2022 Defensive Back Breakdown

<em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em> We've updated our 2022 prospect rankings with the Top 100 juniors in Oklahoma. You can check out the complete rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/rankings/2022-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RIGHT HERE</strong></a>. Right now, we're taking a look and putting a spotlight on five defensive backs that have stood out. This list includes a few names that are familiar and also players who enjoyed breakout seasons in 2020. Stay dialed into Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more 2022 content to be dropping over the course of the next week! <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="61134" first="Corey" last="Gordon"] - Putnam City West (Ranked #36 Overall)</strong></span> Out of the five prospects on this breakdown, you can make the argument that Putnam City West's [player_tooltip player_id="61134" first="Corey" last="Gordon"] is the most impactful player on both sides of the ball. In fact, it was tough to mark Gordon as a defensive back, as opposed to an athlete where he can play a variety of positions. Because when you throw on the tape, that's where you see Gordon. He's all over the field, on both sides of the ball, making play after play. However, when it comes down to the rankings, these are college projections. And while Gordon has some home run hitter in him at the wide receiver position, we can't help but think his natural position at the next level is on defense. Gordon can use all of those skills that makes him great on offense as a DB at the corner or even safety position. Again, it's not a stretch to say that when you see what Gordon was able to do on defense only in 2020. There's no secret that Putnam City West has had a couple down years on the football field, but Gordon has been a bright spot for two years now. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="38716" first="Eli" last="Williams"] - Stillwater (Ranked #47 Overall)</strong></span> Stillwater is losing one of the top defensive backs in the state with [player_tooltip player_id="38495" first="Tevin" last="Williams"] graduating and heading off to Baylor but they replace him with another Williams who could up being a power five prospect as well. Cornerback [player_tooltip player_id="38716" first="Eli" last="Williams"] has all the potential to become one of the better defensive backs in this class. There's no doubt that this class is loaded with DB talent but Williams certainly deserves to be in the conversation. The one thing that really jumps off the page when it comes to Williams is the physicality he plays the game with. He can get from point A to point B in the blink of an eye and when he gets to point B, it's time to lay the wood. Williams is no stranger to hard hits, whether it's stepping up in run support or shutting down a screen before it even had a chance to turn up field. Williams is a player that we'll have circled over the next few months because he has the chance to absolutely blow up after more coaches get a chance to watch his junior film. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="38668" first="Gentry" last="Williams"] - Booker T Washington (Ranked #2 Overall)</strong></span> Despite missing nearly all of his junior season, Booker T Washington's [player_tooltip player_id="38668" first="Gentry" last="Williams"] is still one of the top overall prospects in the state's junior class. Williams went down in Booker T Washington's second game of the season with a torn ACL. Even though he was injured, Williams still maintained his status as part of the "2022 Big Three" along with Deer Creek's [player_tooltip player_id="38666" first="Jacob" last="Sexton"] and Edmond Santa Fe's [player_tooltip player_id="38667" first="Talyn" last="Shettron"]. These three have been head and shoulders above everyone else in the class. They all have All American written all over them. When Williams went down in game number two, it deprived Oklahoma of seeing one of the best overall players in the state. Williams had moved on to being a wide receiver and defensive back after time at quarterback in the past. We can't wait to see how Williams comes back and to see how quickly he gets back to full strength and more importantly, full speed as one of the fastest prospects in the state. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="57047" first="Jaden" last="King"] - Booker T Washington (Ranked #26 Overall)</strong></span> Booker T Washington is always going to be a hotbed for recruiting when it comes to Oklahoma. However, here in the last five years or so, Booker T Washington can also make a claim as being the high school version of "DBU". The Hornets continue to put out some of the best defensive backs in the state of Oklahoma and the 2022 class is no different. In addition to Williams, the Hornets also feature 2020 breakout star [player_tooltip player_id="57047" first="Jaden" last="King"], who was one of the state's leaders in interceptions. The Hornets also feature fellow 2022 prospect [player_tooltip player_id="61137" first="Korbyn" last="Green"], who is currently ranked in the Top 50 as well. We mentioned King as a 2020 breakout star because once Williams went down, the Hornets needed someone to replace him. King might have been destined to break out in 2020 but Williams going down certainly sped up the process for needing a player like King to step up. One thing is for sure in 2021, the Hornets will be scary in the secondary when they're at full strength. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="61125" first="NuNu" last="Campbell"] - Holland Hall (Ranked #14 Overall)</strong></span> In the last few classes, we've seen some really good safety prospects emerge. However, this 2022 class has some significant talent at the cornerback position. In addition to Williams and Union's [player_tooltip player_id="61138" first="Jayden" last="Rowe"], who are both ranked in the top five, you also have Holland Hall's [player_tooltip player_id="61125" first="NuNu" last="Campbell"], who is knocking on the door of being a top ten prospect. Coming into the season, we circled Campbell as a potential breakout star in this 2022 class and not only did he meet those expectations but he exceeded them. Campbell was one part of a Holland Hall defense that was arguably the best defensive unit in the state of Oklahoma, regardless of class. When we got a chance to see Campbell up close, he absolutely looks the part of a shutdown corner who can absolutely take away half of the field. He's not as big as Union's Rowe or as fast as BTW's Williams but skill-wise he's one of the best corners in this part of the country. His recruitment is beginning to take off and that should be a surprise to nobody.