2021 Rankings: Defensive Back Breakdown

We have arrived at our last stop for our positional group breakdown for the defense in 2021 and we’ve saved a good one for last. This defensive back group may be the deepest position across all classes and that’s not just taking the top 5 or 10 into consideration. This has everything from blue-chip Power 5 Division 1 commits, quickly rising stars who may sneak into that division 1 conversation, players who will make a big impact on the division 2 level, and plenty of other college-level defensive backs. Let’s dive in and take a look at the best of the best 2021 has to offer in the secondary. [player_tooltip player_id="38486" first="Kendal" last="Daniels"] - Beggs At this point, there is not much to be said about Texas A&M commit [player_tooltip player_id="38486" first="Kendal" last="Daniels"] other than he is the undisputed top prospect in the class of 2021 and is one of the highest-rated defensive backs to come out of Oklahoma in the last 5 years. At 6’4" Daniels often looks like a tight end or big receiver playing safety at the 2A level and hits like a linebacker when he comes downhill in the run game. He has shown versatility throughout his time at Beggs as a standout on both sides of the ball and on the hardwood for Beggs’ basketball team. With his frame, he could transition to OLB at the next level if needed, but his ball skills, especially in traffic, will most likely keep him at safety. His rating could still go up, but as of now, he is the highest-rated DB to come out of Oklahoma since Daxton Hill and Josh Proctor who currently play at Michigan and Ohio State. That is some good company to be in. [player_tooltip player_id="38492" first="Jordan" last="Mukes"] - Choctaw Coming in as our #2 DB we have Oklahoma commit [player_tooltip player_id="38492" first="Jordan" last="Mukes"]. Mukes is another db in this class with excellent size at 6’4" 200 Lbs and has the versatility to play multiple positions in the secondary. He has played mostly as a corner but his best position at the next level may be at safety where he can sit back and play center fielder while also crashing down to make some hard hits in the run game. Mukes is originally a basketball player, which you can see in his leaping ability, who came out for the football team just a few seasons ago so he is still refining his game. Mukes ceiling is quite an exciting one because he is already so good and is still learning how to play his position. [player_tooltip player_id="38491" first="Ty" last="Williams"] - Muskogee Out of all the DBs in this class, [player_tooltip player_id="38491" first="Ty" last="Williams"] may have the best ball skills. As a junior, Williams intercepted 9 passes and they all looked much easier than they were because it comes so naturally for him. Outside of his ball skills, Williams is a hard hitter in the open field, especially for a quarterback as he has played both ways for Muskogee throughout his career. His two way versatility in football is a testament to his overall athleticism as he has shined in four sports at Muskogee including football, basketball, track, and wrestling. Williams is just one of three defensive backs on this list committed to Oklahoma State, and if his career to this point is any indicator, Cowboys fans should be looking forward to a few years full of picks from this kid. [player_tooltip player_id="38499" first="Makale" last="Smith"] - Midwest City The second Oklahoma State commit on this list is [player_tooltip player_id="38499" first="Makale" last="Smith"]. Smith is a big and intimidating corner for Midwest City who may not have the interceptions that some of the other players on this list do but that is simply because teams do not throw to him often. Makale is listed at 6’2" but plays much bigger than that, especially on offense where he has had a handful of multiple multi-touchdown games at receiver despite not being a starter on that side of the ball most weeks. If he produces any more on that side of the ball before the season is over, Oklahoma State may have to entertain the idea of playing him at WR full time. [player_tooltip player_id="38497" first="Donovan" last="Stephens"] - Del City The third and final Oklahoma State commit on this list is one of my favorite defensive players in the state, Donny Stephens. Stephens is a gifted athlete who has played all over the defense for Del City, ranging from linebacker, edge rusher, safety, and even a little in the slot as a corner at times. He is listed in most places as a linebacker which may very well be where he plays in college, but his instincts and ball skills are too good to overlook, explaining all the love for him in the secondary. Regardless of what position he plays, both Stephens and his teammate [player_tooltip player_id="38498" first="Rejhan" last="Tatum"] are perfect players for the modern game because their ability and versatility in space lines up nicely with the positionless style of defense in the secondary that is trending upwards at the college level. [player_tooltip player_id="38505" first="Angelo" last="Rankin Jr."] - Edmond Santa Fe Next, we have a player in Angelo Rankin who might not have one position nailed down for him at the next level but is a player who deserves to be recognized for what he is, a swiss army knife who can do a little bit of everything. Rankin has excelled at a number of positions including running back, wide receiver, corner, safety, and even as a return man on special teams. His best position is most likely at corner based on projection, but I would argue that in the right scheme he could be an explosive slot receiver. Rankin recently de-committed from Army, so his recruiting is still open as he works to land a spot on an FBS roster that he rightfully deserves. [player_tooltip player_id="38523" first="Caden" last="Hendren"] - Piedmont To close out this list we have another player we have listed as an athlete but could very easily be a defensive back at the next level in [player_tooltip player_id="38523" first="Caden" last="Hendren"]. Hendren has played a similar role as many guys on this list as he has played virtually everywhere for Piedmont over the course of his career. His top position is likely at safety or corner where he is a true ball-hawking striker, however, he could play some receiver in college, it is just hard to gauge his ceiling because Piedmont does not pass the ball much out of their Flexbone attack. Hendren currently has a handful of Division 2 offers and a lone Division 1 offer from Eastern Michigan, hopefully he can earn a few more offers with a strong finish to his senior season.