Story thread · 2 reports / 1 sources

A dozen who will dazzle: A look at some top high school football stars on defense

suntimes.com · 19hShare

One of the hallmarks of old-school -Catholic League football was its blue-collar, physical brand of defense. The sport has opened up in recent years, but Catholic League teams still win championships on the defensive side of the ball. So it’s no surprise this alphabetical list of 12 defensive players to watch in 2026 includes a trio from Class 8A champion Mount Carmel and a pair from 7A winner Brother Rice. David Folorunsho, St. Patrick A native of Nigeria who grew up playing soccer, Folorunsho is the No. 1 senior in the state and the No. 31 player nationally, according to the 247Sports rankings. The 6-3, 280-pound lineman is committed to Notre Dame. Tavares Harrington, Mount Carmel The 6-3, 185-pound defensive back is one of two Caravan seniors committed to Michigan, along with receiver Quentin Burrell. Heading into his third season as a starter, Harrington has career totals of 89 tackles, four interceptions and 16 passes broken up. He’s the consensus No. 8 player in Illinois and the

First report: A dozen who will dazzle: A look at some top high school football stars on offense — suntimes.com, 3d