Ezell Braxton leads Demopolis in sacks. He is second in tackles. Despite playing outside linebacker, only Dontrell Miller has more return yards after interceptions. Only Willie Gracey has more pass breakups.

Braxton has arguably become the biggest-play guy for a Demopolis defense full of big play guys. And yet he’s still not ready to call his season a success.

“I want to say ‘Yes,'” he says when asked, “but I also want to say ‘No.'”

It’s hard to see where exactly Braxton could improve. The senior proved his worth again in Demopolis’s 42-7 win over Rehobeth, scorching around left end to deflect Tramekius James’s pass with his outstretched arms into the hands of Willie Gracey. The resulting score put the Rebels away for good.

“It’s just football sense,” Braxton says of his instincts for deflecting passes. “You can’t really teach it. If I know I’m not going to get to the quarterback, I just try to get my hands up.”

Despite the apparent ease with which Braxton maneuvers around opposing linemen, he says playing outside linebacker is still something he has to work day-in, day-out on.

“It’s not an easy position,” he says. “You have to take on 200 pound guys, bigger guys. It’s not easy.”