Wooden

Calvert Hall, lineman, senior

» At 6-3, 280 pounds, the tackle led one of the toughest defenses in the area as the Cardinals won the Christian Schools Invitational, reigned among the MIAA A Conference teams who played each other

» Had nine sacks, 75 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, forced one fumble, scored on a safety

» Committed to Army West Point