Who Were Some of the Top 2026 Ballhawks?

Jake Lemming

December 17, 2024 @ 10:55 AM

Defensive backs that can generate turnovers through the air are extremely valuable in today's game. These guys can shift the momentum of a game in the blink of an eye. Today, I'm looking at some of Texas' top junior ballhawks. These guys put up some impressive stats and made plays all over their 2024 highlights films. Look for them to continue building on that momentum heading into the 2025 off-season.   As always, If you have someone you think I need to see, please DM them to me on Twitter at @hsfbscout!   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Jeremiah Green, 5'10" 165, Waco   Green has great recovery speed, he only looks for the football when in phase and does a good job mid-pointing two potential targets. He can line up as a high safety & bait quarterbacks into poor throws, he's got the tracking ability to haul in deep shot attempts and does a good job widening a receiver's release.   [player_tooltip player_id='977469' first='Griffin' last='Tillis'] 6" 185, Grand Oaks   A safety prospect with good route recognition, he's smooth transitioning out of his backpedal and has the leaping ability to finish a play at the highest point. He plays downhill in the run game, takes good angles to the tackle, and is a physical tackler on impact.   Xaier Hiler, 6'3" 170, Denton Ryan   Hiler has rare length for the corner position. He'll mid-point high-low concepts in cover two, his wing span allows for him to swat away high passes and he has a knack for always being around the football. He sees the quarterback well, stays over the top of receivers in zone coverage and shows great closing burst.   [player_tooltip player_id='1851231' first='Markus' last='Hall'], 6" 185, Texas High   Hall has great closing speed, he's tough, patient in his backpedal, and shows sideline-to-sideline range. He explodes out of his breaks, shows increased anticipation, and has the body control to make tackles in the open field.   Malachi Igharo, 6'3" 180, Dripping Springs   Another corner with impressive length and the ball skills to go with it. Malachi has the footwork & off-hand punch to jam receivers up at the line, he's got outstanding reactionary skills and can lean & locate the football downfield. His breaks stay within the framework of his body and he can provide run support as a flat defender in cover two.   [player_tooltip player_id='284171' first='Kane' last='White-Tinsley'] 6" 170, West Plains   This kid put up ridiculous numbers in the secondary finishing the 2024 season with nine total interceptions. He can cover a ton of ground while the football is in the air, he's a sure tackler, and will effectively use a baseball turn after opening his hips prematurely He's a playmaker who plays with disciplined eyes and can win on 1 on 1 throws.

Defensive backs that can generate turnovers through the air are extremely valuable in today's game. These guys can shift the momentum of a game in the blink of an eye. Today, I'm looking at some of Texas' top junior ballhawks. These guys put up some impressive stats and made plays all over their 2024 highlights films. Look for them to continue building on that momentum heading into the 2025 off-season.