By Merv Moore • Shop in Seagoville • August 22, 2026
South Oak Cliff dominated District 5-5A Division II defensively last season, and even after losing a large senior class, the defending state champions return enough proven talent to remain the team to beat.
The Shop in Seagoville Preseason All District Defense is an editorial projection based primarily on 2025 all-district recognition, returning status, production, and expected 2026 roles.
Mesquite Poteet and Molina are new to the district this season, so their players were evaluated using honors earned in their 2025 districts.
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Isaiah Udom, South Oak Cliff
Udom enters his senior season as one of the district’s premier defensive backs. He earned first team all district honors last year and finished the state championship season with 64 tackles and five interceptions.
The SMU commitment gives South Oak Cliff an experienced playmaker at the back end of a defense replacing several standout seniors.
First Team Defense
| Position | Player | School | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| DL | Jaderian Jones | South Oak Cliff | Sr. |
| DL | Diego Ayala | Seagoville | Sr. |
| DL | Caden Turner | Mesquite Poteet | Sr. |
| LB | Cody Smith | South Oak Cliff | Jr. |
| LB | Justin Banks | Samuell | Sr. |
| LB/DB | Michael Johnson II | Samuell | Sr. |
| LB/S | Devin Watkins | Mesquite Poteet | Sr. |
| CB | Jakyvion Spears | Samuell | Sr. |
| S | Isaiah Udom | South Oak Cliff | Sr. |
| S | Zion Stevens Braziel | Hillcrest | Sr. |
| S | Jyrion Hampton | South Oak Cliff | Sr. |
Defensive Line
Jaderian Jones, South Oak Cliff, was a first team all district defensive lineman as a junior and returns at defensive tackle.
With several members of South Oak Cliff’s championship front graduating, Jones becomes one of the experienced players expected to take on a larger leadership role.
Diego Ayala, Seagoville, earned second team all district honors in 2025 and is one of the few proven pieces returning to a Dragons defense that lost several senior leaders.
Caden Turner, Mesquite Poteet, received second team defensive end honors in Poteet’s former district last season. His return gives the Pirates an experienced edge player as they move into District 5-5A Division II.
Linebackers
Cody Smith, South Oak Cliff, may ultimately be the district’s most productive defender. He was the 2025 District Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore before helping South Oak Cliff win the state championship, recording 116 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and three sacks along the way. He now enters only his junior season.
Justin Banks, Samuell, returns after earning first team all district recognition at linebacker. Samuell’s current roster lists Banks as a senior and gives the Spartans one of the district’s more accomplished returning linebackers.
Michael Johnson II, Samuell, was a second team all district linebacker last season. His current roster listing includes safety, giving Samuell the flexibility to use another experienced senior at multiple levels of the defense.
Devin Watkins, Mesquite Poteet, brings one of the strongest résumés among the district’s newcomers. He was a second team all district safety last year and totaled 86 tackles, two sacks, an interception, and two forced fumbles. His current profile lists him at outside linebacker, making him an especially versatile defensive piece.
Secondary
Jakyvion Spears, Samuell, was already a first team all district cornerback as a junior. He returns as a senior and should anchor a Spartans secondary that has several experienced players available.
Zion Stevens Braziel, Hillcrest, earned second team all district honors at safety in 2025. The Class of 2027 defensive back gives Hillcrest a proven player in a secondary that was one of the Panthers’ strengths last season.
Jyrion Hampton, South Oak Cliff, did not receive the same 2025 district recognition as Udom, but his production makes him difficult to leave off a preseason projection.
Hampton recorded 67 tackles and four interceptions and returns as a senior safety, giving South Oak Cliff another experienced playmaker in the secondary.
South Oak Cliff Still Sets the Standard
South Oak Cliff loses numerous 2025 first team defenders, including several seniors who helped produce one of the state’s best defenses, but this is not a complete rebuild.
Udom, Smith, and Jones all return with major postseason credentials, while Hampton gives the Golden Bears another experienced defensive back, and that returning core is why South Oak Cliff deserves the largest representation on this preseason team.
Samuell also has a strong case for multiple selections. Banks and Spears were both first team choices last season, while Johnson earned second team recognition.
Poteet adds Watkins and Turner from a different 2025 district, giving the new look District 5 another group of proven defenders.
For Seagoville, Ayala is the safest preseason selection. The Dragons had other productive defenders last year, but graduation hit the unit hard.
That makes defense one of the biggest questions surrounding Seagoville’s season, as the Dragons will need new players to emerge before they can match the returning experience available at South Oak Cliff, Samuell, and several of their other district rivals.
