Michigan’s Top 2024 DB Sleepers

Today we’re diving into the class of 2024, specifically the defensive back group. Often referred to as one of the hardest positions to master in football, DB requires a wide variety of skills. Guarding a man running at you with a full head of steam, while you’re backpedaling is much easier said than done. The guys featured on this list were able to do that and much more. As of now, they’re flying under the radar a bit, but it’s still early. Look for them to put together an even better junior campaign and garner much more attention following the 2022 season. With that being said, here are my top 2024 DB sleepers in the state of Michigan. <hr /> <em><strong>Gavin Espinoza, 6’2" 180, Crosswell-Lexington</strong></em> A long athletic cornerback with lax hips, outstanding body control, and noticeable vertical leaping ability. Gavin is a firm tackler running the alley &amp; shows impressive ball skills. He has good speed, reads the quarterback with ease, and is extremely disruptive behind the line of scrimmage. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15105566/6159a54eff01f009d4bc9806" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; <em><strong>Julian Means-Flewellen, 5’10" 180, Niles</strong></em> This young man hits like a ton of bricks and is willing to put his body on the line to create a spark play. Julian shows good play strength, easily barreling through blocks on the perimeter, and is a major physical presence. He shows no issues coming to balance, staying square, and tackling ball carriers in space. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14779160/622fd6db066c030b744b916f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="249742" first="Donovan" last="Patterson"], 6’1" 175, East Lansing</strong></em> A strong safety that loves contact and is highly disciplined in zone coverage. Patterson can close ground in an instant and is rarely shaken in the open field. He’s a high-effort guy who will consistently read his keys and has a quick trigger when ready. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15111623/61896ebbb01870040c0bb0b1" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="215683" first="Max" last="Fellows"], 6’3" 175, Garber</strong></em> Max is a fantastic wideout on the offensive side, but I think he’s got some raw intangibles that could be really intriguing on defense as well. This kid is extremely rangy and can cover a ton of ground while the football is in the air. He’s got long arms, sees through the receiver to the quarterback, and has sticky hands. He’s pretty instinctive too and can easily overlap in coverage. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14664211/615b86e69681560aa0f2986f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; <em><strong>Drew Robinson, 6’ 170, Stockbridge</strong></em> A cornerback that can easily ID route concepts and bait quarterbacks into poor throws downfield. He utilizes the sweep tackle on the perimeter and will stay over the top on vertical concepts in zone coverage. He’s at his best playing out of a shuffle, sinking in his zone with his eyes to the quarterback. I think he’d be a great fit for a heavy cover four team at the next level. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13762007/617602ab0661850558fa4cbc" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>