NUC East Ultimate 100: Top defenders

SMYRNA, Del. - The National Underclassmen East Ultimate 100 for class of 2014 prospects was held on Saturday at Smyrna High School in Delaware and a strong showing was made by the defense. Led by linebacker Aaron Glover who has been outstanding at other events, here's the breakdown of the top defensive prospects at the event.

LB Aaron Glover, 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, Virginia Beach (Va.) Princess Anne: At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Glover may not have the size that some college programs look for nowadays, but he has many other attributes that make him a quality recruit. Glover has proven himself as a top competitor, as he has already attended several events over the last two years. During that time he has also steadily improved and he continued to do that on Saturday. Glover is an extremely athletic linebacker, who moves very well in space and has little problem covering most running backs. He has also begun to fill out his frame and showed off that new upper body strength by manhandling a few running backs during 1-on-1 drills.

CB Darin Peart, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall: Erasmus was the home of incoming Syracuse freshman Wayne Morgan, and now Peart will look to take over the D-I cornerback torch. Peart is a long, lean athlete who breaks on the ball extremely well. His extremely long arms make him a nightmare for wide receivers to deal with, plus he also has an aggressive streak that he showed during 1-on-1's. He dealt with a few cramping issues by the end of the event, but overall, he proved himself as a top cornerback prospect for next year.

LB Tyler Powell, 6-foot-3, 218 pounds, Midlothian (Va.) Cosby: Powell made his presence felt earlier this spring at the Rivals/VTO Camp in Virginia, and he continued that again on Saturday in Delaware. Powell is a powerfully built linebacker who moves surprisingly well in the open field. He struggled at times with the smaller, shiftier backs, but overall, he proved that he could contain most running backs. He also flashed his aggressiveness and turned up his game up a few notches during the 1-on-1 and 7-on-7 portions of the event.

LB Joshua Smiley, 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Pomfret (Conn.) Pomfret School: Smiley was one of the more intriguing prospects at the event on Saturday. However, while he worked out at linebacker, his future seems to be at defensive end. An impressive-looking athlete, Smiley occasionally had problems in the open field, especially with his change of direction abilities. With his athleticism, burst of speed and body frame, he can easily grow into a defensive end that will have schools making a special stop in Connecticut over the next two years.

LB Shacor Privott, 6-foot-2, 241 pounds, Wilbraham (Mass.) Wilbraham and Monsen Academy: Privott was definitely one of the surprises at the event. Coming from a private school in Massachusetts, Privott first got noticed with his impressive performance in the combine drills. He later followed that up with equally impressive performances in both the 1-on-1's and 7-on-7. He moves extremely well for his size, changes direction easily and has quick feet.

DT Isaiah Stephens, 6-foot-3, 266 pounds, Smyrna, Del.: Stevens stood out from the start physically but took some time to really flourish on the field. As the day went on, he began to show his potential and turned into the top defensive lineman at the event. Very strong and possessing quick feet, Stephens dominated a majority of his 1-on-1 reps. He can definitely still be classified as raw, but occasionally he will pull off a move that shows you his true potential. As long as he continues to work on his game and continues to fill out his frame, he should be a top prospect in Delaware next year.

DT Bryan Reed, 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, Mt. Sinai, N.Y.: Reed was the most physically impressive defensive lineman at the event, as he has a thick barreled chest and strong lower body. He used this strength to his advantage throughout drills and the 1-on-1's. Reed also took instruction very well and improved as the event progressed. Also, as with most top defensive linemen, he possessed a mean streak that really came out during the long and physical 1-on-1 portion of the event.

LB Killian Carey, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Midlothian (Va.) Cosby: It is safe to say that he and his high school teammate, Tyler Powell, should form a formidable duo during the season. While Powell is more of an inside guy, Carey's frame takes him to the outside. Carey moves extremely well, as proven by his 4.67 40-yard dash time. He was also one of the more successful linebackers during 1-on-1 drills. Carey can be a bit stiff at times, with his mix of size, speed and overall athleticism, he should develop into a very good linebacker in Virginia next season and beyond.

LB Trumane Nieves, 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, Trenton (N.J.) Central: What Nieves may be lacking in height, he definitely makes up for with his aggressive style of play. Nieves punished several running backs during 1-on-1's, but also showed that he has the footwork and athletic ability to stay with many of them in the open field. Aside from having a future at linebacker, with his mean streak and obvious love for contact, Nieves can also develop himself into a fullback prospect down the line.

LB Daquan Delk, 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Norfolk (Va.) Maury: Delk was another linebacker who stood out on Saturday, at a position which was definitely the deepest. Delk plays bigger than his 6-foot-1, 192-pound size and definitely has a frame to add on more muscle and mass. He moved like a safety in the open field and was one of the best linebackers in coverage during 7-on-7's. He also played with confidence and a solid understanding of the game.

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