Class of 2026: Top Defensive Backs in WNY

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The game of football has turned into a pass first game. These are the players designed to stop the aerial attack heading into their Junior seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["410677"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Bennett Cornerback [player_tooltip player_id='410677' first='De'Mari' last='Clemons'] possesses tremendous athleticism and is blessed with phenomenal awareness on the field. He is excellent in man to man coverage or in zone. Clemons plays smart and his football intuition is off the charts; with 4 interceptions and 17 passesses defensed in his 2 year varsity career. I usually like to cover athletes that tend to fly under the radar but when talking about top Defensive Backs in Western New York, I would be amiss to leave out [player_tooltip player_id='410677' first='De'Mari' last='Clemons']. He is the number 1 ranked DB in New York State and should be considered a power 5 recruit.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":1261010,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1344450' first='Darryl' last='Smith']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_weight":"165","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Canisius","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1344450' first='Darryl' last='Smith'] has dynamic hips and plays the ball well when it is in the air. He has good hands and a vertical leap that gives him an advantage on 50/50 balls. Smith is a physical corner that can bully the opposing receivers. He is coming off a stellar sophomore season with 34 tackles, 3 interceptions and 9 passesses defensed.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":1261013,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1743162' first='Noah' last='Bohlman']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_weight":"150","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Lockport","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"An underrated defensive back, [player_tooltip player_id='1743162' first='Noah' last='Bohlman'] is a tough player with a high football IQ. He has the ability to bait the QB and has great footwork with excellent closing speed. Noah is a solid tackler and a ballhawk, posting 32 tackles and 4 interceptions for the Lions in 2023.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":1261017,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1344772' first='Quinten' last='Wilhelm']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_weight":"194","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Sweet Home","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1344772' first='Quinten' last='Wilhelm'] is a pure Strong Safety. He can play in the box as well as adjust to the pass. He is a big, solid athlete that is an aggressive hitter. Quinten has good coverage skills and plays very instinctively.rnrnu0026nbsp;","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["606268"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Williams is very fast with incredible instincts and superb football knowledge. He is a great form tackler and not afraid of contact. A two-way starter on JV, Jajuan has the tools to play at a high level next season. Having yet to play a varsity snap, [player_tooltip player_id='606268' first='Jajuan' last='Williams'] from Sweet Home is already a highly ranked DB so 2024 should bring big things for this athlete.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":1261019,"_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Dayshon Jackson","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_weight":"144","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Kenmore East","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Dayshon Jackson spent the 2023 season on Kenmore East's JV team but showed off an amazing skill set. Jackson plays with discipline, takes excellent angles while in pursuit and is a sound tackler. Dayshon has good awareness and quick hands to shed stalk blocks. 2024 will be an indicator of the work Dayshon has put in this offseason.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"Malik Worthy","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_weight":"131","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Bennett","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Another JV product from 2023, Malik Worthy displays the attributes of a true shutdown corner. He plays the ball well and has fluid hips to adjust his angles. Worthy has extraordinary vision and is incredibly versatile. He also played RB last season but Bennett is loaded with offensive weapons. If Malik focuses on Cornerback; he, along with Clemons can make a dangerous tandem.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-662fb7cb9dee5"} /-->