Look out for these SD Defensive Backs in 2022
Cody Oswald Cody Oswald 6'3" | 185 lbs | DB Yankton | 2023 State – Yankton High School, 6’3″ 190lbs, CB Oswald is a prototypical physical defensive back who can make a wide receiver’s life as hard as it can…
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Continue ReadingCody Oswald Cody Oswald 6'3" | 185 lbs | DB Yankton | 2023 State – Yankton High School, 6’3″ 190lbs, CB
Oswald is a prototypical physical defensive back who can make a wide receiver’s life as hard as it can be. He is a gritty player with a great motor, always giving you 130% effort on every single play that he is in. Oswald’s area of expertise comes in press coverage packages, where he can get up close and personal with wideouts. He jams wide receivers and makes them work for him to get off of them and out into the field. He matches up well with bigger wide receivers whose main ability is their verticality over defenders, Oswald neutralizes the threat of those receivers with his size. If you throw a ball up too high when Oswald is in the area, you might as well be expecting an interception. Oswald had most of his interceptions where it comes in one on one coverage where he overpowers the receivers to get that football in his hands.
Beau Giblin Beau Giblin 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State – Sioux Falls Jefferson, 6’0″ 185lbs, SS
Giblin is everything and more with what you want in a strong safety. Giblin fits into a broader box safety category with his ability to blow up plays before they can even start. His ability to play as a physical box safety makes him an elite run stop with the meeting running backs in the gap making him deadly in run stopping. He uses his speed combined with his size to knock over anyone in his way to make plays on the ball. His defensive IQ is off the charts, with points out shifts in the offense to his team to benefit everyone. Giblin will give you great plays and even better effort on every play that he is a part of. Giblin when needed can be an extra edge rusher of sorts with his skills in the box, it allows him to get to the quarterback to get some sacks.
Jayden Wiebe Jayden Wiebe 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Pierre | 2023 State – Pierre T.F. Riggs High School, 6’0″ 170 lbs, CB
Jayden Wiebe Jayden Wiebe 6'1" | 170 lbs | DB Pierre | 2023 State is a fast and quick-witted cornerback who is a ballhawk through and through. Wiebe excels at being a zone coverage CB who can shift onto any defender that he has to guard. His size and speed allow the defense to use him just about anywhere on the field in coverage and shuts down the passing game for the offense. His hands are another tool in his arsenal that he uses to jam ball carriers and break up passes using his quickness. While Wiebe does not go for the big hit, he goes for the tackle that helps the team the most. A team player is what fits Wiebe’s style of play and how much he can do to help his team. Wiebe does not get burnt in the field, sticking to his opponents like glue with the pass most likely being broken up.
Hayden Gebhart Hayden Gebhart 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Rapid City Stevens | 2023 State – Rapid City Stevens High School, 6’2″ 180lbs, FS
Gebhart is a free safety who can get to just about any ball that is in his area. Gebhart’s main strength comes in turnover ability to constantly force them and make the offense always think twice about throwing the ball his way. Whoever gets the ball in the open field, you better expect to see Gebhart coming to make sure he gets the tackle and stops the play. He forces interceptions and fumbles because of his strength and size, getting up to passes and knocking them out of ball carriers’ hands. He reads defenses like no other, shifting around to ensure he covers any open part of the defense. You get just about everything as a free safety when you look at Gebhart, a versatile defensive back who can just about anything.
Blake Thompson Blake Thompson 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Tea Area | 2023 State – Tea Area High School, 5’10” 160lbs, CB
Thompson is a pesty corner who loves to break up passes and not allow any big gains on his watch. Thompson’s attribute that garners him an advantage is lightning-quick speed. He gets up close and personal with any wide receivers he matches up with to not allow them to get any room for separation. He is great at forcing the quarterback to throw bad passes that he can catch for an easy interception. If another receiver catches a ball that Thompson is not covering, he can make great plays on the ball to try and force a fumble. Put it simply, Thompson is a turnover machine who can get to anywhere on the field with his speed and can do just about anything that you want out of a cornerback.