2023 Defensive Backs Breakdown

<em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em> We've updated our 2023 prospect rankings with the Top 50 sophomores in Oklahoma. You can check out the complete rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/oklahoma/rankings/2023-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RIGHT HERE</strong></a>. Right now, we're taking a look and putting a spotlight on the defensive backs who find themselves in the rankings. In our Top 50, we only have 4 total defensive backs currently ranked, but have a few more on the outskirts who could very well find themselves on this list with breakout Junior seasons in 2021. Make sure to check out our breakdowns on <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/01/2023-newcomers-jan-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Newcomers</strong></a> and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/01/2023-stock-risers-jan-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Stock Risers</strong></a>, and stay dialed into Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more 2023 content to be dropping over the course of the next few days! [player_tooltip player_id="56223" first="Kollin" last="Ritchie"] <strong>- Atoka (#37 Overall)</strong> First up on our list is Atoka's [player_tooltip player_id="56223" first="Kollin" last="Ritchie"]. Kollin is not quite the prospect that some of the other DB's on this list are yet but he has without a doubt been one of the most productive defensive backs in the state over the past 2 seasons. Ritchie had a standout Freshman season, compiling over 60 tackles and 6 interceptions, and then followed that up this year with close to 70 tackles and 7 interceptions. He has some areas that need refining for him to take that next step as a serious college prospect as a safety, but he definitely has the traits and foundation to do so. Also, watch out for a potential breakout from him on the offensive side in 2021 as he earned a role on offense that grew as the 2020 season progressed, mainly as a receiver. [player_tooltip player_id="91881" first="Dylan" last="Hasz"] <strong>- Bixby (#30 Overall)</strong> Similar to his twin brother Luke, Dylan had a huge season for the Spartans, but in a much different way. While Luke was Bixby's top option on offense as a pass-catcher with his size and strength, Dylan was one of Bixby's top defenders in the secondary with his speed, instincts, toughness, and ball skills. Dylan primarily played free safety in 2020 where he used his speed and ball-hawking instincts to patrol the secondary like a centerfielder for a baseball team, but what impressed me most was his ability to slide down into the slot and play man coverage against some of the better WRs in the state one play, then drop back and play zone at safety the next. [player_tooltip player_id="91881" first="Dylan" last="Hasz"] may not have the size or strength his brother does, but he certainly has the speed and instincts to be one of the top DBs in all of Oklahoma in a few years if he continues on the path he is on. [player_tooltip player_id="38778" first="Kanijal" last="Thomas"] <strong>- Del City (#6 Overall)</strong> Coming into the season we had 2 DBs from the class of 2023, one being [player_tooltip player_id="38778" first="Kanijal" last="Thomas"], that we were very excited about due to the breakout seasons they had as freshmen, and after their Sophomore seasons in 2020 not much has changed. Del City did not have quite the season that many, including us here at Prep RedZone, thought they would have but that did not stop Thomas from having another standout year. Kanijal jumped around between safety and corner throughout 2020 but is probably best fit to play CB at the next level due to his speed and abilities pressed up at the line. Kanijal has some serious D1 speed and is very physical off the line when pressed up in man coverage. He does not have the production on the ball that some of the other DBs on this list do, but his ceiling as a prospect is sky-high as he already has offers from Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Memphis. [player_tooltip player_id="38777" first="Jacobe" last="Johnson"] <strong>- Mustang (#1 Overall)</strong> The second of the 2 DBs that we were very excited about in this 2023 class in August was Mustang's [player_tooltip player_id="38777" first="Jacobe" last="Johnson"]. At 6'4 185 pounds, Johnson has division 1 ready height with the frame space to bulk up once he's at the next level, but the question is whether he will be bulking up for football or basketball as Jacobe is one of the top prospects in the state in both sports and has a handful of D1 offers in both including offers to play football and basketball for OU and OSU. He is not a finished product by any means, but Jacobe has a chance to be one of the best overall athletes to come out of Oklahoma in quite some time.