2026 NY Rankings: New Additions Defense

This article will give a very brief overview of some prospects new to the updated 2026 rankings, which you can <a href="https://prepredzone.com/new-york/rankings/2026-rankings/">find here</a>. Some of these prospects came off the watchlist, while some are completely new names to our database—regardless, this group all had strong Junior seasons, some with new teams and some breaking through on varsity.   Our position breakdowns on the 2026 rankings, which will be released over the next couple of weeks, will provide more thorough evaluations of these prospects.   This article will focus on the additions on the defensive side of the ball. Some of these prospects do play both ways, but right now, I view them mostly as defensive prospects when it comes to where they will play at the next level.    Brooks played some as a sophomore, but there was not close to enough film to evaluate his ability well; this year, he was one of the better DBs in the PSAL, which, as a league, sent many defensive backs to the next level and provided the film to back that up.   Brooks is a great athlete, but not many defensive backs display the same level of athleticism on tape. A more thorough evaluation will be out in the defensive back breakdown, but at the skill positions, Brooks is the type of prospect who gives you a good reminder that athleticism is king in recruiting.     Caldwell, a new name to me when I saw Canisius play, is one of the top defensive linemen in this class, a good-looking kid at 6'3 275 - should be able to play 3/5-Tech at the next level.   Caldwell came to Buffalo from Alabama two seasons ago and took a big step forward this season for Canisius. - he returns as the top O-Line/D-line prospect on a Canisius roster that sent prospects to Purdue, Holy Cross, and Central Connecticut State.     Guinyard has a ton of physical tools that make him an intriguing prospect. He has solid measurables at HT/WT and some positional versatility to play on the LOS at EDGE or as an off-ball linebacker.   Things like his 81-inch wingspan and the athleticism displayed both on tape and when I saw him in a camp setting show that for a player with a high ceiling, adding more strength and power to his game is something that a college weight room can really help with.     Pelaez could be listed as an ATH and is a good enough athlete where to play RB at the next level - when I saw Moore Catholic play Curtis early in the season, Pelaez stood out on a field loaded with D1-caliber athletes.   I am not set on where Pelaez will play positionally; his athleticism sets him apart from many players in New York. Pelaez did some good things for Moore Catholic in his first year playing in Staten Island after moving from Rhode Island.     Burbridge is one of the better athletes at the LB position. He has strong testing numbers from both PRZ Camp and the Navy National Combine and does well in the weight room.   40: 4.69 (hand-timed), 4.39 Shuttle, 114in Broad, 4.5 L-Drill   Physically, he looks the part, although there is still room to add weight and strength, and athletically, he tests well for a Junior LB his size. The underlying metrics are strong and the tape shows some good things to confirm that athleticism.     Garcia took advantage of his opportunities on the Hayes defense this season, a defense that sent multiple players to the Division 1 level this past season. Garcia was a significant physical presence for the Hayesman at LB.   When I saw Hayes play at the time, they had 3 ACC commits and multiple other prospects who ended up at the D1 level, but Garcia continuously stood out not only from a production standpoint but also athletically.     Williams is a player whose tape is strong, but he is one of those prospects whose movement ability and instincts make you start to like him even more when you get a live look at them.   Williams is also a lacrosse player, and his athleticism is a key aspect of the evaluation; he is a two-time state champion and played a big defensive role in the most recent run for CBA-Syracuse.     Potentially the best ball skills in New York's defensive back group, [player_tooltip player_id='1624501' first='Alante' last='Green'] was one of the most productive defensive backs in New York this year.   The Health Sciences Safety had one of the most complete stat lines of any DB in New York.   88 Total Tackles, 8 Int, 4 FF, 3 Sacks, 8 PBUs, 2 TDs   Green can play safety or slot corner, and his athleticism and production land him among the top 10 DBs in New York.     Jacob was with South Shore this past season and was a key aspect of their secondary this season—he checks the measurables box as a safety. Although listed as a DB, there is potential he will transition to LB at the next level if he ends his high school career around 200 lbs.   The LB projection could be legit because on tape, he is one of the most violent tacklers in New York. He is now listed as going to Erasmus Hall, which should help his development in coverage, but physically, there are a lot of things to like.     Although an injury to one of Longwood's best prospects opened the door for [player_tooltip player_id='1624493' first='Kaden' last='Reid'] to have a significant defensive impact on Longwood, he took advantage of the opportunity. He had one of the most productive seasons of any DB in downstate New York.   Reid has solid weight room numbers at 165 lbs (385 Squat, 425 Deadlift). While he does need to get bigger and stronger, his 8INTs, which were good for first on Long Island, show his ball-hawk skillset.

This article will give a very brief overview of some prospects new to the updated 2026 rankings, which you can find here. Some of these prospects came off the watchlist, while some are completely new names to our database—regardless, this group all had strong Junior seasons, some with new teams and some breaking through on varsity.