2026 Stock-Risers: Defensive Backs

As we look at our final 2026 stock-risers position, we've gotten to the defensive backs. Typically, we see our defensive back rankings go through more changes than other positions as players often develop later. There will be six more rankings updates before we reach our final 2026 rankings, but these defensive backs have seen their stock rise in recent months.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2026 Defensive Back Stock-Risers</h2>      Kelly's is a name that has come up several times in conversations with coaches and he's a guy we expect to have a huge impact when he finally gets on the field for his first varsity experience. He moves well and isn't afraid to hit. In camps this offseason, he's flown around and caught the eyes of several observers. While he's inexperienced, we don't think he'll have much of an adjustment to the varsity game.     Parker plays on both sides of the ball but his highest upside is at safety, where his ball skills make him a strong cover safety. His play speed is faster than his 40 time and he's able to make tackles sideline-to-sideline. More importantly, he takes good angles and wraps up, making sure he doesn't miss many tackles. We think he'll continue to develop and will be a solid pickup for a Division 1 program.     Hough's defensive backs are always well-coached, but Matthews is probably the best I've seen come out of that program. He has natural ball skills and fluid hips, meaning he's seemingly always in position to make plays. Matthews is long and physical, making him the best cover corner in the state.     Neal is athletic a player as you'll ever find. He's a stadnout as a basketball player, has the footwork, speed and strength to play both corner and wide receiver. This year, he could play quarterback for Reidsville. His highest upside position is corner, where his athleticism is a bit harder to find. He's raw, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but the superb athleticism will translate to the next level.     Dula had a strong offseason and we really like him as a prospect. His film can be deceiving becuase he just wasn't targeted very often last season, giving up only one catch as a sophomore. His ball skills improved as the year went on and he's flashed enough there to think he could have better interception numbers as a junior. The athleticism is there as he can easily dunk a basketball, with great explosion numbers. We have a high FCS grade on him, but he's been a tough evaluation, so we're looking forward to seeing him in person soon.

As we look at our final 2026 stock-risers position, we've gotten to the defensive backs. Typically, we see our defensive back rankings go through more changes than other positions as players often develop later. There will be six more rankings updates before we reach our final 2026 rankings, but these defensive backs have seen their stock rise in recent months.