2025 DBs Missouri Needs to Know About
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Missouri has a loaded secondary in its’ 2025 class. There are multiple defensive back prospects who are set to be impact players in college. I believe I have identified five of the best prospects in the state. Below, I break…
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Continue ReadingMissouri has a loaded secondary in its’ 2025 class. There are multiple defensive back prospects who are set to be impact players in college. I believe I have identified five of the best prospects in the state. Below, I break down why these specific DBs are set to dominate Missouri passing attacks all season long.
Max Toia Max Toia 6’1″ | 195 lbs | DB Blue Springs | 2025 State MO is a two-sport athlete who will find a home as a safety in college. Max has been invited to camps at Mizzou, Kansas, and Indiana in the past. He also was invited to a game day visit at Kentucky just this month. Watch for Max’s first offer to come in before his junior season ends.
Max’s awareness, tackling ability, and quick change of direction allow him to break coverage as an underneath defender and stop scrambling QBs in their tracks. Good length, quickness, and ball skills allow Max to disrupt passes that target his deep middle zone. Max’s height, physicality, closing speed, and instincts in the run game highlight his potential to be a versatile safety in college.
Karvon Jefferson Karvon Jefferson 6’0″ | 190 lbs | DB Lutheran North | 2025 State MO is a hard-hitting linebacker for Lutheran North who has the athleticism to develop into a versatile safety in college. Karvon holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Marshall, Northern Iowa, and Ball State. Expect more offers to come flying in for the versatile defender this fall.
Karvon’s ideal $AM linebacker (Star back in some defenses) projection shows in the length, instincts, and tackling ability he displays quickly disrupting runs behind the line of scrimmage in short yardage situations. Good awareness and acceleration gets displayed when Karvon attacks underneath receivers who are not targeting his zone. Good top speed gets displayed when Karvon closes on scrambling quarterbacks for sacks before they get close to gaining positive yardage.
Highlights
Gionni McBride Gionni McBride 6’2″ | 170 lbs | DB North Kansas City | 2025 State MO is one of the best defensive backs on both sides of the Kansas City border. He received his first offer from Kansas this June. Gionni has also received interest from Iowa State and Nebraska, so keep an eye out for more offers in the region to find their way to Gionni’s inbox.
Gionni’s great length, quickness, and athletic change of direction allow him to consistently break up underneath passes as a press man defender. Good eye discipline and quick feet get displayed efficiently mirroring receivers in man coverage. Gionni’s size, strength, closing speed, and ball skills will allow him to develop into a true number one corner at the next level.
Highlights
Antonio Parker Antonio Parker 6’0″ | 175 lbs | DB Cardinal Ritter | 2025 State MO is a lockdown corner out of Cardinal Ritter. Antonio holds twelve different division one offers and has more interest drawing from around the country. Expect the talented cornerback to have FBS coaches lining up at Cardinal Ritter to recruit him this fall.
Antonio shows a smooth change of direction getting off the line in press man and lightning quick footwork mirroring receivers at the top of routes. Coaches love Antonio’s rare combination of acceleration and closing speed displayed disrupting bubble screens as an off defender before they get back to the line of scrimmage. Confidence, good length, reactive athleticism, and next level top speed give Antonio all the tools to be a lockdown corner in college.
Antonio Strong Antonio Strong 5’11” | 175 lbs | DB St. Mary’s | 2025 State MO is a ball hawking defender out of St. Louis. He holds fifteen offers and has received more interest from FBS schools outside of the Midwest. Watch for Antonio to be a nationally recruited defensive back well before 2024 gets here.
Antonio’s ball skills, quick feet, and fluid change of direction highlights his ability to be a lockdown man defender in the slot at the next level. Good closing speed and strength get displayed when Antonio accelerates to the catchpoint before ripping interceptions out of receivers’ hands. Good instincts, athleticism, and tackling ability allow Antonio to project to safety or nickelback in a college secondary.