Six DBs To Watch in Their Final High School Season

Practices are kicking off all across Arizona for the 2024 football season and teams are gearing up for a challenging year, ready to face some of the best talent in the nation. Arizona's wide receivers have been stealing the spotlight recently, but let's not forget about the defenders tasked with covering them. These six defensive backs have been flying under the radar, but they're ready to make a name for themselves in their final high school season. Join us as we shine a light on these six standout defensive backs.    [player_tooltip player_id='1145512' first='Talan' last='Viner'] is incredibly athletic on the outside for Sierra Linda's defense. With his quick reaction times, he's able to both stay with receivers on a route and also get away from them to disrupt run plays. Being just 5'11" and 160 lbs, he's still able to affect the run and finished his junior year with two tackles for loss as a cornerback. Where Viner truly excels is in coverage. Stuck in his assignment's back pocket at all times, he's not easily fooled. His active hands are a real problem for opposing offenses and last year he finished with 14 passes defensed. Viner is going to be a big part of Sierra Linda's defense in 2024 and has all the tools to be successful at the next level.      [player_tooltip player_id='1145525' first='Logan' last='Haynie'] has a true nose for the football in the back end of Red Mountain's defense. Finishing last season with 61 total tackles, he was all over the field making plays for his team. With his speed, he's able to be the help for many of his teammates and very few opponents can beat him out in a footrace to the endzone. It wasn't just his physically imposing presence that was affecting offenses last year; Haynie also came down with three interceptions and is a real threat to score once he gets the ball in his hands. Going into his final high school season, Haynie is a player coaches should be watching closely.      [player_tooltip player_id='954372' first='Jordan' last='Williams'] has a great feel for the game as a defensive back. Able to read both the quarterback and the receivers as the routes developed around him, he always seems to be in the right spot and has the athletic ability to make a play on just about every throw. At 6'0" 175 lbs, Williams is a player who can make a real difference at every level. As a junior, he not only finished the season with eight passes defensed and two interceptions but also came up with a sack. This type of versatility is going to make a massive impact on Chaparral's defense in 2024, and also makes Williams a player you don't want to miss.      [player_tooltip player_id='1145529' first='Dontre' last='Gammage'] has some incredible makeup speed playing for Camelback. Able to use that speed to help out his teammates or stay with his own assignment, his quick feet can get him into just about every play. Once he gets the ball in his hands, that quickness gets put even more on display. Gammage finished his junior year with four interceptions that he returned for a total of 124 yards. Even when he doesn't come down with the ball, he's a true force in a zone scheme and can seemingly cover two players at once. This type of impact is going to make a real difference for the Camelback defense with Gammage in his senior year, making him a player you don't want to miss.      Christian Vazquez is an incredibly physical defensive back who gets involved in every aspect of the game. Someone who finishes the season with 88 total tackles and four forced fumbles from the safety position has to be willing to throw their body in the mix, and this kid is. Vazquez is able to come up quickly to help the run and is a really reliable tackler in the open field. It's not just the physicality that causes problems for opposing offenses, he also grabbed an interception and knocked five more passes down while being a safety net for his defense. Coming off his impressive junior season, Vazquez is a player coaches should have their eye on in 2024.      [player_tooltip player_id='1145609' first='Austin' last='Bradley'] can do it all playing defensive back for Chandler. At 6'0" 170 lbs, he's fast enough to hang with speedy wideouts and physical enough to stay on the bigger-bodied receivers as well. He does a nice job of reading the quarterback without being fooled by their eyes, which allows him to take chances with his instincts. He moves very smoothly across the field and is athletic and strong enough to be a real presence in the run game. With all the tools needed to play at the next level, Bradley's instincts are going to make a real impact on Chandler's defense as they look to make the Open Division playoffs again.

Practices are kicking off all across Arizona for the 2024 football season and teams are gearing up for a challenging year, ready to face some of the best talent in the nation. Arizona's wide receivers have been stealing the spotlight recently, but let's not forget about the defenders tasked with covering them. These six defensive backs have been flying under the radar, but they're ready to make a name for themselves in their final high school season. Join us as we shine a light on these six standout defensive backs.