Updated Look at SC’s Top 5 Defensive Backs

<strong>Updated Look at SC’s Top 5 Defensive Backs</strong> &nbsp; With signing day coming up here is a look at the top five secondary prospects to watch. <strong> </strong> <ol> <li><strong>CB/WR [player_tooltip player_id="59301" first="Nykelius" last="Johnson"], West Florence, 6’0, 185</strong></li> </ol> Johnson is a talented defensive back who also makes plays on offense and in the return game. He is a smooth athlete who can run through blocks or make defenders miss. The possibilities are great at the next level because he really could play either side of the ball and should be able to make an immediate impact on special teams. Johnson is the best cornerback prospect in the state and he is verbally committed to sign with Virginia Tech this week. <strong> </strong> <ol start="2"> <li><strong>FS [player_tooltip player_id="59311" first="Caden" last="Sullivan"], Boiling Springs, 6’1, 185</strong></li> </ol> If you watch App State play defense you see one of the biggest things they look for is speed and that is a big reason why Sullivan was offered early on and they locked down his commitment. He was an impact player on both sides of the ball for Boiling Springs with seven catches for 244 yards (34.9ypc) and four touchdowns as a senior while finishing with 35 tackles, six interceptions, and three pass breakups. We rank Sullivan as the #2 defensive back but the #1 safety and #21 overall prospect in the state. <strong> </strong> <ol start="3"> <li><strong>SS [player_tooltip player_id="59319" first="Cruz" last="Temple"], Abbeville, 5’11, 205</strong></li> </ol> The big jumper in this group is Temple who was #5 in the preseason. He is an undersized linebacker who projects as a strong safety in college. The Abbeville product is an active player who will lay the wood on ball carriers and has very good range. He can drop back and cover from his middle position or rush the passer and stop the run. His ball skills and reaction times are impressive as well. This is a player we really like to be a tackling machine in college just like he was for Abbeville. If not for his size he would be in the SEC or ACC and it is a surprise he still is not. Temple is verbally committed to East Carolina and should be a future All-AAC performer for them. <strong> </strong> <ol start="4"> <li><strong>CB [player_tooltip player_id="59315" first="James" last="Wright"], Lakewood, 6’1, 195</strong></li> </ol> Wright slipped a bit falling from #3 to #5 in this list but has potential to be a good one at the D1 level. He can play both sides of the ball well and has the size/length combo to be a very good one on defense as projected. He finished with 24 tackles, one tackle for loss, a half sack, and one pass breakup in 2020. He is committed to sign with Kansas this week. <strong> </strong> <ol start="5"> <li><strong>S [player_tooltip player_id="59317" first="Jordan" last="Burrell"], Blythewood, 6’0, 190</strong></li> </ol> Burrell only played two games in 2020 but he was very good with 18 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. If he had played an entire season then he likely would have put up huge numbers. He can stop the run and also cover as well as make plays on offense. The Blythewood standout is a big kid with good strength and is very active to the ball. He could end up playing either side of the ball in college but we think he starts out at defensive back.