2028 Prospect Watch: Eastern NC DBs

We're well into the offseason, and we're keeping things going ahead of spring workouts and summer practices. Our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/03/deep-dive-union-county-wide-receivers/">county-by-county Deep Dives</a> (Matt Morrow is hitting the Charlotte area while I take the area around RDU) are going strong and we're nearly the end of our prospect watch series. We've looked at almost every freshman in our system, both ranked and unranked.   We have a ton of defensive backs in our 2028 rankings, so here's part two of three. Last week, I looked at <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/04/2028-prospect-watch-greensboro-area-dbs/">five guys in the Greensboro area</a>. Here, I'm taking the defensive backs in the eastern part of the state.    Williams has elite potential as a long, physical corner. He only cracked the varsity lineup in 2024, but looks poised for a breakout season in 2025. He's excellent at reading and reacting, making most of his big plays in the backfield on outside runs. That doesn't mean he struggles in coverage. On the contrary, he has excellent body control and ball skills for a freshman.     Clayton has some talented corners that seem to go a bit under the radar. However, Burt is already getting his due, with an early Maryland offer. His play in 2024 was limited to blowout situations, but there are a couple of openings in the defensive depth chart. Can Burt step up and take advantage? He has the physical tools to compete, it's a matter of opportunity.     Loftin was everywhere as a freshman, catching 19 passes on offense and picking off four passes on defense. We like him best as a safety right now. It's easy to find dozens of 6'2" receivers, but not many tall safeties move as easily as he does. He was excellent at taking advantage of obvious passing situations defensively. If he can improve his reactions and ability to read the offense, he's going to be an excellent prospect.     Thames is just getting acclimated to his safety position after playing running back, receiver, and linebacker in the past. His length and athleticism lead me to believe he's a future corner, but for now, he's simply adjusting to the speed of the high school game. His speed, size, and explosive athleticism means he should succeed wherever the Heritage staff puts him.     Buchanan doesn't have the same experience some of the other freshmen have, hence his placement on the watchlist. But, we like his potential, having seen him in a camp setting. He's going to grow into his frame and likely gain another inch or two as well, giving him the ability to contribute on defense at corner.    Want to make sure you're on our radar or raise your stock? Sign up for our <a href="https://events.prepredzone.com/e/1488/register/combine-series-north-carolina">2025 Spring Combine</a> at Clayton High School on May 4. Use offer code ‘HelmsCombine25′ to get $10 off your registration. Prep Redzone and college scouts will be in attendance to evaluate prospects as they go through combine drills, position work, and 1-on-1s.

We're well into the offseason, and we're keeping things going ahead of spring workouts and summer practices. Our county-by-county Deep Dives (Matt Morrow is hitting the Charlotte area while I take the area around RDU) are going strong and we're nearly the end of our prospect watch series. We've looked at almost every freshman in our system, both ranked and unranked.