2024 Rankings – Defensive Back Spotlight
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The 2023 football season is right around the corner and at the conclusion of spring practices across Oklahoma, it’s a perfect time to update the prospect rankings! We’re wrapping up our ranking updates this week with the state’s 2024 class and it went from a Top 125 to a Top 150. If you missed that update, you can check that out right here! Throughout the week, we’re diving deep into the rankings with prospect breakdowns. We’re discussing why these players are already on our radar and already on the radar for the next level. Keep it locked in throughout the week as we break down more 2024 prospects. And if you missed any of our other ranking updates, you can check those out now!
In this breakdown, we’re putting a spotlight on five of the best defensive backs in the state’s 2024 class. This breakdown is headlined by a pair of Union standouts and this is definitely a cornerback-heavy positional group. We have a few safeties and hybrid players to keep an eye on moving forward but this breakdown is certainly dominated by the cornerback group.
Union cornerback Devon Jordan Devon Jordan 6’1″ | DB Union | 2024 State OK has vaulted up to the top spot among defensive backs and is now considered one of the top overall prospects in the state’s 2024 class. Jordan has had a very successful offseason in regards to his recruiting as just about every college has extended an offer to the Union star. And Jordan is the next Union defensive back to earn that status as one of the top guys in the state and the Redhawks have produced a few of them over the last ten years. And after watching Jordan this offseason while he played in various 7v7 tournaments and then in the spring, the athleticism is off the charts. We’re excited to see what he can potentially bring to Union as a game-changing wide receiver on offense. But when it comes to Jordan as a prospect, he is a cornerback all the way and has just about as much momentum as any prospect in the state’s 2024 class. He’s established himself as one of the best.
The second Union DB on this breakdown is Issac Covington Issac Covington 5’11” | 190 lbs | ATH Union | 2024 State OK and it feels like we’ve been writing about him since he was a freshman. Covington moved to Union during the summer of last year and was an instant impact player for the Union defense in an already talented secondary. Now, as we head into this season, Covington has the potential to be one of the best at his position in Class 6A-1 this fall. Last year, he was more of a hybrid defensive back where he could play a traditional safety role but he could also move closer to the line of scrimmage. Late in the season, Covington would give Union a boost at running back in their semifinal game against Owasso. The versatility with Covington is off the charts and he’s a prospect that has seen his recruitment really start taking off over the last six months. While we didn’t get a chance to see him during the offseason or in spring drills, Covington is going to be a player to watch for Union this fall.
Moore cornerback Corey Dean Corey Dean 6’0″ | 180 lbs | DB Moore | 2024 State OK is near the top of the list of 2024 prospects that have had the best offseasons. At the end of his junior season last year, we didn’t know much about Dean. Before he came to our January prospect camp, he told us he was one of the better defensive backs in the class. He talked the talk and then he walked the walk at our camp back in January. Dean ran away with our MVP award for the defensive back group and he continued to have a really strong offseason while perfecting his abilities on the football field. Dean came away with the MVP award for more camps and was consistently training to improve his coverage skills. We got a chance to watch Dean again with the pads on during the spring team camp tour and he was incredibly impressive in their mini game against Mustang. Dean is a defensive back that we think is going to blow up in a big way this fall. He has taken his game to a new level in our minds.
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Another prospect that is in a similar boat to Dean is Sulphur cornerback Brytan Gaddy Brytan Gaddy 6’1″ | 165 lbs | DB Sulphur | 2024 State OK and he’s going into another year as a starter for the Bulldogs. As we mentioned earlier this week with Sulphur, we think the Bulldogs are going to be a contender and that could definitely mean more eyes on Gaddy and company this season. But while Dean has had an outstanding offseason, Gaddy has had a different approach as he got hurt during the track season and had to sit out spring drills and is slowly but surely getting back to 100 percent. But he’s a legitimate track guy that has blazing speed and is another example of a prospect that works tirelessly on his craft. In fact, Gaddy has started training with the same DB trainer as Dean and could be joining him in that position where he will be one of the more sought-after cornerbacks among colleges this fall. Gaddy is another perfect example of a prospect that will help out a program at the next level.
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Heritage Hall has a few 2024 prospects that we really like and that’s a big reason why the Chargers are the favorites once again to capture the Class 3A state championship for the second straight year. On defense, that unit is headlined by Jordyn Harris Jordyn Harris 6’1″ | 165 lbs | DB Heritage Hall | 2024 State OK at the cornerback position. Speed is the name of the game for Harris as he doubles as one of Heritage Hall’s top options on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver. But Harris is a lockdown cornerback and we got a chance to see that first hand several times during last season’s championship run. Harris is a cornerback that we started hearing a lot about during the spring last year and he had a really strong junior season. His recruitment has started to take off and he’s definitely in the same position as Dean and Gaddy where the offers could really roll in with a strong senior season and as schools make that late push to get their 2024 signing class lined up.