2026 Film Review: DB Breakout Candidates for 2025

<p>During the off-season, we have conducted an extensive film review of hundreds of prospects in the Natural State. This article will focus on potential breakout defensive back prospects in the class of 2026. Here are five defenders who I believe will demonstrate their skills in 2025:</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1396249' first='Jakorey' last='Larry'] is poised to make a significant impact in 2025, especially after receiving his first offer from North Alabama on April 10th. Larry displays solid fluidity and footwork when transitioning, allowing him to effectively switch his hips and get vertical with his receiver or stay inside their hip off breaks. Additionally, he consistently arrives at the catch point, forcing interceptions or PBUs.</p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Note – 3.5 GPA</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LarryJakorey/status/1910430171875655965 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1218019' first='Ryan' last='Young'] is a strong zone defensive back, especially at nickel, and he can also play safety with his skill set. He demonstrates the ability to transition and switch off routes efficiently due to solid read and reaction, lateral quickness, and change of direction. He plays with a high motor, as he will chase down ball carriers.</p>   <p>Note - 3.0 GPA</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/2026_RyanY/status/1892259603502506045 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1157354' first='Joshua' last='Sharp'] is highly skilled in run support, demonstrating solid angles and physicality at the point of attack. He can cover the entire field when defending against the run, showing a willingness to tackle in space and fill gaps. In pass coverage, he effectively plays over the top, arriving at the catch point just in time. Additionally, he is a dependable contributor on special teams.</p>   <p>Note - 3.5 GPA</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/joshuasharp2026/status/1860960766028878095 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1286628' first='Talen' last='Jones'] has an impressive work ethic both on and off the field, making him a player to watch and a potential breakout candidate for the upcoming 2025 season. He is a strong press-man corner because of his ability to use his hands at the line of scrimmage and throughout routes. He plays physically and can also consistently perform in zone defense.</p>   <p>Note - 3.6 GPA</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JonesTalen/status/1899263279932817657 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1455283' first='Marques' last='Thorns'] is another breakout candidate to add to the board. He is consistent in run support due to his sideline-to-sideline motor and takes effective angles when pursuing ball carriers. Thorns displays good footwork and fluidity when backpedaling, which allows him to flip his hips effectively during transitions. He also showcases solid read-and-react skills, along with solid COD, balance, and burst, enabling him to arrive at the catch point in time to force a PBU.</p>   <p class="text-gray-700">Note – 3.5 GPA</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/marques_thorns/status/1867089100374708699 </div></figure>    <p></p>

During the off-season, we have conducted an extensive film review of hundreds of prospects in the Natural State. This article will focus on potential breakout defensive back prospects in the class of 2026. Here are five defenders who I believe will demonstrate their skills in 2025: