Must-see from the class of 2022: Defensive Backs

Defensive back is the toughest position to play on a football team. I firmly believe that. Sure, an argument could be made for a number of other spots on a roster, but when you sit down and actually look at all required of a young man playing in the secondary? No question. You should want your DBs to tackle like a linebacker but have the hands of a receiver all paired with the field vision of a quarterback. It really is the casserole of position groups, and trust me as a Southern man that is one of the highest compliments I can give. When a secondary is locked in, it truly is one of the most exciting things to see on a football field. For the next part of my class of 2022 position forecast, I wanted to focus on 5 defensive backs I can’t wait to see light it up this coming season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="102086" first="River" last="Katina"]</strong> - Independence 6’1" 185 Look for a moment at what River was able to do during his junior season: 44 total tackles (24 of them solo) with 3 picks and 6 passes deflected. And again, this was all as a junior. Not too shabby. This young man is one heck of an athlete, and one need look no further than the win against Brentwood last season. He finished with 12 total tackles 2 of which were for a loss. If River is able to build on his last campaign, opposing offenses best be wary throwing his direction in 2021. <strong>Kavon Coffee</strong> - Pearl Cohn 5’9" 170 This young man has done something which isn't necessarily easy to do: he hasn't stayed stagnant. Every season Kavon has continued to build on his performance from the year prior. When tracking his stats you see a jump year after year. In last year's shortened season, he passed his tackle numbers and matched his interceptions from the full 19/20 season. Imagine what he will be able to do with another full season under his belt. I for one cannot wait to see. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="102125" first="Dylan" last="King"]</strong> - Oakland 6’3" 185 So there's fast, and then there's fast. This young man, who is six foot three mind you, ran a 4.60 40. That's a lot of player moving really fast. Dylan truly does possess the speed needed on the second level to go toe to toe with offenses first, second, and third options. We know that Oakland produces some studs on the field, and it's going to be incredible seeing Dylan terrorizes offenses this coming fall. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="102072" first="Jackson" last="Noble"]</strong> - Pope John Paul II 6’3" 180 6. That's the number of interceptions Noble had as a junior. Again. 6. There are defensive backs who will never have a season where they have that many picks. This young man is an absolute stud on defense, as he paired those 6 picks with 49 tot tackles (1 for a loss) and 2 fumble rec. That is a killer stat line for a young defensive back to build on, and if he maintains this pace I wouldn't be surprised to see Jackson mentioned in the All-State conversation his senior season. Oh and he plays offense too. Also again: 6 picks. This kid is a stud. <strong>Luke Page</strong> - Nashville Christian 5’10" 163 What excites me most about Page is the potential I see in the young man. He seems to have a knack for finding the ball; in his brief sample size he had 2 picks and 2 pass deflected. What I would like to see him improve on is his tackling. Page finished his season with 11 tackles. Granted more tackles will come with more reps, however I would like to see him gain a bit more mass so he this comes as easy as possible. Some of the receivers he will be tasked with have some weight on them, and he can't afford to be bullied around. He's got the ballhawk skills you want in your DB, just could stand to get a bit heavier. If he does, look for Page to have a monster of a season. There are a lot of skills you want in your defensive backs, and these young men all exhibit multiple traits that coaches vie for. Whether it be their speed, hands, tackling ability, or simply their football acumen, all five of these young men are absolute studs in the second level of the defense. Look for them to continue terrorizing opposing wideouts this coming season, and don't be surprised if these young men turn out some absolutely monster seasons. &nbsp; &nbsp;