Next Man Up: Defensive Backs 2027 Edition

Dotison measures in at 5'10 155-pounds and played both CB/SS/WR for Palmer. 16 receptions for 294 yards, 4 touchdowns, 56 total tackles (34 solo, 22 assisted), 2 TFL, 1 sack, 4 INT, 2 PD, 1 FF, and 2 FR. He mainly played SS but got snaps at CB too. Dotison has very good athletic ability due to very good speed, acceleration, change of direction, and good jumping. Dotison has very good mental processing and awareness. Consistently watching the QB and the ball carrier. He saw a fumble, picked it up and returned it for a TD. Very good competitive toughness. He helps his teammates finish tackles, and puts his body on the line to make the tackle. Good tackler. In coverage, he has very good closing quickness and ball reaction skills. Dotison excels in zone coverage but lays the boom in the run game. Watch out for this budding young DB.     Measuring in at 6'0 162-pounds, Yahn accounted for 92 total tackles (52 solo, 40 assisted), 4 INT, 4 PD, and 1 FF. Yahn plays as the deep safety, but comes down into the box for run support. Even though he's farthest from the RB, he is consistently the 1st player to make contact. He has very good acceleration, speed, change of direction, and good jumping. He runs with a head full of steam. Yahn has very good mental processing by identifying gaps, and rushing to stuff the run. He is an aggressive tackler. Very good tackling, and wraps them up out in space. Very good run support. Yahn has very good reactionary speed in zone coverage, identifying the play and rushing to make the play. He's a high energy player that brings the boom to unsuspecting ball carriers. Keep an eye out for him to have a breakout season next year.     Measuring in at 5'11 165-pounds, Gebhardt was a beast at the outside corner position. He had 36 total tackles (19 solo, 17 assisted), 4 INT, and 9 PD. He has very good athletic ability due to very good speed, change of direction, acceleration, and good jumping. Gebhardt has a very good back pedal and fluid hips. Very good man coverage and zone coverage. Very good closing quickness. Sticky in man. Very good reactionary skills. He IDed the QB running during his back pedal, and instantly course corrected and made the tackle. Good balance between watching the WR + QB. Gebhardt is a ball hawk. He has very good ball tracking skills, jumping in front of the WR to get the INT. Good catching. Gebhardt uses his lengthy arms to swat the ball away. Good run stopper as well. This kid is an exciting corner with a twitch to his game. Colleges might want to get a head start on recruiting him.     Measuring in at 5'10 165-pounds, Tinlin had 37 total tackles (19 solo, 18 assisted), 1 TFL, 3 INT, 3 PD, and 1 pick 6. This safety has very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, speed, good change of direction, and jumping. Very good mental processing. He watches the QB's eyes consistently. Very good reactionary speed. When the QB throws the ball, Tinlin is gone racing to the ball. He ranges from the zone, to sitting in the box for run support. Good tackler, and very good run stopper. Tinlin is a good block shedder too! In coverage, he has a good back pedal and maintains a balance between looking at the QB and receiver. Tinlin has good catching and very good ball tracking skills. He turned a tipped pass into an interception. One thing to note about Tinlin is his physicality. He's aggressive getting to the ball, and is a hard hitter. Palmer Ridge has a plethora of young talent, and Tinlin slots right in with the rest.     Howard measures in at 5'10 155-pounds and plays outside corner for Smoky Hill. Throughout the season, he had 13 total tackles (4 solo, 9 assisted), 2 INT, 1 FR. Howard has good athletic ability due to good acceleration, speed, jumping, and solid change of direction. He has a good back pedal and fluid hips to match with the WR. He has good reactionary speed. Good zone and man coverage. Very good tackling. He makes the tackle out in open space. He ran across the field to make a touchdown saving tackle. He has very good competitive toughness. Howard is helping teammates finish tackles, or running across the field to make the play. I'm excited to see Howard get some more playing time, and see how he produces next season!