Unveiling the Stars: Top DBs at the PrepRedzone AZ Combine
In this article:
Facing some elite competition in the loaded wide receiver group they had to line up against, the defensive backs showed up ready to work at the PrepRedzone AZ Combine. These six guys really stood out from the pack in my…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingFacing some elite competition in the loaded wide receiver group they had to line up against, the defensive backs showed up ready to work at the PrepRedzone AZ Combine. These six guys really stood out from the pack in my eyes. Whether it was consistency, speed, physicality, or all of the above, they were all over the field making plays.
Percy Knox III Percy Knox III 5’9″ | 165 lbs | DB Basha | 2026 State AZ was one of the standouts of the day from my point of view. He showcased some incredible closeout speed and quickness that had most receivers struggling for any separation all day. When he lined up against another standout from the day, and one of his fellow teammates, in Kash Brock Kash Brock 6’2″ | 170 lbs | WR Basha | 2026 AZ , Knox’s skills and speed were put to the test. Brock was able to get some separation after a nice break on his route, but Knox used that closeout speed I mentioned to get back in time to break up the pass and win the rep. Another major piece of that young but extremely talented Basha defense, Knox is a player who certainly saw his stock rise at the PRZ Arizona Combine.
Highlights
Landyn Deboard Landyn Deboard 5’8″ | 125 lbs | DB Estrella Foothills | 2025 State AZ had a great showing at the PRZ Arizona Combine. Being selected as one of the few to do 1-on-1’s in front of the group, he wasn’t afraid to walk up and press one of the MVPs of the event in Keegan Pederson Keegan Pederson 5’8″ | 155 lbs | WR Higley | 2027 AZ . Doing a great job staying engaged for a while and then showing his quickness to stay in the back pocket, DeBoard had everything right until a last-second cut by Pederson gave him the separation. Even still, it was a great rep by DeBoard who was leaning upfield to protect against the vertical when the cut happened. He also showed really good consistency throughout the day; rarely did I see any lapses in judgment or many mechanical errors to speak of. There’s no doubt about it, DeBoard certainly raised his stock at this event.
Highlights
Jackson Kirkland Jackson Kirkland 6’1″ | 180 lbs | DB Sandra Day O’Connor | 2026 State AZ immediately stood out through the first set of 1-on-1’s, in large part due to his impressive length. At 6’1″ 171 lbs, he plays even bigger with the reach that he has. With great hip control, Kirkland was able to switch directions in a hurry, which helped him to keep up with the speedy wideouts he was lining up against. Even though he isn’t the quickest, he played extremely smart throughout the day. Never panicking and taking great angles, Kirkland’s ability to recover is undeniable; his length becoming a factor again as he’s able to stretch out his arms and get back into plays. O’Connor’s another team that’s putting together an uber-talented, very young defense, and Kirkland will likely play a big part in that.
Highlights
Mason Cantu Mason Cantu 6’0″ | 175 lbs | DB Basha | 2026 AZ showed an impressive combination of size and speed at the PRZ Arizona Combine. At 5’11” and nearly 170 lbs, he was able to complete the shuttle run in just 4.44 seconds. (The fastest shuttle time of anyone in this group.) That continued to show throughout the entire event. With good weight on his frame, he’s able to play up on receivers and get physical if he needs to; but he also has no problem sitting back on the faster wideouts knowing he can catch up if he needs to. This, mixed with his long strides, enabled him to stay in his backpedal for much longer than most defensive backs are able to and it allowed him to keep good leverage all day. Cantu uses his active hands well and is really disruptive at the catch point, consistently shooting his hand at the receiver’s to jar the ball loose. Yet another young and ready-to-produce defensive talent on Basha’s roster. Cantu also happens to be a two sport athlete who knows his way around the diamond!
Highlights
With a recent transfer to Desert Mountain, Hassan Smith Hassan Smith 6’0″ | 145 lbs | DB Desert Mountain | 2027 AZ is a player who has the physical tools to be a lockdown corner. With really long strides, he has some decent speed to try and track down wideouts on the outside. I thought he did a great job tracking his receiver and not trying to peek at the quarterback too early, showing good eye discipline. He has quick feet that can get him out of a jam when he needs them to. Smith can occasionally wait too long to open his hips and leave his backpedal. Against some great competition that he’ll face on a daily basis at Desert Mountain, I have no doubt he’ll quickly develop a good sense of his own speed and its limitations. If he’s able to add some weight onto his frame, that will only enhance how physical a player he already is. Smith certainly raised his stock out there at the PRZ Arizona combine.
Highlights
Kenan Veavea Kenan Veavea 5’9″ | 165 lbs | DB Chandler | 2027 AZ is an incredibly twitchy player out of Chandler. With great burst, it was really difficult for many of the receivers to get any separation from him. Though he doesn’t have a ton of length at 5’9″, he’s very well built and has good weight on his frame, weighing in at 161 lbs. A huge part of his game is being physical; watching his tape, he’s often roughing players up and does a great job with quick reactions in zone coverage. Those things are hard to highlight in the 1-on-1 setting, but Veavea found a way. He was able to disrupt timing and throw receivers off their route all day, refusing to give up leverage. Facing great competition at Chandler on a daily basis he’s only going to continue to develop and get better.