© MONICA HERNDON/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS Haason Reddick is back home with the Eagles and couldn’t be more excited to get going. You know the old adage: Defense wins championships. A day after we put together a championship-caliber offense from the Philadelphia area, it is time to unveil our defensive roster, headlined by new Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick. Here are the best NFL defensive players and special teamers from Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Delaware: DE Carl Nassib, Tampa Bay Buccaneers:The West Chester native made national waves last September by becoming the first active NFL player to come out as gay while a member of the Los Vegas Raiders. Now with the Bucs, Nassib, 29, will look to add to his career total of 22 sacks. Before becoming an All-American with Penn State, Nassib starred in football and basketball at Malvern Prep. DT Christian Barmore, New England Patriots:Ask anyone in New England about the former Neumann Goretti star and they will tell you how much of a steal Barmore looks to be as a second-round pick. The Philly product racked up 45 tackles and was a force in the middle last season for the Patriots on the way to earning Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie honors. DT Teair Tart, Tennessee Titans:The 6-foot-4, 304-pound Tart took an unlikely road to the NFL. Originally a basketball player, he did not play football until his junior season in high school. He picked it up quickly, earning All-Public League honors as a defensive tackle at West Philadelphia before making collegiate stops at ASA College in New York, Valley Forge Military Academy, East Mississippi Community College, Ellsworth Community College (Iowa), and finally Florida International. The undrafted free agent then caught on with the Titans, with whom he started 10 games last season. DE Da’Shawn Hand, Tennessee Titans:Like Barmore, Hand was born in Philadelphia and later attended the University of Alabama, where he won two NCAA championships. A fourth-round pick of the Lions in 2018, Hand has bounced around a bit so far but has a great pedigree – he was once ranked as the top recruit in the country while playing at Woodbridge High School in Virginia. OLB Haason Reddick, Philadelphia Eagles: Reddick is Philly through and through as he grew up in Camden and then walked on at Temple. After a banner career with the Owls, Reddick was selected in the first round of the NFL draft and has subsequently established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league. Reddick, who signed a three-year, $45-million contract with the hometown Eagles this summer, has 23.5 sacks over the past two seasons, the fifth-most in the NFL during that span. MLB Troy Reeder, Los Angeles Chargers:Fresh off a Super Bowl title with the crosstown Rams, Reeder signed with the Chargers this summer. The Wilmington native finished third on the Rams with 91 tackles last season and joins a Chargers defense that also added Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson. At the Salesianum School, Reeder was named the Delaware Defensive Player of the Year before heading to Penn State and later the University of Delaware. OLB Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis Colts:The former La Salle College Prep standout has become a real leader in the Colts’ locker room, serving as a captain the past few seasons. A star on special teams, Franklin is expected to play more on the defensive side of the ball this season. Last year, Franklin tallied 40 tackles, but that could increase in 2022-23 with the Colts’ depth chart slating him to start at the Sam linebacker spot. CB Bryce Hall, New York Jets:The young Jets corner is coming off an excellent season, one in which he earned a 64.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, the 18th best mark for defenders who played at least 80% of his team’s defensive snaps. Hall racked up 79 tackles and 16 passes defended last season CB Eli Apple, Cincinnati Bengals: The former top 10 pick has had an up-and-down NFL career but last season advanced to the Super Bowl with the Cincinnati Bengals, his fourth team in four years. As a senior at Eastern Regional in Voorhees, Apple was rated the No. 1 recruit in the state of New Jersey and ultimately committed to Ohio State. He is coming off arguably his best pro season, racking up 49 tackles, 10 passes defended, and two interceptions, while grading out as the best corner in man coverage in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. CB Anthony Averett, Las Vegas Raiders:The Woodbury product will be beginning his fifth NFL season, and like Apple, is probably coming off his best one to date. Averett had 54 tackles, 11 passes
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