Top 10 Texas defensive players for 2023 HS football season
8. Nigel Smith II, Sr., Melissa
The senior star defensive lineman did it all during his junior campaign at Melissa, showing an ability to make plays around, and behind, the line of scrimmage. With 103 tackles on the year, to go along with 17 for loss and 11 sacks, Smith found himself frequently in opponent鈥檚 backfields. His ability to impact games even came with a few turnovers for the 6-foot-5 lineman who forced, and recovered, two fumbles during the campaign. Smith and the Cardinals will have the chance to build on their playoff quarterfinals appearance from a year ago during his final high school season.
