Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase: The Top Defensive Backs

ABERDEEN-- Although it's usually the smallest group at our showcases, we were able to narrow down some of the best defensive backs that were added to our notebook on Sunday at the Aberdeen Dome. From a few 2028s that flashed their upside, to one of my favorite 2027 DBs in the class, and our DB MVP, we circle on the DBs that made a splash in the Deen.   [player_tooltip player_id='1575900' first='Daison' last='Harden'], DB, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 2028 <a href="https://x.com/daisonharden">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2005-rotated-crop-481x316-1733853621.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1577249" style="width:318px;height:auto" /></figure>   Daison was another 2028 athlete that left me intrigued at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase on Sunday. He surely is not the biggest defensive back for his age, but the technique I was able to watch showed more developed footwork than I envisioned. He surely is one that I want to see where the standing vertical come out to be too from our showcase as I felt he just had this pop of athleticism getting in the air against bigger wide receiver targets than you would expect to see from a 5'8 defensive back. I surely like the upside Daison can develop over the next several years.   [player_tooltip player_id='1574473' first='Shay' last='Knust'], DB, Ipswich 2028   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2127-rotated-crop-481x316-1733853689.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1577251" style="width:323px;height:auto" /></figure>   Shay was a new 2028 defensive back from my radar that we previewed before Sunday's showcase and one that surely passed the eye test at our showcase in Aberdeen. He is still raw with his footwork as a defensive back, but the change of direction and instincts we saw in 1v1s is there for the taking for this freshmen, as he I thought was more twitchy on his cuts to the ball than even the tape shows. The 5'9 150 pounder from just up the road in Ipswich flashed that twitch on tape mostly at running back, but I liked seeing the flexibility of it's translation to the defensive side of the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='852873' first='Cooper' last='Nielsen'], DB, Sioux Falls Jefferson 2027 <a href="https://x.com/CNielsen316">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2045-rotated-crop-481x316-1733853979.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1577262" style="width:311px;height:auto" /></figure>   Cooper is one that has been on my 2027 radar since he was a freshmen, but it was nice to get a fresh live eval on his skillsets yesterday in Aberdeen. I could gauge that the football IQ has grown for Cooper since the last time I watched him as a defensive back, as he surely in 1v1s showed off a presence that I could tell had better technique and a developing football IQ. The constant area I continued to watch out of Cooper is his range, as I believe he one of the more rangier defensive backs we have in the 2027 class in the Dakotas.   [player_tooltip player_id='1576323' first='Preston' last='Peterson'], DB, Aberdeen Central 2026 <a href="https://x.com/Pfootball14">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_1908-rotated-crop-481x316-1733854612.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1577278" style="width:326px;height:auto" /></figure>   Preston was a local defensive back in Aberdeen that I thought flashed the upside that is brewing for a 2026 prospect that has limited tape thus far. He was one that I felt at our showcase passed the eye test early with his 6'1 180 pound frame and one I will be intrigued to see where the testing numbers come out especially the pro agility and L-drill, as Preston impressed me with his length of his lower body and twitch with his change of direction for his size he brought to the table. The more reps I was able to watch showed off a young man that I felt could develop quickly with coaching and is just getting started in his recruiting journey.   [player_tooltip player_id='1575885' first='Cale' last='Haselhorst'], DB, Yankton 2026 <a href="https://x.com/calehaselhorst">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_1976-rotated-crop-481x316-1733854527.jpg?w=480" alt="" class="wp-image-1577273" style="width:314px;height:auto" /></figure>   Cael was another common name I heard amongst conversations with college coaches yesterday that found him as an intriguing 2026 DB prospect. His 6'3 180 pound length caught my eyes mid-way thru our showcase as you could gauge that his lengthy wingspan caused some WRs fits in pass coverage. Cael also impresed me with his field IQ as a defensive back that commonly in the right spot to make a play on the ball as a safety that logged eight interceptions for the Yankton Bucks in 2024. The range that you see on tape also passed the eye test as Cael showed in reps his instincts that I think have even more upside to grow which is great to see. He is surely one I will take as a miss on my end in our last rankings update for 2026s and will be added to the next update.   [player_tooltip player_id='929957' first='Xander' last='Hanson'], DB,, Bismarck Century 2026 <a href="https://x.com/HansonXandergh">Twitter</a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/12/IMG_2184-rotated-crop-481x316-1733854052-crop-384x253-1733854101.jpg?w=383" alt="" class="wp-image-1577264" style="width:318px;height:auto" /></figure>   During our last Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase in Sioux Falls, I recall Xander was in the conversation for DB MVP and yesterday in Aberdeen, he brought home the hardwear as another prospect in our x factor showcase preview that sold the deal during his live eval yesterday. We will get the testing numbers back in the next day or two, but in testing I felt the speed in the 40-yard dash and his pro agility were flying at a higher rate than what we saw in Sioux Falls last Spring. Getting to watch Xander in 1v1 reps, he brought the attention to detail I wanted to see with his ball-tracking and I thought too was significantly more balanced with his agile footwork when the WRs cut on their route. There is no doubt that I have said it a bunch on Xander that the glue-like presence has been there in the reps I watched, and I felt there was even more in the reps I watched yesterday in Aberdeen. Xander is another 2026 that will likely move up our overall rankings in the coming week's update.

ABERDEEN-- Although it's usually the smallest group at our showcases, we were able to narrow down some of the best defensive backs that were added to our notebook on Sunday at the Aberdeen Dome. From a few 2028s that flashed their upside, to one of my favorite 2027 DBs in the class, and our DB MVP, we circle on the DBs that made a splash in the Deen.