Division B: All-Defensive Team

Before we reach the end of the regular season, one of the annual traditions here at FlagPlus Football, is we name our All-Stars for each division. We reveal our choices for Quarterback, Receiver, Defensive and 2-Way Player of the Year.

In flag football, there are essentially five positions. Snapper, Quarterback, Receiver, Defensive Back, and Rusher. If you have been paying attention to FPF or flag in general, you will notice that not only are there hundreds of current and former tackle players now playing this form of ball, but there are countless athletes lined up at positions that have the same responsibilities of a Running Back, Safety, Linebacker, and Defensive End. 

Every year both college and professional football put out their All-Star teams. From Punter, to Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Defensive End, Running Back, and Quarterback, all positions get named. I want to do something a little different here. For this article, I will name my Division B All-Defensive team. Defense wins championships, so that’s why they’re going first.

Before we begin, I made it a point to not rely on past exploits too much. I find most leagues, particularly both the NFL and NBA, pick their All-Star and All-Pro teams mainly based off past accolades. I wanted to reward the players who are having great seasons this year.

As is the case with most teams of this nature, some really good players will be left of the team. This isn’t a personal attack on you. There are only so many spots available on the team.   

Rusher

Thomas Coutu (Mangoose)

Since the beginning of the season, Coutu has been the best Rusher in Division B. His combination of speed, length, and agility, mixed in with his ability to cut down angles are all key reasons why he leads all players in sacks with 13, nine more than the next competitor.

Some players would be more than happy just getting a sack per game. With eight games played so far, he is averaging nearly two sacks a contest. That is impressive.

While no one would ever mistake Coutu for being a Defensive End or Outside Linebacker, the pressure that he is putting on Quarterbacks is a big reason his team sits near the top of the standings, and has the top-ranked defense in Div. B.

Safety

Sanders Armand (Run It Once)

Jahnai Lewis-Copeland (Poseidon’s Kiss)

Ahmed Boubacar (Run It Once)

I talked to my podcast co-host Qauysie Gordon-Maule about this recently, and he said that in the higher divisions, this is a position that no one really plays. He called all players who didn’t rush the passer, a Defensive Back. I totally disagree. From Matt Bond to Marvin Steinberg, in every division, there is a player who handles the middle of the field both short and deep. The really good ones even call their team’s defense.

I have called virtually every home game of Lewis-Copeland’s career at McGill. He can flat out ball. Safety, Halfback, and even Cornerback, he has played every position in the secondary. He can cover, tackle, and lay the hammer down on both Receivers and Running Backs. He is also a key part to the Redbird’s turnaround, as he helped lead them back to the post-season for the first time since 2019. He wasn’t done there, as he added the Defensive Player of the Game award at the USPORTS East-West Bowl, after returning an interception 58 yards for a touchdown.

Since joining FPF, he has brought those same coverage skills to his team. With the ability to go sideline to sideline, and deflect any pass within his vicinity, Lewis-Copeland, isn’t afraid to challenge the other team’s top Receivers.

The final guy on the list plays Safety for the Concordia Stingers. Boubacar, has established himself as one of the top Defensive Backs in the country. In his Division B debut this year, he sits in the top half of every major category, with 24 tackles, three interceptions, and four pass deflections. He even has a sack on his ledger. We might be witnessing the beginning of a special FPF career.

Over the last few seasons, Armand has become one of the top players in FPF at taking the ball away and eliminating the deep middle of the field for Quarterbacks. He is tied for second in interceptions with four, and third in pass deflections with four as well. For his career, he has 131 and 189 respectively, to go along with 13 defensive touchdowns. Before every snap the opposing QB must look to see where he is first.

Linebacker/Halfback

Marc-André Lapointe (Udaho Idapimps)

Brady Ohanessian (Udaho Idapimps)

Carl Achy (Fins Up)

Mack Dessources (Never Overtime)

Yes, technically they are Defensive Backs, but the slot defenders are usually a little different than Cornerbacks. The latter, tend to be longer, faster, and in some cases, lighter. The former, defend the slot, and are typically shorter, and more physical.

I am not confusing anyone with Ray Lewis, Fred Warner, or Roquan Smith, but the FPF version must bring some thump, mixed in with solid coverage skills. The ability to go step for step with a Receiver and rip the ball out of their hands often at the same time, while not drawing pass interference penalties is a lot to ask, but these players are tasked with doing exactly that.

The top two guys in this category more than bring physicality and the ability to cover pass-catchers to the Udaho Idapimps defense. I scorekept their game versus Mangoose Tuesday night in Brossard, and Ohanessian essentially won the game for his squad by forcing an interception with about a minute left in the contest. Lapointe, is a veteran who stirs the drink on his defense. He is the type of player you want on your team but hate playing against because he makes you earn every yard that you get.

A former Defensive Back and National champion at the University of Laval, Achy, knows how to shutdown Receivers, get his hands on passes, and disrupt the timing of not just the man he is covering, but their offense as well.

After a stellar career at McGill, Dessources, has brought aggression and a pit-bull mentality to FPF. Don’t let his lack of height fool you, he will attack the ball and try to rip it out of the hands of its intended target especially near the goaline. Add all of that up with his ability to tackle in the open field, and you see a productive tone-setter, who makes any defense better.

Cornerback

Marvin Renaud (Shake & Bake)

Bakari Barrett (Run It Once)

Juwan Edghill (Poseidon’s Kiss)

Jeremy Rooney (Udaho Idapimps)

Hakim Kasbi-Filiatrault (Mangoose)

All five players have size, speed, length and leaping ability. They can cover the short area of the field, but what they excel at is taking away the deep passes like the corner, post, seam, double-move, and go-routes. 

Shake & Bake’s Renaud leads all players with five INTs, while Barrett is tied for second with four, but is first in defensive touchdowns with two.

Both Edghill and Rooney have no problem talking a little trash and backing it up. They are rarely out of position, and always seem to be around the ball when it is thrown deep.

I wrote earlier this week about the talent and knowledge that Kasbi-Filiatrault brings to the Mangoose defense. (https://www.flagplusfootball.com/en/article/division-b-top-10-most-underrated-players)

He is quiet and always smiling, but don’t let his laid-back demeanour fool you, he is ultra competitive, and loves being challenged on the outside.

Honourable Mention:

Simon Duchesne (FINS UP)

Rocco Christiano (Poseidon’s Kiss)

Sam Anastasopoulos (Udaho Idapimps)

James Langshaw (FINS UP)

This is my All-Defensive team. The NFL names 22 players on each side of the ball. 11 players. One first unit, and then a second. I stopped at 13. Two for each spot, and a Rusher. Next week, I will reveal my All-Offensive team. Let me know what you think.

If you liked the article, hated it, or simply felt like I left something out, please feel free to contact me at [email protected], or on the FPF Facebook page.