PrepRedzoneIL 2027 Rankings Drop: DB Breakdown

Only two position groups in our PrepRedzoneIL inaugural 2027 rankings introduction and publishment, and we've saved two of the best for last. Like their WR counterparts and opponents, who also sport a deep, talented, and athletic position group going into the 2024 season, the DBs possess varsity experience and production in droves, playmaking ability, and look like they are primed and platformed to become major FCS, FBS, and P4 recruits. In fact, some of them have even already been offered. Take a look at the ranked defensive backs from the PrepRedzoneIL 2027 rankings drop below, who look they could be one of the best DB groups out of the Land of Lincoln the past handful of cycles.   --    DB1 in Illinois' 2027 class comes out of recent talent-factory St. Francis High School in Wheaton, who also happen to have another DB ranked in the Top 25 overall in the state and possessed one of the top 2027 freshman classes in the state last year. 6', 180 lb. safety [player_tooltip player_id='1335196' first='James' last='McGrath'] had rare instincts, playmaking ability, ball skills, and overall on-field confidence level for a freshman, propelling him firmly into the starting rotation for the Spartans and helping him pick off two passes, force a fumble, a TFL, and 37 tackles at the varsity level.   McGrath's tape is very exciting and for a variety of different reasons. He was very productive in pass defense, picking off and breaking up passes at all three levels of the defense and on a variety of drops and in man and zone coverage, is super rangy in both run and pass support, and is a dynamic defender who produced in a variety of situations in 2023 and is an asset in coverage, as a blitzer, and generally in space. The play speed should be noted, as the 6', 180 lber. shows his top-end speed in a great play of him hawking down a loose ball carrier far downfield and on the opposite sideline to save a TD, but it also shows up as he carries speedy WRs vertically as well as rundown loose QBs and ball carriers as the backside defender out to the edge. McGrath stays in WRs hip pockets in man and shows ball skills and deep ball tracking ability to make plays on vertical routes as well, has good burst out of his breaks, is effective at the catch point, and most impressively, processes and triggers quickly. McGrath does a great job of instinctively reading both the QBs eyes and WRs route combination as they unfold, and his range in coverage and ability to cover ground when triggering on the ball led to an impressive interception on the second play of his freshman tape. He's also a good tackler who runs the alley well, can cover ground when he sticks his cleat in the ground and gets downfield, and will put his hat on the ball to knock it loose. He's also a multi-sport athlete who is a good baseball player who runs with Canes baseball 15u club team, but I hope football is #1 for him, his functional athleticism, dynamic ability, and naturalness at the position made him an easy choice for the #1 DB in Illinois' 2027 class.     I've said it before and I'll say it again: track & field numbers are as good as gold in our industry. Representing the always-talented Oswego area and Oswego High School, as well as the Aurora Flyers track club, rising sophomore DB [player_tooltip player_id='1120453' first='Dontrell' last='Young'] has real-deal track speed, and he finished his freshman outdoor season by being named All-Conference, All-Section, All-State, and ranked #1 in Illinois and #9 in the U.S. in the 400M. Earlier in July, Young also went to Greensboro, North Carolina, qualifying for nationals and popping off a 10.96 100M, 21.98 200M, and 49.29 400M, all outstanding times for a soon-to-be sophomore. With that kind of athletic profile, P4 college football coaches can't help but swoon, and Young spent 2023 in the non-varsity ranks for the Panthers, displaying ball skills, physicality and aggression as a tackler, as well as that speed showing up while in pursuit of the ball, and man coverage ability out of the slot. Young also demonstrated the ability to read, react, and trigger on the ball to make plays as the high safety and MOF defender. He stepped in front of a deep slant for a nice INT in his freshman film and has some good reps of him breaking on the ball with pace and good timing. I think that Young has laid has excellent foundation of athleticism, physicality, and instincts, and with that rare verified explosive ability he shows on the track, it's going to be hard to keep him off the field in one way or another this fall.     I'm a big fan of the athletes, programs, and natural football players that Southern Illinois produces, and the region has quite the crop of 2027 prospects, with Cahokia High School's DB [player_tooltip player_id='1334152' first='Donald' last='Collier'] near the top of the heap. Our #21 overall ranked 2027 and #3 ranked DB, Collier already has a heckuva resume for a rising sophomore athlete. He posted 52 solo tackles, 26 assisted tackles, 8 PBUs, 4 INTs, 4 TFLs, 3 FFs as a freshman, starting 7 of the 9 games he played in and named Second Team All-Conference in 2023. He has clocked a 4.38 shuttle and broad jumped 8'5, and also started on Cahokia's varsity basketball team, dropping 29 points against Urbana in December, as well as a double-double vs. Mt. Zion in November.   Talk about a dynamic, functional athlete, Collier opens tape with a beautiful, one-handed, backhanded INT as a 2-high safety on his near sideline where he floats through the air and plucks the ball out of the air and the receiver's hands in spectacular fashion. Impressive bounce and body control when playing the ball in the air on display there. The 170 lber. has good range in pass coverage and ball skills as a high safety helped produce quite a few INTs and PBUs on vertical routes in 2023, especially towards the sideline, and is dangerous after the catch and with the ball in his hands. Collier also is a physical and sticky tackler who flashes good closing speed and can cover ground when he gets downhill or runs the alley, and he created some massive collisions on special teams, both on kickoff and kickoff return coverage. The combination of athleticism, production, and physicality make us bullish on his abilities as a college prospect, and he's poised for a big sophomore season with the Camanche.     There's always going to be big-time names to know out of Providence Catholic, where our General Manager Jake Lemming just checked out for a recent summer practice, but the Celtics have an especially talented defensive backfield in 2024 and have one of the best 2027 prospects in the entire state in [player_tooltip player_id='1151334' first='Jaylen' last='McMiller']. He's going to be a constant presence in the rankings and plays with physicality, technique, and confidence well above the average freshman. PrepRedzone GM Jake Lemming noted that at practice, McMiller: "is beyond his years from a technique standpoint and was highly productive on varsity as a freshman. He's got a smooth pedal, loose hips, quality playmaking ability, and an extremely competitive on-field demeanor."   The film also shows a nickel/CB/safety with positional versatility, pursuit and closing speed, aggression and strength as a tackler, and quick mental processing and decision making. He triggers on the ball quickly in both run and pass defense and is able to play man coverage on the perimeter, where the qualities Lemming described helped him stay sticky and competitive on routes all around the field. McMiller is overall a fearless football player, and I think he has the hips, footwork, and athleticism to potentially play CB at the next level. McMiller isn't leaving the upper-echelons of the rankings anytime soon.     Back to that talent-ridden 2027 Wheaton St. Francis High School class, which I earlier called one of the best in the state. The Spartans are home to a heckuva 2027 DB duo in the aforementioned McGrath, as well as his CB partner [player_tooltip player_id='1335208' first='Isaac' last='Saldana'], a well-built 6'1, 180 lber. who got a ton of varsity reps in 2023 as a freshman. A hard worker, Saldana posted 25 tackles and 3 PBUs in his introductory season to high school football, and he's a long, fluid, primarily off-man CB who does a good job of operating in and reading offenses in zone defense and shows good comfortability, technique, and athleticism in deep ball defense. Saldana has the speed to carry faster WRs deep and ball skills at the catch point and on vertical routes, and he will come up and stick his head into run support, can come downhill and tackle 1on1 and in space, as well as defend the edge with proper pursuit leverage. Athletic, good frame, and productive in both run and pass defense, Saldana's CB spot is in good hands on the Spartans defense.     No film for the freshman DB from East St. Louis, but 6′a, 165 lb. CB [player_tooltip player_id='1335357' first='Raheem' last='Floyd']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/raheem-floyd/"></a> is already a FBS offeree after hearing from Kent State in early May during the Golden Flashes big stop to the Illinois 6A powerhouse. Posted one tackle on varsity last season and has looked sticky in offseason, unpadded camp settings, including the talent-rich Lindenwood Mega Camp. Also was named a top performer at a couple noted offseason camps and stops. Good size and length, and is succeeding and thriving on one of the Midwest's most talented rosters. We're very much looking forward to getting some tape on Floyd in 2024.     Yes another Mount Carmel Caravan 2027 to find himself on the vaunted PrepRedzoneIL 2027 rankings drop, [player_tooltip player_id='476341' first='Tavares' last='Harrington'] has been a well-known name on the Land of Lincoln's football scene since before he got to high school. Great size, with eye-catching length and the frame that gets college DB coaches excited, Harrington helped Midwest Boom's 15U squad to a national championship this past spring and was a top performer at this May's PrepRedzoneIL Combine Series Showcase, where our General Manager Jake Lemming loved his footwork, length, backpedal and weave, and transitions. Harrington has been written about a lot by since he entered the high school ranks, so I can keep this one shorter, but I like that he's rangy, shows pace out of his breaks and when triggering on the football, and is dynamic. Harrington is a vertical threat with good contested catch and 50/50 ball ability as a WR, and his size overwhelms WRs at the contact and catch point and he laid some big hits in 2023 from the defensive backfield. He's a strong tackler from the safety spot who can be a consistent clean-up tackler and last line of defense and owns a good weave, looks flexible and smooth in his backpedal, is patient but can gain depth when needed. Long, versatile, physical, and athletic, at one of the state's top producers of football talent? That's a recipe for a future P4 DB.     A transfer from Lift for Life Academy Charter in St. Louis, DB8 [player_tooltip player_id='1250731' first='Aireon' last='Bass'] joins a loaded East St. Louis roster and group of 2027 DBs filled with FBS offers. I believe Bass is related to recent Mizzou commit and East St. Louis 2025 CB [player_tooltip player_id='176242' first='Charles' last='Bass'], although I have yet to confirm that, and he brings great size and length into the Flyers DB room for 2024.   A varsity starter in 2023, Bass is a good tackler, slippery at avoiding blocks, and is rangy in run defense. He displays solid pursuit speed and can cover some ground in run support when he sticks his cleat in the turf and gets downhill. We'll see how the notch up in competition goes, and Bass still has some growing into his body to do, but the size and physicality are there.     Yet another East St. Louis freshman on the 2027 PRzIL rankings big board, [player_tooltip player_id='1335413' first='Frank' last='Luckett IV'] is already an FBS offeree, hearing form Kent State in their systemic evaluation and offer wave of the Flyers 2027 class. Safe to assume they were hearing good things about his ability and potential behind the scenes from the ESL staff, who are used to seeing high-level athletes, both in their own program and in competition. Luckett IV doesn't have any film from the 2023 season available, but he's a seasoned offseason camp performer who is used to competing and succeeding against high-level and athletic WRs. Posted a tackle in his limited varsity action from 2023 as well. Need to get my eyes on some tape ASAP.     The only info I can really find on 2027 Flyers DB [player_tooltip player_id='1335415' first='Jeremiah' last='Reed'] are the stats, and honestly, they're pretty good. Reed posted 24 tackles and a blocked punt in his freshman campaign, and although East St. Louis is generally well ahead of their opponents by the time Reed was seeing the field, getting significant varsity reps as a freshman should never be discounted. I'm looking forward to getting some tape on the rising sophomore soon.     Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights is represented on the 2027 rankings nicely by DB [player_tooltip player_id='1056527' first='Corey' last='Davis'], and we all know that [player_tooltip player_id='1056527' first='Corey' last='Davis']' from Illinois have a good track record. The 5'10, 150 lber. posted 26 total tackles, 9 PBUs, 2 forced fumbles, and only one TD allowed on the year in his freshman campaign, earning All-Conference honors for his efforts. The CB does a good job of staying in the hip pocket of receivers and showed good technique at the catch point, and he has the speed to stay with receivers running vertically and is able to defend and compete on routes to all three levels of the field. Davis also attacks blocking attempts on the perimeter with good leverage and is a physical tackler who will willingly stick his his into run support. He can tackle in space and in 1v1 situations, although he was a bit of an ankle-biter in 2023. The 1v1 man coverage ability and production, and his competitive and physical make me makes you an easy fan of Davis and bullish on his projection to the D1 level someday. Keep grinding, Corey!     A standout CCL non-varsity performer, 2027 DB [player_tooltip player_id='429874' first='Sean' last='Kershaw'], like many skill players on the PrepRedzoneIL 2027 rankings, is a seasoned 7v7 and unpadded performer and runs with Midwest Boom and Supreme7v7FB. Kershaw is an impressive and exciting coverage corner with some of the best technique I saw while watching DBs for the 2027 rankings. He displays great technique, bursts out of his breaks, and competitiveness on shorter routes and 3step routes, and had some impressive redzone and goal line PBUs in 2023 of note. The 5'10 CB is able to press, speed to carry WRs deep, and I like his off-hand jam and punch. His hips are loose and he's able to compete on 50/50 balls, displays good footwork, and can read, identify, and trigger on the ball quickly and for effective results. Plus, he's aggressive when getting off blocks and can tackle out in space and on the edge. Kershaw forced a significant amount of PBUs in 2023 and thrives in the 1v1 settings out on an island on the perimeter. Once he hits the varsity ranks he's going to be ready.     Wabash County checking in here with a highly-ranked DB in [player_tooltip player_id='1334158' first='Shain' last='Meador']. Mt. Carmel High School's 2027 standout DB [player_tooltip player_id='1334158' first='Shain' last='Meador'] is a multi-sport athlete who is also a good basketball player, and he made an impact on the gridiron for the Golden Aces in 2023 as a freshman. Limited tape, but you can still make out that Meador is a versatile, two-way contributor with good things going for him on both sides of the ball. The freshman scored a TD as a wide receiver and had some splash plays as a pass catcher for the Golden Aces offense and can force missed tackles with the ball in-hand thanks to his quickness. Meador can flip his hips and change direction smoothly in man coverage, displays ball skills, and good speed. I'm excited to see what a full season of varsity action will look like for him.     Marian Catholic has another DB standout on their hands in the current 2027 DB14 [player_tooltip player_id='1282322' first='Kwasi' last='Butler II'], a non-varsity contributor in 2023 who is a physical and aggressive presence from the defensive backfield. A safety and RB hybrid, Butler II is a vicious tackler and one of the hardest hitters in the 2027 IL rankings who is looking to hit you as hard as possible each and every collision he's in. He created some of the best hits and tackles I saw on the entire rankings big board, and you do not want to come over the middle on this kid. The rising sophomore's closing speed and burst were on display as a blitzer, and that same burst, as well as his vicious truck stick as a RB, helped him create some splash plays offensively as well. Butler II beats blocks with a combination of speed and pad level, shows some range in coverage , and got a varsity rep at nickel, where he once again showed physicality in a good rep of 1v1 man coverage and defense out of the slot. One of the most fun DBs in the entire class, you'll want to keep an eye on this kid going forward.     Rounding out the talented DB position group of the PrepRedzoneIL 2027 rankings drop is Salem High School's [player_tooltip player_id='1335421' first='Trey' last='Clark']. Possessing good size, Clark was named to this spring's PrepRedzoneIL Underclassmen All-State Defensive Team, thanks to his excellent production as a high school freshman in 2023. Clark posted 52 tackles, 2 TFLs, 3 INTs, and 4 PBUs. He also returned those three INTs for a total of 60 yards. No film or social media, but I'm itching to get my eyes on this kid. I hope he updates some tape in August and September.

Only two position groups in our PrepRedzoneIL inaugural 2027 rankings introduction and publishment, and we've saved two of the best for last. Like their WR counterparts and opponents, who also sport a deep, talented, and athletic position group going into the 2024 season, the DBs possess varsity experience and production in droves, playmaking ability, and look like they are primed and platformed to become major FCS, FBS, and P4 recruits. In fact, some of them have even already been offered. Take a look at the ranked defensive backs from the PrepRedzoneIL 2027 rankings drop below, who look they could be one of the best DB groups out of the Land of Lincoln the past handful of cycles.