Elder had one of its most memorable seasons in school history and leading the way for the Panthers defense was Derek Uran who was named the 2025 TriState Football Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year, as TSF paid tribute to the area’s finest from Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Dayton and Southeast Indiana at the TriState Football Year in Review Show on Monday night, in front of a packed house at the Holy Grail in downtown Cincinnati.
The senior terrorized opposing backfields for a stellar Panthers defense that allowed just 15.1 points per game and helped Elder to its fourth undefeated regular season in school history and the program’s first-ever 12-0 start. Uran, a Virginia signee, recorded 104 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 23.0 tackles for losses, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
His work also saw him be named OPSMA Division I Ohio Co-Defensive Player of the Year, OPSMA Division I First Team All-Ohio (Second Team in 2024), OPSMA Division I Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year, GCL South Co-Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-TSF (Third Team in 2024).
Uran ended his career with 224 tackles, 18.5 sacks, 36.0 tackles for losses, seven pass breakups, six forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two interceptions including a pick-six.
The other 2025 TSF Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year finalists were seniors Kobe Clapper (St. Xavier), Luke Czarnecki (Williamsburg), Adam Kirtley (Taft), Brady Kuhn (Anderson), Aden Reeder (St. Xavier), Max Rhodes (Oak Hills), Jack Simpson (Mariemont) and Andrew Wells (Princeton).
This is the 19th year for this award and Uran is the first Elder Panther to be named the TSF Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year.
TSF Cincinnati Defensive Players of the Year
2025 – Drek Uran (Elder)
2024 – Justin Hill (Winton Woods)
2023 – P.J. Nelson (Princeton)
2022 – Jermaine Matthews Jr. (Winton Woods)
2021 – Jyaire Brown (Lakota West)
2020 – Dontay Corleone (Colerain)
2019 – Deshawn Pace (Colerain)
2018 – Ivan Pace Jr. (Colerain)
2017 – Cris Oats (Winton Woods)
2016 – Kyle Bolden (Colerain)
2015 – Kyle Bolden (Colerain)
2014 – Elijah Taylor (Moeller)
2013 – Sam Hubbard (Moeller)
2012 – Shane Jones (Moeller)
2011 – Adolphus Washington (Taft)
2010 – Steven Daniels (St. Xavier)
2009 – Marcus Rush (Moeller)
2008 – Chris Williams (Winton Woods)
2007 – Brandon Mills (Colerain)
