Top 5 Defensive Backs: Positional Breakdown

With 3 spots out of our top 5 players in the state are defensive backs it’s safe to say Alabama is a No-Fly Zone! Here are the top guys who we think will majorly impact this upcoming year. <strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="125520" first="Tony" last="Mitchell"] 6’2 180 Thompson 2023 </span></u></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Mitchell is a highly-skilled playmaker who has an argument for being the best recruit in the state. As a 6-2 cornerback, he has the ideal size and length to swallow up receivers and lockdown an entire side of the field. His coverage skill is versatile. In man coverage he shows flashes of brilliance with his smooth hips, ability to transition out of his backpedal, and rapid reaction time. He also has excellent timing when playing through the hands of the receiver and nearly always causes deflections and drops. In the zone, he excels in reading the eyes of the quarterback, closing in on the receivers, and making plays in open-field situations. Mitchell also has an excellent grasp of playing the sticks and keeping receivers in front of him in 3rd down situations. He also plays with physicality in the run game and is a willing tackler. He stays disciplined within his assignment and rarely gives up the edge. Mitchell’s talent allows him to fluctuate through the secondary, and he would be a 5 star at any position within the secondary if he played there full time. </span> https://twitter.com/DatGuyTM/status/1442565186750144517?s=20&amp;t=PwHnQj8KcUZlvsSgAjo9uw <strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">A.j. Harris 6’1 180 CB Central 2023 </span></u></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Harris is a defensive back who has a nose for the ball. His instinctual style enables him to be one tipped pass away from taking it to the crib. He is exceptional as a zone corner where he can read the QB’s eyes, ball placement, and launch to wherever the ball is without hesitation. He showed a high awareness of route patterns and routinely picked up receivers crossing his designated area. He has a smooth backpedal and shows comfort with playing in off coverage and deep zones. He is also excellent in run support and embraces being an extra run defender when needed. When Harris does get his hand on the ball (which he does often), he knows what to do with it. As a two-way player, Harris has an elusiveness that makes him a threat to score anytime he picks off a pace. He has excellent acceleration and speed and will impact next season as a defender and a return specialist. </span> https://twitter.com/Aj_harris04/status/1486094517984014338?s=20&amp;t=PwHnQj8KcUZlvsSgAjo9uw <strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="125521" first="Jahlil" last="Hurley"] 6’2 170 Florence 2023</span></u></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Hurley is a safety that shows versatility and tenacity. Though he’s shifted around the secondary as a chest piece, he plays with a linebacker’s mentality and seeks to enforce his will on ball carriers and blockers. Hurley has excellent game speed and can flow from sideline to sideline as if he were a true linebacker. As an aggressive run defender, He’s rangy and excellent in pursuing the ball. He can set the edge, plug gaps, diagnose potential big plays and mitigate them before they happen. In coverage, Hurley uses his frame to disrupt receivers with bump and run coverage however, he is effective in the zone and knows how to bait QBs into ill-advised throws. </span> https://twitter.com/jahlilhurley_/status/1496251016894889986?s=20&amp;t=PwHnQj8KcUZlvsSgAjo9uw <strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="125523" first="Sylvester" last="Smith"] 5’11 195 Munford </span></u></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Smith is a safety who wins with his heady play. He has a knack for understanding where the ball is going and how the offense wants to operate. He can also read and react if ever thrown into a situation where the offense is in an odd formation or running a trick play. Though Smith isn’t the hardest hitter in the state, he gets the job done with fundamentally sound football. He locks in on the target, takes good angles, trusts his speed, wraps up at the point of attack, and gets the job done. </span> <strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Daakari Nelson 6’3 198 SS Selma 2023 </span></u></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Nelson is ball-hawking safety who excels as a roamer. His ball skills as a receiver translate very well to the defensive side of the ball with his ability to high point 50/50 balls, make contested interceptions and react promptly in the moment of truth. He also is great at mirroring receivers in man-to-man coverage and predicting routes. Nelson uses his exceptional length nicely when lined up in man to man. His wingspan allows him to jam receivers effectively. It also keeps him in plays where he might be beaten by a step and get deflections. </span> https://twitter.com/dakaari_nelson/status/1489657054860136453?s=20&amp;t=YGBLMPqeRFUUxkyMV9XOVg &nbsp;