Under-the-Radar: 2021 DBs

Will Helms August 26, 2020 @ 01:24 PM

We continue our Under-the-Radar series by looking at the defensive back position. The position is one of the deeper ones in the state, so in this installment, we’ll focus on the guys we think should be getting a bit more interest on the recruiting trail. [player_tooltip player_id="28574" first="Kamron" last="Hoover"], 5’10 165, Havelock Hoover is an athletic, though slightly undersized corner. He excels on both sides of the ball and does a great job putting himself around the ball, forcing seven turnovers and deflecting seven passes a year ago. We like his potential at cornerback and think he could thrive in either a zone or man heavy scheme, particularly one that allows him to ad lib a bit and make big plays. [player_tooltip player_id="28560" first="Fred" last="Bates"], 6’ 175, Hopewell Bates is one of our favorite safety prospects in the state but he just doesn’t have the offers of some of his peers. His best trait is his range. Hopewell often puts him in single-high coverage and asks him to cover sideline-to-sideline, which he does well. Bates fits the modern game well in that he excels in coverage. He’ll bring a lot to the table for a college team. [player_tooltip player_id="28600" first="Caleb" last="Bowling"], 5’11 180, Davie Bowling is just slightly undersized at safety. Outside of that, he has absolutely everything colleges look for in a safety prospect. Production? Yep, Bowling had over 130 tackles last year. Competition level? Bowling moved over to Davie last season and dominated against 4A competition. Ability to play the run and the pass? Check and check. Bowling recently received his first Division 1 offer, but more should come in the future. [player_tooltip player_id="28575" first="Klijah" last="Jackson-Melton"], 5’11 170, Phillip O Berry If you watch a Berry game, you’ll likely see Jackson-Melton at safety. And linebacker. And in the slot. And as an outside corner. And, well you get the point. And he’s usually the best player on the field at any of those positions. He plays bigger than his size indicates and he’s excellent against the run. He’s still improving as a pure cover guy, but his versatility is more than enough to excite college coaches.