Underrated Defensive Signees

Photo: Georgia State

Will Helms December 16, 2020 @ 06:18 PM

The early signing period typically revolves more around Power Five prospects than underrated signings, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any players to get excited about outside of the top few. In fact, there were several under-the-radar signings at several different levels this season. In this article, we’ll talk about a few of our favorite defensive players that might not jump off the page right away. [player_tooltip player_id="28606" first="Dorien" last="Starnes"], EDGE, Burns- VMI We think Starnes is a borderline FBS prospect, so the fact that FCS VMI was able to land the talented edge rusher is impressive. Starnes is quick off the edge and has great bend as a pass rusher. He has the frame to add wait and should be an instant-impact prospect for the Keydets. [player_tooltip player_id="28507" first="Bryson" last="Parker"], CB, Weddington- Richmond Parker is another FBS player that signed with an FCS school. In fact, Parker received interest from some Power Five schools later in the process. Parker is a technician by trade and is probably the most refined defensive back in the state. He’s comfortable to the field or the boundary and has experience in both man and zone coverage. [player_tooltip player_id="28525" first="Amaah" last="Achina"], DB, Northern Guilford- Furman Achina is a talented defensive back that we ranked ahead of several FBS signees. He’s long and has some positional versatility, though we think he’s best suited at corner. We think he has the potential to step in and contribute right away. [player_tooltip player_id="28527" first="Tylon" last="Dunlap"], EDGE, Harding- Georgia State Dunlap quietly picked up some big offers during the recruiting process, but Georgia State did a great job of recruiting Dunlap and landed his signature Wednesday. Just a bit undersized, Dunlap is quick and could play multiple positions along the defensive line. We’ll be interested to see if he plays primarily outside or adds weight and moves inside in college.