High School Football | Defensive backs to watch in 2022

Here are some of the Alliance-area defensive backs to watch during the 2022 high school football season. This is the fifth part of a series. Part 1 featured offensive linemen; part 2 with defensive linemen; part 3 with skill-position players and part 4 with linebackers.

Ovie Jones, Alliance, senior

Playing bigger than his listed 5-foot-10, Jones became a shutdown cornerback last season, defending the opposing teams' go-to wide receivers, including West Branch's Nick Wilson, Canton South's Caleb Lott and Salem's Blaize Exline. He didn't finish with eye-popping numbers in pass coverage, intercepting one pass and recording five pass break-ups. His speed and his ability to break on the ball effortlessly, however, often forced quarterbacks to look away from their primary receiver. Jones also was a physical cornerback, finishing with 56 tackles and two tackles for loss.

More: High School Football: Offensive linemen to watch in 2022

Dru DeShields, West Branch, senior

Not only did DeShields consistently connect with wide receivers from his quarterback position, but he also used his agility to defend passes from his boundary cornerback spot. Standing 6-4, which is considered tall for a cornerback, he exploited his height in pass coverage, leading the Warriors with four interceptions and six passes defended, while adding 16 solo tackles and nine assists.

More: High School Football | Linebackers to watch in 2022

Ty Knoch, Marlington, junior

Stepping up as a sophomore last fall, Knoch earned a starting spot at safety and became a difference-maker on the unit. He consistently made plays both against the run and pass, finishing the regular season with 45 tackles and four interceptions. As he became more comfortable in the secondary, he became more of an impact player. Knoch finished with a single-game high eight tackles in the season-finale against Alliance. Three of his four picks came in three successive games against Salem (Week 7), New Philadelphia (Week 8) and Carrollton (Week 9). His ability to read the quarterback and break on the ball helped result in those picks.

More: High School Football | Offensive skill-position players to watch in 2022

Carter Bugara, Alliance, senior

Starting at free safety, Bugara showed great instinct and leadership, anchoring the defensive backfield. Athletic and intelligent, he was sound at tracking the ball and his leaping ability helped him high-point the ball, a characteristic he often showed while playing wideout on offense. Bugara was also physical, finishing with 59 tackles, including 44 solo stops. Sporting good speed, he recorded a pair of tackles for loss.

More: High School Football | Defensive linemen to watch in 2022

Ex'Zirlaun Williamson, Alliance, senior

Starting at strong safety, Williamson became a perfect complement to Bugara. Possessing an aggressive mentality and explosiveness, he registered 58 tackles and matched Bugara with 44 solo stops and two tackles for loss. He became more physical last season after getting physically stronger between his sophomore and junior seasons. Williamson also improved his pass-coverage skills, finishing with four pass break-ups.

Beau Himmelheber, Marlington, junior

Extremely versatile, Himmelheber not only earned a starting spot in the secondary as a sophomore, but he also played both safety and cornerback. Possessing good quickness and an ability to take the necessary pursuit angles, Himmelheber also recorded 33 tackles and one tackle for loss. Since he started at wide receiver, he has the intelligence to recognize pass routes.

Charlie Roberts, Louisville, senior

Facing some rugged independent opponents, highlighted by eventual Division II state semifinalist Green and Division II playoff qualifier North Canton Hoover, Roberts gained valuable experience playing in the secondary against passing teams that could attack the field from all angles. As he gained more experience, Roberts also made some critical game-changing plays, highlighted by a 21-yard interception return at Alliance that set up his team's first score and helped the Leopards win their first game after seven straight losses. Not overly big at 5-9 and 165 pounds, Roberts compensates with intelligence gained through playing time and positioning.

Connor Morley, Louisville, senior

Another one of the secondary members who were tested weekly by an unforgiving schedule that included five straight games against Federal League foes, Morley kept elevating his level of play and also made game-changing plays in the final two games of the regular season, which helped the Leopards record their two wins. In the Alliance contest, his big play came on special teams when he blocked a point-after attempt and Louisville managed to win that game by one point. In the regular-season finale at Linsly, W. Va., he made two critical tackles in crunch time, including one for a 5-yard loss which helped Louisville escape with a 20-14 road win.

Joel Gropp, Minerva, sophomore

With his team lacking size, Gropp got a chance to start as a freshman and made the most of his opportunity. He became a starter in the secondary but also saw ample playing time at linebacker. Whatever defensive position he played, Gropp was extremely active, averaging more than five tackles per game in the last eight contests. He was strong against the run and was successful making plays at the line of scrimmage and in the offensive backfield. He was credited with four tackles for loss, including 2½ against Salem. With one year of experience behind him, Gropp could even get better as he physically matures.

Jayden Yerger, Minerva, sophomore

Another freshman who saw playing time, the undersized Yerger also gained valuable experience playing against teams with older and more experienced personnel, including seven playoff teams. He exhibited quickness and sound tackling skills in the regular-season opener against United Local, recording three tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He added an interception against Sandy Valley in the second game and recorded 2½ tackles against Carrollton in the regular-season finale. He gained experience and just needs to get physically stronger.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Alliance area defensive backs making an impact in 2022 football season