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LADUEÌý— The idea of losing his voice from shouting defensive instructions to his Ladue football teammates brought a smile to senior linebacker Ìý

"I mean, it'd be worth it," Marden said.Ìý

It hasn't happened yet, but Marden knows it could.

In that vein, the Rams tackling prodigy has taken steps to protect his vocal chords from the constant screaming and yelling required to prepare the defense for any given play.

"He knows how to yell from his diaphragm," Ladue head coach Adam Hamilton said. "The good news is, he's been doing it long enough that he knows when he needs to raise his voice and when he needs to conserve it."

The 6-foot-3 and 225-pound Marden has been a thunderous rock in the middle of Ladue's defense the past three years and is ready for one more campaign in the navy and white.Ìý

"I just want to do whatever it takes for the team to win," Marden said.Ìý

Marden, No. 4Ìýon the Post-Dispatch Super 30 football recruiting countdown of the area's top senior college recruits, has committed to Arizona State University.

He isn't worried about the nearly 1,500 miles that separate him now from his future collegiate home.Ìý

"It was always just who treated my family the best, who I felt like built that bond with me," Marden said. "ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ were real with me throughout the whole recruiting process. They showed that to me early and seeing how they coach the guys, I just love everything about them. I love the players, and the first time on campus I just really clicked with them ... just the constant contact and how I'm going to fit into their defense."

Arizona State, under coach Kenny Dillingham, won the Big 12 championship last season and advanced to the College Football Playoffs. The Sun Devils lost 39-31 to Texas in double overtime in the quarterfinal round.Ìý

Despite securing 11 wins for the first time since 1996, the playoff loss lingered with Sun Devils players, something that stuck with Marden and made him even more excited about joining.Ìý

"They all really care about the next season," Marden said. "They always have a chip on their shoulder. Even though they made it to the playoffs, they were still hungry because they felt like they didn't win a national championship."

Marden committed to Arizona State in May. He also had offers from Cincinnati, Colorado State, Dartmouth, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami (Ohio), Michigan State, Minnesota, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Stanford, Western Michigan and Wisconsin.

The voice that has helped call out plays for the past three seasons at Ladue will be important when he takes the field at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.

"I know I have to be a lot more vocal, but you know, I'm ready for that pressure," Marden said.Ìý

Marden was a menace to ball carriers last year with an area-leading 166 tackles, including 11 for a loss. He also had three sacks and two interceptions.

A second-team All-Metro selection last year, Marden was the safety net in the middle of the Rams' defense.

"It's a great thing knowing that you have somebody behind you like that," Ladue senior defensive lineman Brendan Huddleston said. "He's always been there. If I'm not making a play, then he's the one making the play."

Like Huddleston, Marden is a film-watching fiend.

"I'd say the biggest improvement I've had is breaking down film," Marden said. "When I go out there and I see things I've seen on film before, I already know the play, so I can kind of cheat."

That cheat code has opened up a new dimension for Marden and his coaches in scheming Ladue's defense around him.Ìý

That and his freakish athleticism.Ìý

"Frankly, a man that large should not move that fast," Hamilton said. "It's not as simple as him being the quarterback of the defense. He does so many things so well. He allows us to be very unique with how we use that position, and that allows us to do some things that are not traditional. It gives us some advantages, because we can exploit the fact that he's big, fast and smart."

After slogging through a four-win campaign last year, Ladue's least amount of wins in a full season since 2007, Marden is willing to do whatever it takes to help restore the program to its former glory in his final high school season.

In addition to defense, he also caught 15 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns last season.

"I just want to be a utility player for wherever my team needs me," Marden said. "Whether that's in the nickel, playing (as a down lineman) and rushing the passer, I just want to be as versatile as possible, because I really want to see our team succeed as much as possible."