Two of those named as linebackers to the all-time all-state small schools team are Todd Davis from Paraclete of Lancaster and Ben Burr-Kirven from Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton). Photos; Antelope Valley Press & Roger Chen / Prep2Prep.
Here’s the players selected for defense on our expanded version of our All-Time All-State Small Schools Football Teams. Verbum Dei of Los Angeles has the most players named for both offense and defense, but all four of the Eagles are on defense. We also have one DB who once led the NFL in interceptions and another who had a pick six in an NFL game just last this season. Go inside this post as well for those listed as second team and for some other notes/clarifications.
FOR THE ALL-TIME ALL-STATE SMALLS TEAM (OFFENSE), CLICK HERE.
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(All players listed and mentioned according to their senior season and not graduation year)
(The first time we did these teams was during the pandemic in January of 2021 and it was not split up according to offense & defense)
(These teams also weren’t limited by 30-player format of our usual all-state teams)
(Criteria also is reflective of NFL accomplishments and/or NFL experience)
(This is not just about what the players did in high school but they had to have been at least playing at an all-league or all-area level while in high school)
DEFENSE
DL Akeem Ayers (Verbum Dei, Los Angeles)
All-State DE for small schools in 1995 and 1996 also was CIF Southern Section divisional defensive player of the year. Akeem later developed into an outside linebacker at UCLA where he was a Butkus Award finalist. He was picked in the NFL Draft in 2011 by the Tennessee Titans and in 2015 he was a member of the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl team.
