The 4A Club Midseason Player Rankings: Defensive Backs
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Every four weeks I like to take a look at the landscape of Class 4A football and come up with my own player rankings based on statistics. How I come up with my ratings is a system based on pro-football-reference.com’s…
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Continue ReadingEvery four weeks I like to take a look at the landscape of Class 4A football and come up with my own player rankings based on statistics. How I come up with my ratings is a system based on pro-football-reference.com’s “Approximate Value” system of ratings they use for overall performance during a season. For this article, I’m taking a look at my top 20 Class 4A Cornerbacks, top 10 Free Safeties, and top 10 Strong Safeties. In addition, I’m also giving out my top 5 overall DB’s as well.
*Stats are up to Week 4*
#1. Dylan Muszynski Dylan Muszynski 5'8" | 160 lbs | DB Linn-Mar | 2022 State IA , Linn-Mar, JR – 16.719
15.5 tackles, 3 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
Analysis: While Linn-Mar was another school that had to shut down for two weeks, Clayton’s proven to play extremely well over the two games they played up to the midseason point. He’s very quick in getting to the ball carrier and he has good enough instincts to read where the QB is gonna throw to.
#2. Ryan Cole Ryan Cole 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB St. Ansgar | 2021 IA , Bettendorf, SR – 15.143
12 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
Analysis: Ryan’s been not only vital on defense, but he also emerged as their starting running back on offense as well. He’s both speedy and powerful, a deadly combination for a 4-2-5 strong safety like Cole.
#3. DaVares Whitaker, Sioux City East, JR – 14.921
21 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, 2 TDs
Highest Offers: D-1 (Cleveland State (Basketball))
Analysis: Starting his high school years in Arkansas, DaVares recently moved back to his hometown and is immediately making a difference for the Black Raiders. Once he gets his hands on the ball whether he’s a receiver, in the secondary, or returning kicks, you better know how to bring him down because he’s shown how he slips away from tackles and how he can score from anywhere on the field.
#4. Joe Morrison Joe Morrison 6'1" | 195 lbs | DB Waukee | 2021 IA , Waukee, SR – 14.288 (Incomplete Stats)
22.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: FCS (St. Thomas)
Analysis: A key part of the Waukee defense for the past three years, Joe is showing no signs of slowing down as a Senior. He almost plays like a linebacker because he’s a strong hitter, but also has some good speed to him too.
#5. Sam Daniel Sam Daniel 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Fort Dodge | 2021 IA , Fort Dodge, SR – 14.230
11.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 6 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: D-2 (Quincy, Upper Iowa, Wayne State (NE))
Analysis: The only thing holding Sam Daniel Sam Daniel 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Fort Dodge | 2021 IA back from the top spot is the number of tackles he’s made along with the amount of TD’s given up by the defense at the midseason mark. He’s a ballhawk of a free safety who quietly became one of the most elusive players in the state, leading the entire state in interceptions along with a couple of kick return TD’s as well.
Top 20 Cornerbacks
#1. Damarion Williams, Iowa City West, SR – 13.091
4.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 1 TD
Highest Offers: D-2 (Bemidji State, Northern State)
#2. Dante Hansen Dante Hansen 5'10" | 170 lbs | WR Sioux City North | 2021 IA , Sioux City North, SR – 11.724 (Incomplete Stats)
16.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 1 TD
Highest Offers: D-2 (Bemidji State, UMary)
#3. Jakari Bradley, Des Moines Roosevelt, SR – 11.439
4 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#4. Prince Wei Prince Wei 6'0" | 190 lbs | DB Muscatine | 2021 IA , Muscatine, SR – 11.239 (Incomplete Stats)
14.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: FCS (Northern Iowa)
#5. Quincy Wiseman, Davenport North, SR – 11.052
15.5 tackles, 6 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#6. Mahki Jacobs, Davenport North, SR – 10.979
5 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#7. CJ Kuehl, Indianola, SR – 10.962
16.5 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#8. Owen Belman, Pleasant Valley, SR – 10.873
16 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#9. Henry Dweth, Urbandale, JR – 10.774
20 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#10. Cooper Cox, Ankeny, SR – 10.590
3 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: NAIA (Culver-Stockton, Graceland, Northwestern College)
#11. Austin Klein, Dowling, SR – 10.570
4 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#12. Landon Nelson, Valley, SR – 10.078
6.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: FCS (Valparaiso)
#13. Parker Stewart, Urbandale, JR – 9.890
14.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#14. Trey Walker, Johnston, SR – 9.696
16.5 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#15. Tanner Schark, Ottumwa, SO – 9.659
4 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#16. Mason DouBrava, Valley, SR – 9.562
9 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: D-2 (Minnesota State)
#17. Aaron Smith Aaron Smith 5'11" | 180 lbs | DB Waukee | 2021 State IA , Waukee, SR – 9.439 (Incomplete Stats)
9.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: FBS (Air Force, Army, Liberty, Navy)
#18. Jaiden Buchanan, Marshalltown, SR – 9.435
9.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#19. Karter Kriegel, Johnston, SR – 9.272
12.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#20. Jeron Senters, Linn-Mar, JR – 9.119
3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
Top 10 Free Safeties
#1. Joe Morrison Joe Morrison 6'1" | 195 lbs | DB Waukee | 2021 IA , Waukee, SR – 14.288 (Incomplete Stats)
22.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: FCS (St. Thomas)
#2. Sam Daniel Sam Daniel 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Fort Dodge | 2021 IA , Fort Dodge, SR – 14.230
11.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 6 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: D-2 (Quincy, Upper Iowa, Wayne State (NE))
#3. Bennett Vanderloo, Sioux City East, SR – 13.863
20 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions, 1 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#4. Caleb Rathjen Caleb Rathjen 5'10" | 170 lbs | DB Ankeny | 2021 IA , Ankeny, SR – 11.728
18.5 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Committed: Iowa (Wrestling) (11/7/19)
#5. Zane Beebe, Davenport North, SR – 11.631
8.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#6. Xavier Nwankpa Xavier Nwankpa 6'3" | 190 lbs | DB Southeast Polk | 2022 State IA , Southeast Polk, JR – 11.298
16 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: Power-5 (Florida, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, Wisconsin)
#7. Trey Krause, Valley, SR – 9.562
9 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: D-2 (Emporia State, Minnesota State, Quincy, Wayne State (NE))
#8. Tyree Gardner, Waterloo West, JR – 9.260
16.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#9. Jorge Ocampo, Muscatine, SR – 9.165 (Incomplete Stats)
26 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#10. JayVon Ratleff, Cedar Falls, SR – 8.951
6.5 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
Top 10 Strong Safeties
#1. Dylan Muszynski Dylan Muszynski 5'8" | 160 lbs | DB Linn-Mar | 2022 State IA , Linn-Mar, JR – 16.719
15.5 tackles, 3 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#2. Ryan Cole Ryan Cole 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB St. Ansgar | 2021 IA , Bettendorf, SR – 15.143
12 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#3. DaVares Whitaker, Sioux City East, JR – 14.921
21 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, 2 TDs
Highest Offers: D-1 (Cleveland State (Basketball))
#4. Logan Flanagan Logan Flanagan 6'5" | 190 lbs | DB Dubuque | 2021 IA , Dubuque Senior, SR – 13.454
8.5 tackles, 2 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: D-2 (Upper Iowa, Concordia)
#5. Ryan Crandall Ryan Crandall 6'3" | 200 lbs | DB Ankeny | 2022 State IA , Ankeny, JR – 13.363
17 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 0 fumble recoveries, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#6. Caleb Helgeson, Johnston, JR – 12.578
12.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#7. Jacob Darr, Indianola, SR – 11.718
28.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 0 interceptions, 1 TD
Highest Offers: N/A
#8. Elijah Mickey, Cedar Falls, SR – 11.208
27.5 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Committed: Minnesota-Duluth (8/22/20)
#9. Justin Scherrman, Cedar Rapids Washington, SR – 10.021
14 tackles, 3 TFL, 0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 0 interceptions, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A
#10. Carson Kriegshauser, Dowling, SR – 9.940
27.5 tackles, 2 TFL, 0 sacks, 0 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 0 TDs
Highest Offers: N/A