2022 Defensive Back Breakdown : Part 1

<p style="text-align: left;">Shutdown corners, hard-hitting safeties, ball hawk erasers, the class of 2022 New York state has all types of defensive backs from athletic freaks to technical craft masters.  Every coach is always looking for a shutdown corner or an Ed Reed type of Safety.  We will look at some of the best senior Defensive Backs from New York.</p> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="225753" first="Devin" last="Grant"] - Holy Cross</strong> If you could create a Safety prospect from scratch, you would probably want to copy [player_tooltip player_id="225753" first="Devin" last="Grant"]. Everything you want from a ballhawk Grant has. At 6’4 190 lbs, he has the size division one coaches love, but the size is just beginning. The backend ballhawk is also a quarterback, and you can see the instincts jump out immediately on film as he seems to play at a different speed than everyone else when dissecting plays. I love [player_tooltip player_id="225753" first="Devin" last="Grant"]’s physicality against the run; he is a sure tackler, and at his height, that is impressive. The University of Buffalo is getting a great player! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="227601" first="Jamaree" last="Gibson"] - East</strong> Gibson is an excellent blend of size, athletic ability, and craft technician.  When pressing his hand, leverage is a thing of beauty, knocking WR’s off their route path.  You can run any coverage with a player like [player_tooltip player_id="227601" first="Jamaree" last="Gibson"]; he is sticky when playing press, and his fluid hips jump out.  He is also comfortable playing off and adjusting when breaking on a route. But he is not just a man press monster; he makes good adjustments in the air, allowing him to game-changing plays. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="229168" first="Amir" last="Proctor"] - Eastridge</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="229168" first="Amir" last="Proctor"] recently picked up an offer from Marist, and when you watch his film, you immediately know why.  Proctor reads like a ballhawk free safety when making plays, and he also closes like a missile when coming up for run support. In addition, his awareness is quite impressive, and he consistently punished quarterbacks for bad throws. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="227800" first="Mack" last="Murtha"] - Sayville</strong> I watched [player_tooltip player_id="227800" first="Mack" last="Murtha"] play in person multiple times, each time in big games. He made a play and after play and had one of the best one-handed receptions I saw all year. [player_tooltip player_id="227800" first="Mack" last="Murtha"] could also be ranked as a WR, but I think he is special at Safety.  His athleticism flashes as he makes some incredible highlight picks, but his football IQ is exceptional as he reads everything. Stony Brook recently offered Murtha. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="226773" first="Shane" last="Patterson"] - Half Hollows Hills East</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="226773" first="Shane" last="Patterson"] is another Defensive Back that I watched play in person. At 6’2, the lengthy corner has an excellent frame for the next level.  Patterson has excellent ball skills, and he can adjust effortlessly when the ball is in the air, consistently high pointing the ball. Recruiting is starting to pick up for Patterson, and I expect to have multiple offers soon. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="227530" first="Devon" last="Banks"] - Cardinal Hayes</strong> If you want to watch a player who loves his craft, turn on the film of [player_tooltip player_id="227530" first="Devon" last="Banks"].  His technical details as a corner are legit.  [player_tooltip player_id="227530" first="Devon" last="Banks"] is sticky as WR’s find trouble from getting any separation from Banks. He played against some of the most talented offenses in NY and was an annoyance for everyone he covered. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="232653" first="Jaxon" last="Witherspoon"] - Canarsie</strong> Versatility is value and [player_tooltip player_id="232653" first="Jaxon" last="Witherspoon"] can almost lineup on defense.  The Canarsie veteran DB makes plays on every level and has a knack for making plays no matter the alignment or assignment.  In one play, he will lineup in the box for run support, and in the next play, he will play lineup over the top and make a great break on a route.