PrepRedzoneMN 2026 Rankings Update: Ballhawking DBs

There are only a couple more articles covering the massive PRzMN 2026 rankings overhaul that went live recently, so hang in there and start getting excited about the upcoming 2027 update! As a former defensive back myself, there's no way I couldn't cover the rising senior defensive backs in my home state, and I'm especially excited about the 2026 DB class and the amount of top-end talent we have this cycle. That of course included [player_tooltip player_id='592132' first='Brayden' last='Dozier'], now up to #13 overall in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, one of the best DB prospects I've seen in my near decade with PrepRedzoneMN, formerly Northstar Football News. Let's get to know some of the Ballhawking, Lockdown defensive backs, and island boys of the deep and talented rising senior class. INTs, PBUs, big hits, oh my!   --    One of the better DB prospects Minnesota has seen in the past half-decade, Maple Grove's [player_tooltip player_id='592132' first='Brayden' last='Dozier'] had a tremendous offseason between his sophomore and junior seasons on the gridiron, entering his second straight year starting this past fall with much more confidence, balance, and lockdown ability. He went on to have one of the best seasons of any CBs in the state, posting 48 tackles, 8 PBUs, 5 TFLs, and 5 INTs against the best WR competition Minnesota has to offer week in and week out. The stats don't do Dozier's impact justice either, as he was a shutdown CB more than able to blanket an offense's WR1 through four quarters, helping to allow his chaotic front-seven more than enough time to find paydirt as blitzers and pass rushers. He was a tremendous asset for the undefeated state champs, and I watched Dozier completely flip the state quarterfinal on its head, locking up Cal-Berkeley commit Swinney and throwing water on the Hornets' scorching, potent passing attack. He picked off stud QB [player_tooltip player_id='592125' first='Mason' last='West'] not once, but twice, two of only his four INTs on the year, and Dozier's picks that game were more than impressive, coming at clutch times situationally, on difficult reps to see and defend like a deep comeback, and coming against some of the best receiver's in the state.   His play from 2023 caught the eye of one of the best recruiters of MN talent out there in North Dakota State, earning only of only two offers the Bison extended to Minnesotans during the 2024 season, and he's since added a North Dakota Fighting Hawks offer, all combining to help Dozier to climb 9 spots to #13 overall after an enormous in-season jump up the rankings inside the Top 25. Dozier is also on a prestigious short list of in-staters who legitimately have a chance of earning an offer from the Golden Gophers, who have been in multiple times this offseason to meet with Dozier and a couple of his 2026 teammates. The big key and like in Dozier's game is how loose his hips are and how well that helps him maintain phase throughout a receiver's route. He's overall very technically strong, which can be accredited to both his work ethic and the high-quality coaching staff at Maple Grove, and he has great body control, short-area quickness, and functional start/stop ability in man coverage and when breaking and adjusting to a receiver throughout his route. He has an absolutely beautiful rep of him picking off that aforementioned pass by West in the state quarterfinals. Smooth, easy, and impressive ability to mirror and sink his hips when covering and staying sticky on deep comeback and out route. Also has a great rep of him easily flipping his hips and carrying a post-route deep downfield against a P4 commit receiver while staying in perfect position to undercut and pick the ball off, which is exactly what he did, high-pointing it right out of the air and right out of the receiver's hands. He easily finds and stays in the hip pocket of a WR, and has the speed to carry and stay on top of him going vertically. We're talking about the fastest and most explosive receivers in the state too. Dozier owns a patient footwork and weave and doesn't waste steps or movement. He demonstrates good quickness out of his breaks, sees and reacts to receiver's routes with urgency, and has strong ball skills, especially on deep routes, something he's always shown and possessed since he hit the varsity scene. He can high-point the ball out of the air and win 50/50 contests when given the opportunity. This is a must-watch recruitment for the rest of the off-season.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BraydenDozier/status/1887518012632150259 </div></figure>     Waseca's [player_tooltip player_id='592119' first='Deron' last='Russell'] has been around since Day 1 of PrepRedzoneMN 2026 rankings as a high-profile, top-tier talent who is entering his fourth season as a starter for the Bluejays varsity program that seems to be a perennial contender in Class AAA. A big reason for Russell's notoriety can be credited to his older brother Damarius, a 2025 Washington State commit who flipped from South Dakota State with new WSU Head Coach Jimmy Rogers & co. The younger Russell is quite the competitor, putting together one of the best individual showings of any prospect in attendance at Minnesota's opening prospect camp of the 2024 summer. Russell was a fiery, effective, and blazing-quick coverage corner during 1v1s of the RTB Prospect Camp, playing both press and off-man coverage and breaking up a ton of passes throughout the event while locking down some legit scholarship talent. He was one of only a handful of prospects to earn a D1 offer due to his camp performance, as the old SDSU staff (the new coaching staff has since reoffered) and Northern Iowa offered almost on the spot. Also a stud hooper who can put some serious dunks for a high schooler, Russell then transferred the success to the gridiron as a junior, posting 50 catches for 745 yards and 5 TDs as a WR while adding 20 solo tackles, 3 PBUs, and 2 INTs with his 8-2 Waseca squad in 2024.   As an off-man CB, Russell opens his tape with a beautiful INT that saw him jump a deep out route and hurdle himself high off the ground (his feet are at the WRs head) to pluck the ball out of the sky and finishing the catch through a big fall to the ground. Great quickness, body control, and ball skills on display in the junior's first rep. He's twitchy both at the top of the route and after catch, as well as balanced, and he can consistently create separation at the top of the route as a wide receiver. This is where I love to see the high-level basketball backgrounds come into focus, as the quickness you need on the hardcourt translates very well to the gridiron. Russell also owns noticeable bounce and can win 50/50 and contested catches through tight coverage and tracks and plays the deep ball very well, showing a big catch radius and soft hands who can make catches while fully extended and far in the air. I love him as a slot receiver, where he can take advantage of 1v1 mismatches as well as zone coverage, and he can win vertically and take the top off the defense. Russell has no problems being left on an island in man coverage and will also stick his head into run support and make 1v1 tackles on the perimeter, with proper leverage I'd like to add too. Overall, the tremendous ball skills and 50/50 ball ability, as well as twitch, standout most on tape, but the big question to watch with the younger Russell in regard to how high he projects is what that top-end speed is going to look like. His brother is the all-time 100M record holder at Waseca (10.88), so we'll see how Deron matches up to that this spring & summer.   <a href="https://twitter.com/DeronRussell21/status/1890174714200617075">https://twitter.com/DeronRussell21/status/1890174714200617075</a>     Anoka's [player_tooltip player_id='1248628' first='Devon' last='Luckas'] is some combination of most intriguing/biggest mystery/most upside/name to watch, as well as a Stock Riser from the recent 2026 PRzMN Rankings Update, climbing seven spots up to #41 overall in Minnesota. With verified and confirmed 6'2, 190 lb.+ plus size at the CB position, Luckas is an outstanding athlete, running in the 4.6s at a recent PRzMN Showcase while adding a shuttle in the 4.2s and jumping 9'4 in the broad, with a 6.84 L-drill to boot. Talk about an exciting athlete at his size! The tape is fun too, as Luckas was a part of the 2024 Class 6A semifinalist Anoka squad who made a good run at a Big School title, and Luckas posted 22 tackles, 9 PBUs, and a blocked kick as a junior, leaving a bit of mystery and desire there from a production standpoint. However, the junior tape is overall strong, as the tall, long, striking CB presence who likely projects to SAF at the next level explodes out of his breaks and can accelerate and cover an impressive amount of ground when he sticks his cleat in the turf and works downhill. There's a couple reps of him getting out of his breaks that really catch the eye, and he has the speed to easily carry faster WRs going vertical and does a good job of hanging in the hip pocket and waiting to get his head around until he's in good position. Luckas laid some big hits in 2024, including upending and taking the legs out from under a leaping Lakeville South passing target, flipping the kid's legs over his head for a somersaulting and painful collision high up in the air. He is comfortable tracking the deep ball and playing the ball while it's in the air, can correctly identify and trigger on route combinations in zone coverage, and his length and athleticism help him compete and win at the catch point and on 50/50 balls. The 190 lbers. great get-off helped him block a PAT/FG in 2024, and he's a strong cut tackler and has no issues sticking his head into run support 1v1 and out on the perimeter. Luckas is also a good edge defender who is more than a handful for WRs attempting to block him out on the perimeter. PRzMN will be following this dude's recruitment very closely.     Although PRzMN has yet to see [player_tooltip player_id='591730' first='Jeremiah' last='Peterson-Gordon'] padded up during the fall, we're happy with the number of overall exposure points we have on the now-junior, who has been around since the inaugural 2026 rankings launch thanks to his plethora of varsity starting experience that began when he was a young freshman. Now a rising four-year starter, JPG was a can't-miss eye-catcher during the summer, showing off smooth footwork, technique, and hips, plus a wide, muscular build, at this past summer's RTB Golden Gopher camp, and he also did a good job of putting that frame to good use this winter when PRzMN saw JPG at the MN Grind 7v7 Tryout in December. He's also a standout performer at last April's PRzMN Combine Series Showcase, and our most recent athletic numbers we have on the 507 product have him running in the low 4.8s in the 40, a 4.39 shuttle, and a near 9' broad jump for good measure. Additionally, JPG is a good hockey player who posted 22 points in the 2023-24 season with high-powered Dodge County.   JPG has really developed as an offensive weapon and shows playmaking ability as both a RB and pass catcher in KM's triple-offense attack. The second play of his tape shows him sacrificing his body and leaping parallel to the ground in a swan dive of a goal line dive in a fearless display of athleticism, and he displays noticeable burst, speed at the top-end to finish runs for six, and is quick and powerful after the catch and with the ball in hand. The 190 lber. bounces weaker tackles off his upper body like a bowling ball on pins, can run his legs through soft contact, and shows a generally quick and twitchy running style and gait. Good overall contact balance. The two-way playmaker doesn't waste steps and is sudden in his T-step and when he triggers on the football, and I love his love the footwork as a defensive back, as well as the ability to drop his hips in synch when mirroring with a DB in-route, then unlocking and flipping those same hips when a receiver makes his break. He also has good hands that can catch the ball away from his body, ball skills. and is able to make plays on the ball on a variety of different routes. Can't wait to see who offers first.   <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeremiah_JPG/status/1855020424028971391">https://twitter.com/Jeremiah_JPG/status/1855020424028971391</a>     A personal favorite of PrepRedzone's General Manager and National Scouting Director Jake Lemming, Hill-Murray's 6', 185 lb. DB [player_tooltip player_id='1255892' first='Levi' last='Grigson'] continues to be one of the most popular defensive back recruits in Minnesota. The Pioneers junior visited North Dakota and Air Force during the past football season and has seen Wyoming, Northwestern, Northern Iowa, and North Dakota State come by Hill-Murray to speak to the ballhawk. He also visited West Lafayette for the Purdue Boilermakers junior day in January, and Syracuse, UNI, and Northwestern have all sent out summer camp invites. The popularity comes for good reason, as Grigson displays silky smooth footwork and breaking ability, flexible hips, good ball skills and high-point ability, and quick processing ability that sees, reacts, triggers, and closes on the ball with pace. He can play 1v1 man coverage on the perimeter or out of the slot, including out of the press, and he's sticky and does a good job of contesting passes at the catch point. Grigson comfortable and effective playing the deep ball in the air, as well as staying in the hip pocket of the WR and practicing good eye discipline. Additionally, Grigson has no issues supporting the run, and is a good edge defender who can shed blocks at the perimeter while using proper leverage and not giving up the sideline to a ball carrier. The 185 lber. is a technically-sound tackler who is strong enough to handle ball carriers 1v1 and is comfortable tackling in space. Should be a busy offseason for the Hill-Murray Pioneer.     AHA has quite the 2026 class on their hands. Amongst the big bodies and D1 offers is a DB who shouldn't be left out of any defensive back-related conversation in Minnesota in 5'11, 185 lber. [player_tooltip player_id='1120537' first='Gavin' last='Coughlin']. The multi-sporter, who also plays baseball, was one of the ranking's bigger stock risers in the latest update, climbing 15 spots to #117 overall in the state, in large part due to a strong junior season on the gridiron that saw him record 36 rackles, 7 PBUs, 4 INTs, two of which he returned for TDs, and a TFL while aiding his Stars to a 7-4 record and birth in the Class 4A state quarterfinal. Coughlin also added 33 rushes for 164 yards and 2 TDs + 24 catches for 346 yards and 3 TDs through the air, making him one of the more versatile and productive juniors in all of the Land of 10,000 Lakes.   Offensively, the 185 lber. shows a good catch radius, solid coordination, and body control when plucking the ball out of the air smoothly and effectively. He will make catches in traffic and while fully extended, and shows the balance and strength to eat big hits coming from safeties over the middle and stay upright impressively. Kids will give him their best shot and he'll stay up like it was nothing but a mosquito or errant horsefly. Coughlin does a good job of running with patience and following his blocks before sticking his cleat in the ground and getting vertical with pace, displays quick feet after the catch, and demonstrates great contact balance helps him bounce weaker tackle attempts off his lower body with ease. He's a dynamic utility weapon for an offense that can be used in a variety of ways and is overall comfortable in space.   Defensively, as a safety, Coughlin can read and anticipate route concepts and combinations with smooth, lethal effectiveness. He breaks on the ball with great timing, his hips look pretty loose, he's smooth out of his breaks and doesn't waste steps, owns good ball skills, and does a good job of naturally working under WRs in zone coverage. The offensive production and two pick-sixes make him obviously dangerous after the catch, and he returned an INT 100 yards for a TD against Minneapolis North to highlight the splash play defensive ability. Could have had four INTs returned for TDs in 2024. Coughlin had a solid showing at the recent PRzMN Showcase, running a 4.81 40, as well as a 4.5 and 4.4 shuttle and 8'7 broad jump, and his big play ability, dynamic athleticism, positional experience, and reaction time and natural ballhawk ability from his safety spot the most appealing parts of his game. DIIs should be all over this kid.   <a href="https://twitter.com/Gavin_Coughlin2/status/1857187824828641523">https://twitter.com/Gavin_Coughlin2/status/1857187824828641523</a>     The second half of Apple Valley's explosive and high-profile 2026 tandem, DB [player_tooltip player_id='1255912' first='Tylan' last='Ward Jr']. has long been on the radar of big name programs such as Kansas State and NDSU, the latter of whom has seen Ward Jr. visit thrice this school year, most recently last month for a junior day. Ward Jr. has also earned camp invites from Northern Iowa and South Dakota State, with Jamestown and Sioux Falls reaching out as well. The junior had a good showing when PRzMN checked out some section final action this past November, laying some big hits against St. Thomas Academy ball carriers and shutting down his half of the field while adding some juice to the offensive side of the ball as well. Ward finished his junior season with 28 tackles, 3 PBUs, 2 TFLs, 1 INT, and 20 catches for 241 yards and 2 TDs as a WR.   As a cornerback, Ward Jr. is instinctive and patient in coverage, displaying solid footwork, and he has the body control to read and not overextend or opening the gate while covering for himself either way at the top of the receiver's route. He does a good job of consistently staying square and cutting off a receiver's route and landmarks, and he can compete on a variety of different routes and does a good job of staying in a receiver's hip pocket and locating the football. Plus, Ward Jr. has the speed to carry wideouts deep, and he's comfortable being left on an island against Minnesota 5A opponents. Plus, the junior is quick after the catch and owns good burst, and has a good foundation of varsity prep experience as a defensive back. PRzMN is interested to see how things shake out for Ward Jr. and his fellow Apple Valley Eagle [player_tooltip player_id='1255129' first='Q' last='Barnslater'] this spring.   <a href="https://twitter.com/TJWardd24/status/1852763379556815174">https://twitter.com/TJWardd24/status/1852763379556815174</a>     The younger brother of 2023 STA grad and Wake Forest transfer DB Mark Rogalski, 5'11, 170 lber. [player_tooltip player_id='592227' first='Todd' last='Rogalski'] is putting together quite the prep football career himself. The younger Rogalski is coming off a prolific junior season that saw him record 42 tackles, 4 sacks (!), 3 INTs, an eye-popping 4 punts blocked and one FG blocked, and two touchdowns for a diverse stat line from the cornerback position. Rogalski may be the best slot corner/nickel in the state, displaying some great film for defensive back lovers and a fun junior highlight overall. The speed turn is on display first. He opens his tape with an impressive rep of him passing off a wheel route before locating and whipping his head around quickly to find a slant coming underneath from #1 and plucking the ball out of the air with one hand. He is excellent in zone coverage, naturally melts underneath routes, and plays the ball well in the air. Rogalski also made a beautiful read and INT on a Cretin-Derham Hall attempted rocket screen that saw him perfectly apex the and cut off the flight of the ball to step right in front of the receiver's outstretched hands. He then returned the INT for six as well. Rogalski is an effective and speedy blitzer off the edge of the LOS who can hit home and tackle in space when given the opportunity behind the LOS. That same get-off, speed, and playmaking ability accounted for his explosive number of blocked kicks and punts in 2024. Blocked and recovered his own blocked punt for a TD in one rep. Smooth COD ability and can unlock his hips to get by blockers as well. He also has a great rep of him running down a loose Apple Valley WR to save a TD as the backside nickel, hawking the kid down over 50 yards downfield and at the five-yard line. This was also in a playoff setting, showing some serious heart, motor, and effort. That speed can be verified on the track as well, as Rogalski posted a solid 23.03 200M this past outdoor track season. The 170 lber. is a strong, vicious tackler with a great cut tackle who sent some RBs flying over his head and off their feet in the open field, and he attacks and works hard to get off blocks at the perimeter. The junior Cadet even had an explosive kick return showing off some real-deal burst and acceleration, as well as vision, with the rock in hand. You want some good DB tape? Look no further. We'll see how this offseason shakes out for Rogalski and some of his fellow Cadets in the 2026 class.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ToddRogalski/status/1868014948083024091 </div></figure>     One of my favorite players of the entire 2024 state semifinal/Prep Bowl, Chanhassen's beast of a 2026 safety [player_tooltip player_id='1255890' first='Logan' last='Smith'] was one of - if not the best, given the clutch circumstances - 1v1 and open-field tacklers I saw in the two dozen+ MN high school games I saw during the 2024 season. He's also an absolute ballhawk, posting 7 INTs for the Class 5A state semifinalist Chanhassen, good for third in the state, and he was also a full-time sophomore starter in the Storms' 2023 Class 5A state championship run, posting 87 tackles, 4 PBUs, and 2 TFLs that season. Talk about some big game, Big School experience and production!   Smith was named All-District and District Defensive MVP in 2024 after posting those 7 INTs to go along with 74 tackles and 5 TFLs, and although the safety isn't the tallest DB, he makes up for it by being not only the biggest ballhawk on this list, but arguably the most physical as well. If I'm picking my All-Minnesota 2026 defense, Smith is making the team, as his play speed, instincts, ball skills, and physicality are all outstanding. Smith can cover 1v1 out of the slot and opens his tape with a beautiful rep of him carrying an Owatonna SB on a corner route before reading the QBs eyes, locating and finding a streaking Huskies WR coming over the top, and dropping right into the receiver's pocket and right in the pigskin's flight path for a smooth, instinctive INT that he made look very easy. He also beautifully reads, flows to, and undercuts a Chaska WRs redzone slant in one of the state's biggest rivalry games to emphasize his ballhawking ability and instincts. His great speed, as well as ability to get up to top speed quickly, can cover a ton of ground when running the alley and coming downhill from his safety spot to fill gaps or pursue out to the edge. The 170 lber. comes into contact full-tilt and is an excellent cut tackler who can meet and stonewall RBs at and behind the LOS. He's a big hitter, and I love how he's both controlled yet reckless into contact, and he laid some big hits on ball carriers going both high and low at their center of gravity. I love his ball skills and ability to contest and play 50/50 balls, and he's rangy in both run and pass defense. Smith displays smooth, quick footwork in his backpedal and weave, loose hips, and he carries and sticks with a receiver through the whistle and as a play breaks down and extends. He's also an instinctive and intuitive as the MOF and high-safety defender who can easily read, identify, and make plays on the ball all over the field. I can't say enough about this kid's game, both in person and on tape. I'm his #1 fan.     The darkhorse prospect of the 2026 MN DB class, Spring Lake Park's 6'1, 185 lb. cornerback [player_tooltip player_id='1257223' first='Sawyer' last='Thomsen'] is long, athletic, and sticky, and he impressed in 2024 when PRzMN got to see Spring Lake Park host the Monticello Magic in some Class 5A regular season action. Thomsen had a good day against a Wisconsin Badger commit playing WR that day, and he picked off a pass on a great read and play on the ball that got the home crowd - as well as me - fired up and on their feet. With good size for the position, experience, a strong tradition of SLP-produced DBs behind him, and the skillset to possibly play CB at the next level, the only thing holding Thomsen back from making some serious noise on the PRzMN 2026 Big Board, as well as on the recruiting trail, are some verified athletic numbers and appearances on the camp circuit.   A multi-sport standout and point guard on the basketball team posted 55 tackles (40 solo), 7 TFLs, 7 PBUs, 3 INTs (one pick-six), and a 1 FF in 2024, and is an instinctive, physical, assertive, and pesky cornerback who brings a physical edge to the perimeter of the LOS and is a player who you are going to need to fight every inch for if you want to gameplan his way. He reads and reacts to the QB's eyes and oncoming WR route combinations quickly and effectively and is a comfortable press corner who seems to be a natural ballhawk. Thomsen instinctively works in between route combinations and undercuts WRs when the ball is in the air, and he's effective, light-footed, and quick in both man and zone and is a quick processer and smart player at the position. The 185 lber. snaps out of his breaks and has smooth and fluid hips and footwork, and the acceleration out of his breaks also helps him to act as a hammer at the catch point. Thomsen is strong at the catch point and opens his tape with him completely bodying an Irondale SB looping out on a little bubble screen and crumpling the Knight right at the catch point for a smooth pick-six. He has plenty of reps of him reading quick game and screens, beating the attempted block by the wideout, and making a clean tackle behind the LOS, and he does a good job of working under blocking attempts and using an effective rep before tackling in space at the perimeter and behind the LOS. I really hope we see this kid on the offseason camp circuit. Thomsen is a baller.     There's a lot of talent in Bloomington right now, and between the pool of talent at Kennedy and Jefferson High School, junior DB [player_tooltip player_id='1255145' first='Abram' last='Bruggeman'] should never be left out of the conversation. A big, strong safety who comes in at 6', 190 lbs. and reports a 255 lb. bench, 375 lb. squat, and 455 lb. deadlift, Bruggeman is also one of the recent PRzMN 2026 Ranking Update's Biggest Stock Risers, climbing 34 spots to right outside the Top 150 with a lot of room to continue to rise. Bruggeman totaled 70 tackles, 3 FF, and 3 TDs as a RB, S, returner, and slot receiver is a dynamic athlete with good reps in all three phases of the game. Offensively, he has big play ability as a RB and is a strong, laterally agile tailback who brings power, quickness, and burst to the table as a hard-charging tackling assignment for opponents. He does have some quick feet and effective cuts that can beat opponents laterally, and he combines it with his truck stick and contact balance, getting defenders off-balance before lowering his pads on them. He is an option as a pass catcher out of the backfield as well. The contact balance is really fun, as Bruggeman steps through weaker tackle attempts at his lower body and can bounce kids off his upper body like a bowling ball off pins. He has a rep of him knocking three different Apple Valley Eagle would-be tacklers flying onto their butts from a single collision on the sideline. Bruggeman is also a big hitter from his high safety spot who will command the MOF with physicality, will run the alley and can come downhill with authority to meet ball carriers at or behind the LOS, and shows some range in pass coverage. Augustana University is quite involved, having gotten the Bloomington product on campus in November for a gameday experience, and the Vikings sent an official invite to their junior day as well. Hope to see the young man on the camp circuit this offseason so we can verify some athleticism, but he's easily a DII scholarship kid as of right now.     A small school, small town, rising four-year starter and multi-sporter, Dawson-Boyd's [player_tooltip player_id='481531' first='Nathan' last='Hansen'] has been holding down a spot on the PRzMN 2026 Rankings Big Board since its debut. However, we have yet to see Hansen in person in all of these years, and although he continues to put out good tape, things have stagnated a bit, and although Hansen made an appearance in Dinkytown for a Minnesota Gophers gameday visit this past fall, we hope he has some stops planned on the summer camp circuit.   Similar to the aforementioned JPG out of Kasson, Hansen has really developed himself as an offensive weapon, and in 2024 he totaled 34 rushes for 361 and 4 TDs, 24 catches for 215 yards and 3 TDs, and 21 tackles and an INT defensively. Hansen can win vertically as a WR and shows good burst, solid vision, and quick feet as a RB. The 170 lber. floats by defenders in space with the ball in hand and has big play ability as an offensive threat. Put a kid on absolute skates after one catch around a minute and a half into the junior tape. Hansen displays a smooth backpedal and is solid out of his breaks, helping him play man coverage out of the slot as a safety. I love how much ground he covers in run support when he comes downhill and runs the alley as the high safety. Good defensive range and can meet RBs at or behind the LOS, and he sticks kids 1v1 with good technique, effort, and strength, preventing extra gains once he puts the pads on. Even knocks the ball loose at times thanks to his thump. Keep an eye on Hansen out of the small school ranks!     Last, but certainly not least, comes 9Man STUD [player_tooltip player_id='1602768' first='Bryer' last='Strem']. Representing Fertile-Beltrami, the 2024 9Man state champs, 5'9, 150 lber. Strem ain't the biggest DB on the list but he's undoubtedly the biggest ballhawk. The junior CB/RB/S was nothing short of fantastic during the 2024 state semifinal and Prep Bowl, picking off one pass in the semifinal win and two INTs in the 20-8 state final win against Hills-Beaver Creek, solidifying himself as arguably the top-performing DB of the entire tournament. Strem is a natural and instinctive ballhawk who patrols the MOF with lethal effectiveness and can shut down his assignment and his half of the field for four straight quarters. He posted an eye-popping 14 INTs in 2024, topping the charts in Minnesota as the state's INT leader, and he is also a legitimately explosive and game-changing offensive weapon who can move the chains and find the endzone no matter who the opponent is. Strem's junior tape could use some editing, but along with the in-person performances, PRzMN has a pretty good understanding of this kid's game and skillset. As a DB, Strem owns great range and speed as the high safety is instinctive, and displays great ball skills, especially for his size. Noticeable bounce, can high-point and win up in the air with a fearless tenacity and confidence, and can pull down and win 50/50 balls and contested catches. Offensively, he can win vertically as a WR, displays explosive top-end speed, and is shifty, slippery, and quick after the catch. He'll be moving up the rankings before it's all said and done.

There are only a couple more articles covering the massive PRzMN 2026 rankings overhaul that went live recently, so hang in there and start getting excited about the upcoming 2027 update! As a former defensive back myself, there's no way I couldn't cover the rising senior defensive backs in my home state, and I'm especially excited about the 2026 DB class and the amount of top-end talent we have this cycle. That of course included Brayden Dozier Brayden Dozier 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Maple Grove | 2026 State MN , now up to #13 overall in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, one of the best DB prospects I've seen in my near decade with PrepRedzoneMN, formerly Northstar Football News. Let's get to know some of the Ballhawking, Lockdown defensive backs, and island boys of the deep and talented rising senior class. INTs, PBUs, big hits, oh my!