Top Safety Prospects in the Peach State
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High school football has really changed over the years. Long gone are the days where EVERY team just ran the football over and over. We’re starting to see more teams, especially in North Georgia and the metro-Atlanta are, start throwing…
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Continue ReadingHigh school football has really changed over the years. Long gone are the days where EVERY team just ran the football over and over. We’re starting to see more teams, especially in North Georgia and the metro-Atlanta are, start throwing the ball all over the field. That means defenses needs to adjust, and we’re seeing more defenses play in dime and nickel coverages so they can have more defensive backs on the field to help cover the passing game. More defensive backs were taken in last year’s NFL draft than any other position, so it’s important that college coaches find impressive defensive backs in each recruiting class.
The state of Georgia is loaded with D1 defensive backs, and many of them will find a home at safety at the next level. Here are some of the state’s top safety prospects for the 2021 season.
Malaki Starks Malaki Starks 6'1" | 195 lbs | ATH Jefferson | 2022 State GA – Jefferson
He may be ranked as an “Athlete”, and rightfully so, but make no mistake, the five-star prospect and future Georgia Bulldog is one of the top safety prospects in the country. The 6-foot-1 200-pounder checks all the boxes for an elite safety prospect. A track and field star in the off-season, Starks has elite speed for someone 200-pounds and won the state championship in the long-jump earlier this spring. He’s great in coverage in the back end, but he’s also physical enough to come down into the box and help stop the run. His athleticism, explosiveness, and natural instincts are why he’s ranked as one of the best in the nation. He can run, he can hit, and rarely will a QB throw in his direction. He takes a great angle to the ball-carrier in run defense, but if the ball is anywhere near him in the air, Starks is going to make a play on it. Starks picked off two passes last year and made 41 tackles.
Jake Pope Jake Pope 6'2" | 195 lbs | ATH Buford | 2022 State GA – Buford
It’s one thing to make plays in a regular season game, but only the best of the best who can make big plays with the game, and sometimes the season, on the line. That’s why Buford’s Jake Pope Jake Pope 6'2" | 195 lbs | ATH Buford | 2022 State GA has seen his recruitment take off this spring. The Wolves are loaded with talent, but without Pope, they may not have won the state championship last fall. The 6-foot-1 190-pounder pounder is a great athlete and multi-sport star for the Wolves, but his knack for making big plays is why he’s one of the top defensive backs in the state. Pope forced the game-winning turnover in OT to secure Buford’s state championship, proving he’s an excellent run defender while covering a lot of ground in the back end. Pope holds offers from Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, among others.
Caleb Downs Caleb Downs 5'11" | 180 lbs | DB Mill Creek | 2023 State GA – Mill Creek
He may just be a junior, but it’s easy to see that Caleb Downs Caleb Downs 5'11" | 180 lbs | DB Mill Creek | 2023 State GA is one of the best safety prospects not only in Georgia, but in the entire South. He long, rangy safety has tremendous ball skills and proved it with his game-winning INT against West Forsyth last year. He has great size at 6-foot-0 185-pounds and has great instincts for the position. He can run down defenders with ease, and like Starks, when the ball is in the air, Downs is going to go get it. He already looks like an SEC defender from a physical standpoint and has the film to back up why he holds so many major offers. The Mill Creek star holds offers from Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio State, among others. He made 57 tackles last year, recorded 4 INTs, and broke up 14 passes.