We’re just over halfway through the season and by far the best two defensive players I’ve seen are Bishop Amat linebacker Sal Velasquez and Charter Oak linebacker Andrew Hauser.

To me, the Tribune Defensive Player of the Year race is between these two guys. And either might be good enough to be the overall Tribune Player of the Year.

If you just watch what they do on every play, they are affecting the game whether they’re in on the tackle or not.

Does the fact that Hauser missed three games because of his transfer from Amat cost him? It doesn’t for me, but it might for others. I’m going to judge him by his body of work in the games he plays.

Hauser had 13 tackles, two sacks and two hurries entering Friday’s game against Chino Hills. He certainly added nicely to those totals with another big performance.

Amat is not posting stats on Maxpreps this year, so we don’t know exactly what Sal V.’s numbers are. But trust me, if you’ve been to an Amat game, you know what I’m talking about.

Best I can do is link to Sal V.’s midway-through-the-season highlight reel. I rest my case.

I would strongly urge any fans who haven’t seen these guys to get out to a game and check them out. Both are two of the best instinctual players I’ve ever covered.