2019 Jalil Core
SS, Lakewood Spartans

The Class of 2020 strong safety, Jalil Core, had an immense season for Armwood as the Hawks put together a 12-2 season that took them all the way to the Class 7A State Semifinals and an eventual defeat to Edgewater. Core was a difference maker for the team in the secondary, showing an ability to play both the run and the pass with ease, even against the Hawks’ toughest opponents.

Core is known for his hard hitting defensive play as he is a strong and powerful player who is never afraid to take on blockers or put a hit on a running back. He tackles with a ferocity you don’t often see in the high school game, be it a WR foolish enough to come into his zone or a QB staring into the whites of Core’s eyes as he times a blitz from the secondary, hitting is fun for Core and it shows when you watch him play.

He plays with contact and leverage in mind, which is why you never see Core moving backwards at the point of contact. His ability to keep his legs moving through the tackle is one of the reasons that he has become such a feared defender in the Hawks system and why he’s attracting more attention by the day at the college level after an almost immaculate senior season for Armwood.

In over half of the Hawks games this season their opponent was held to a field goal or less. Only Chamberlain, North Gwinnett (in double OT) and Edgewater were able to score more than 10 points against a defense anchored by Core crushing anything that came his was in the secondary. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder finished the season with 75 tackles, four picks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery as he ticked every box a coach would want to see in a strong safety.