Western DBs Missouri Needs to Know About
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There is talent all throughout the Kansas City area. I have been impressed with the quality of DBs in the area. There are several defensive backs who have been dominating the western half of Missouri this season. Below, I highlight…
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Continue ReadingThere is talent all throughout the Kansas City area. I have been impressed with the quality of DBs in the area. There are several defensive backs who have been dominating the western half of Missouri this season. Below, I highlight five specific players whose recruitments are seriously heating up.
Robert Collins Jr Robert Collins Jr 5’11” | 175 lbs | DB Staley | 2025 State MO (RJ) may be the most underrated cornerback in Kansas City. He recently attended a game day visit at South Dakota State and has been invited to several other campuses in the region. Watch for offers to start to roll in before the new year gets here. Good balance, vision, and long speed displayed weaving through traffic on kick return highlight RJ’s value as a returner in college. Good instincts and acceleration show attacking underneath routes in his area when he is playing off coverage. Quick feet, a smooth change of direction, length, and strength at the catchpoint highlight RJ’s ability to thrive as a man defender at the next level. Good instincts, effort in pursuit, and tackling ability allow RJ to be a versatile defensive back in college.
Highlights
Max Toia Max Toia 6’1″ | 195 lbs | DB Blue Springs | 2025 State MO is a lockdown corner out of Blue Springs. Max has been on a gameday visit to Mizzou this fall and also been invited to Iowa. Expect multiple offers to come in for Max before the winter gets here. Max shows his next level length and ball skills completing contested catches outside his frame as a receiver for Blue Springs’ offense. Good power and physicality shows knocking defenders out as a stalk blocker. Max’s good size, strength, athleticism, and ball skills suggest he may make a permanent switch to defense before he sets foot on a college campus.
Rodney McNeil
Rodney McNeil
Rodney McNeil committed to Western Illinois earlier this month. Don’t be surprised when other schools inside and out of the MVFC try to flip Rodney’s commitment throughout the winter. Rodney’s burst, instincts, and good tackling ability shows stopping quick game concepts behind the line of scrimmage. Good awareness and a fluid change of reaction shows quickly reacting to coverage responsibilities as a zone defender. Good length, quick feet, and ball skills highlight Rodney’s ability to be a lockdown corner in college.
Spencer Ward Spencer Ward 5’9″ | 175 lbs | ATH Nixa | 2024 State MO has put on some weight and shown huge improvements as a senior for Nixa’s defense. Spencer received an offer from Southern Illinois last month; Be on the lookout for more schools surrounding Missouri to offer the hard-hitting safety this fall. Spencer’s acceleration allows him to fill quickly in run support, while next level strength allows him to drop bigger ball carriers in one-on-one situations. Spencer displays good speed and tackling ability closing on bubble screen recipients from depth in coverage. Good instincts, size, power, and effort highlight Spencer’s ability to be a versatile back-end defender in college.
Highlights
Gionni McBride Gionni McBride 6’2″ | 170 lbs | DB North Kansas City | 2025 State MO is one of the fastest rising DBs in Kansas City. He received an offer from Akron in August and has also been shown interest by Kansas this fall. Don’t be surprised when Gionni is one of the heaviest recruited defensive backs in Kansas City in 2024. Good instincts and a quick change of direction get displayed when Gionni baits quarterbacks into throwing interceptions in his vicinity. Gionni shows good discipline and reactive athleticism mirroring receivers in man coverage; Good length, quickness, and physicality displayed in press coverage highlights Gionni’s ability to thrive as a man defender at the next level.