Scouting The Class: #TN2026 Defensive Backs

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Continuing our in-depth look at each position from the senior class, here we breakdown the guys from the secondary and it's a deep crop of prospects! By the end of the year, the defensive backs may prove to be the deepest position group of all!</h2>     The overall collection of talent within our senior secondary class is quite strong for the #TN2026 cycle. This is a deep crop this year that could stretch far with potential Power Four, D1 and FCS talent that is known with other unknowns yet to be discovered. It's possible by the end of this recruiting cycle that our defensive back class may be the deepest position group of all as several prospects mentioned in this piece I feel will jump to the forefront and become legit college level players.    Top Tier Talent    - As it's mentioned above, this is a loaded class that runs deep, so while I see a group of players ahead of others at the moment, I could easily see the top tier grow further as we march through the Fall season. We shall see how that turns out but for now, the top of the defensive back list is stacked with a battle for the number one spot between McCallie senior [player_tooltip player_id='402532' first='Chaston' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='811046' first='Caden' last='Harris'] from Haywood.    Smith is currently committed to Notre Dame while Harris is being pursued by some of the best teams in the country with official visits set at the moment to Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. Both are bonafide power level guys that have the skill set to potentially see the field early in their college careers.    Knox. Webb defender [player_tooltip player_id='402563' first='Shavar' last='Young, Jr'] is right there with those top two, competing for best in class. A multi talented prospect that could play several roles in the secondary, even some snaps on offense, Young, Jr has already made his college decision by choosing earlier this spring to run with Clemson.    Baylor has two guys at the top of the charts in [player_tooltip player_id='958217' first='Jamyan' last='Theodore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='328897' first='Kolby' last='Barrett'] that are destined for the big stage in college football. Theodore is one of the fastest rising defensive back prospects we have in the state with a multitude of power programs in pursuit. A big reason for the large interest in Theodore is his upside to play cover corner.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/jtheodore.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1655070" style="width:317px;height:auto" /></figure>   Barrett is a safety prospect that brings tremendous size to the table. His film shows the ability to remain on the back end but Barrett could grow into that “star” position player that works towards the middle of the defense but has the ability to play in space as well.    Speaking of playing safety in college, we have a big collection of players sitting at the top of the board in [player_tooltip player_id='856867' first='Craig' last='Tutt'] (Oakland), [player_tooltip player_id='492562' first='Justin' last='Hopkins'] (Ensworth), [player_tooltip player_id='540028' first='Knight' last='Wilson'] (Page), [player_tooltip player_id='816053' first='Keshawn' last='Mills'] (Bearden), [player_tooltip player_id='1610490' first='Jaylen' last='Pollard'] (Ravenwood) and [player_tooltip player_id='1167514' first='Jayden' last='Rush'] from Franklin Road Academy that are highly talented with all sporting Power Four or D1 offers.    Tutt is a thumper that plays well versus the run but brings excellent leadership to the playing field as well. Hopkins is an athletic guy that fits well at field safety but has the versatility to handle some corner if needed. A true ball hawk with great instincts, Wilson is a hidden gem that has yet to receive Power Four offers but I think will in time.    Mills brings great size to the field along with natural athletic abilities that could allow him to play boundary or field safety in college. This guy is still developing too, so his best football days should be ahead of him. Pollard is a hard hitting, physical competitor that showed improved coverage skills last Fall, which in turn has him on the Power Four radar. Rush had a breakthrough junior year that pushed his stock up tremendously. He is another versatile guy that could handle several roles in the secondary.    Pearl Cohn senior [player_tooltip player_id='1110713' first='Josh' last='Sims'] is an intriguing talent that may be one of the more versatile defensive backs we have from the #TN2026 class. A natural athlete that runs well, Sims has the potential to handle cornerback in college but has the talent to excel at nickel or safety as well.    Four guys who could potentially handle some cornerback duties while also having the potential to play safety as well are Zephan Birt from Collierville, [player_tooltip player_id='1103508' first='Jamarcus' last='Watkins'] out of Clarksville, [player_tooltip player_id='1161079' first='Omari' last='Bledsoe'] from Stewarts Creek and [player_tooltip player_id='402564' first='Terrance' last='Whitley'] out of Whitehaven. Burt is new to the state of Tennessee but highly skilled with nice height and length along with excellent lower body athleticism.   If Watkins was two inches taller, you would be hearing more about the Wildcats defensive back. He is an aggressive, fast and athletic defender that is highly versatile with upside to play on the outside. Bledsoe has some of the best physical traits of all defensive backs in the #TN2026 class. Standing about 6'4 with extremely long arms, the RedHawks senior has big potential but still needs more time with development. Whitley is a natural athlete that fits best playing at field safety but could handle some nickel if needed. He is also an excellent return man that brings a lot of special teams value.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/jamwatkins.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1345986" style="width:295px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Next Tier    - Sitting right below that top group but not too far behind is a collection of players that I feel are certainly FCS worthy but have the skills to work themselves into D1 status. The upcoming summer camp season should dictate a lot when it comes to these guys' stocks and their ability to play their way onto the big stage.    Looking into the greater Chattanooga area, two guys in [player_tooltip player_id='853131' first='Spencer' last='Makuch'] from Bradley Central and [player_tooltip player_id='1417724' first='Martez' last='Mitchell'] out of Tyner Academy show an excellent skill set that should be enticing to college guys with both guys bringing something different to the playing field.    Makuch is one of the more underrated talents we have right now from the #TN2026 class that has size, smarts and the speed needed to be a difference maker. I really like his upside for the college game. I could see Power Four schools getting involved with him down the road. Mitchell may not have the ideal size but the dude can play. The Rams senior is quick on his feet with great instincts and the upside to potentially play cover corner in college.    Webb School senior [player_tooltip player_id='1218539' first='Elom' last='Ametitovi'] is a guy sitting way under the radar right now but could have the skill set and talent to play his way into the D1 ranks. This is an athletic guy with college size that may fit best back at safety but there are glimpses with his game to possibly play some corner as well.    Two versatile pieces in Blackman senior [player_tooltip player_id='1614217' first='Jaden' last='Lark'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1648110' first='De'Shun' last='Tipton'] show a lot of cornerback work within their junior tapes and could stay there in college but have the skills to handle nickel or safety as well. Both are aggressive, athletic guys that play with great instincts and the willingness to make tackles.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/jlark.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1555633" style="width:339px;height:auto" /></figure>   Knox. Central senior [player_tooltip player_id='480743' first='Torin' last='McAfee'] has been producing since his freshman year with the Bobcats and is headed into his senior year without the offers but that should change by the time we reach the Fall season. Standing 6 '1 with good length, McAfee has a shot to stick at corner in college but at worst, he could slide back to field safety and excel.    A trio of safety prospects in [player_tooltip player_id='402544' first='Hunter' last='Mullen'] (Independence), [player_tooltip player_id='1403891' first='Jbrein' last='Crawford'] (East Nashville) and [player_tooltip player_id='1650784' first='Ty' last='Beard'] from Covington are three legit college prospects that are still searching for those offers but have the abilities to earn those opportunities during camp season or throughout the Fall campaign. Mullen is an athletic, crafty player that could be recruited for receiver. Crawford may be one of the better athletes we have in this class that still needs time to develop but sports a big upside. Beard has great size along with versatility. He is a winner too that has played a lot of snaps throughout his Chargers career.    Nash. Christian senior [player_tooltip player_id='1116798' first='KeAndre' last='Gibson'] has started to build some recruiting buzz, especially after his recent offer from Western Ky. This 5 '11 defender is a natural athlete that can run along with upside to handle cornerback duties in college but has the versatility to play several roles within the secondary.    Two potential cornerback prospects in [player_tooltip player_id='1643690' first='Corey' last='Jennifer'] from Siegel and [player_tooltip player_id='1653346' first='Darrius' last='Baldwin'] out of Memphis and the Melrose football program have yet to breakthrough with offers but have the abilities to achieve them down the line. Jennifer has tremendous potential at 6'1 185 pounds to develop in several areas in the secondary. Baldwin is a versatile piece too that may fit best in college at nickel or boundary safety.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Darrius-Baldwin1.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-1599339" style="width:291px;height:auto" /></figure>   Wrapping up this section, we have three guys in [player_tooltip player_id='1640649' first='Malachi' last='Steele'] (Centennial), [player_tooltip player_id='1652146' first='Dorian' last='Partee'] (Southwind) and [player_tooltip player_id='1653555' first='Antonio' last='Crawford'] from Germantown that jumped late onto our radar but has seen some recent recruiting attention that forces us to look deeper at their talents.    Steele is an athletic and fast defensive back that is a tad undersized but due to his ability to run, the Cougars senior has a shot to stick at corner but at worst, he could move to nickel or field safety and do well. Partee is built almost in the same way but with more height. He recently landed an offer from Austin Peay and I could see others getting on board sooner than later. Crawford shows a ton of upside for college safety, especially with his size (6'2 175) and natural athletic abilities.    Potential Hidden Gems    - Our next grouping of defensive backs may be lacking in a few areas and may not have the recruiting attention at the moment but have talent and the upside to take their games to another level over the next several months to place themselves on the college radar.    The biggest thing that stands out about this next section is how deep the safety position is within the #TN2026 class. There are several safety options in the above two sections but it runs deep with the next grouping of players, including guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1393183' first='Malakai' last='Jacob'] (McCallie), [player_tooltip player_id='1597026' first='Jackson' last='Allen'] (Brentwood), [player_tooltip player_id='1103503' first='Gabriel' last='Lee'] (TCA), [player_tooltip player_id='860619' first='Jaeden' last='Thomas'] (Southwind), [player_tooltip player_id='1629901' first='Braylon' last='Wyatt'] (Lausanne), [player_tooltip player_id='1188597' first='George' last='Mancini'] (Knox. Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='1257132' first='Tikum' last='Brian Asongwe'] (Webb Sch.), [player_tooltip player_id='1617044' first='Graham' last='Geshke'] (MBA), [player_tooltip player_id='1648058' first='Khadon' last='Piphus'] (Halls) and [player_tooltip player_id='1588112' first='Mikhel' last='Wilkes'] out of Peabody.    All those prospects show me college potential on film but may be lacking in a few areas when it comes to either size or speed. Jacob, Wyatt, Mancini, Asongwe and Wilkes are your hard hitting, run support safeties while Allen, Lee, Thomas, Geshke and Piphus are your ball hawks with excellent instincts for finding the ball.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/user-uploads/basongwe.jpg?w=350" alt="" class="wp-image-1641887" style="width:273px;height:auto" /></figure>   Clarksville senior [player_tooltip player_id='1635948' first='Joshua' last='Anderson'] is a versatile ball player that could handle several roles within the secondary. He shows a lot of work on film at cornerback and he could stay there due to his athleticism and ability to run but could certainly develop nicely at nickel or field safety as well.    One of the more interesting defensive back prospects we have in the senior class is Stewarts Creek senior [player_tooltip player_id='1589509' first='A'Darien' last='Davis']. Standing roughly 6'2 180 pounds, Davis has the college size you like but also the versatility to potentially develop at corner or safety in college. His best upside may reside back at safety but he has been trained with a lot of action, playing on the outside.    Almost the same can be said about Green Hill defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1316604' first='Trent' last='Buchanan']. Standing 6 '1 170 plus pounds, the Hawks senior has good size and length that could be utilized in several ways with maybe his best upside sitting back at safety. If he can show increased speed this Fall season, Buchanan may have a shot to play cover corner in college.    Antioch senior [player_tooltip player_id='492602' first='Amari' last='Peters'] is another versatile piece that could be used in several ways across the secondary. A sure tackler that plays a physical brand of football, Peters style of play suits best at either nickel or boundary safety within the college game.    Three players in [player_tooltip player_id='1646196' first='Jayden' last='Frazier'] (Webb Sch.), [player_tooltip player_id='1604396' first='Sebastian' last='Renderos'] (Christian Brothers) and [player_tooltip player_id='1576833' first='Keymond' last='Jones'] from Melrose have a versatile skill set that could allow college coaches to use them in a variety of ways. Frazier may have a shot at sticking on the outside, especially if he can increase his speed. Renderos is undersized but is a physical competitor that fits very well at nickel. Jones is a natural athlete that does need added weight but is an instinctive ball player that could excel at nickel or field safety.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/srenderos.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-1655072" style="width:276px;height:auto" /></figure>   Developmental Prospects But Talented    - We spoke above about how deep the #TN2026 defensive back class is and this section shows that depth with some under the radar guys that do need continued development but show some upside to make their way into the college ranks and find eventual starter roles.    Gallatin senior [player_tooltip player_id='1583149' first='Javiyon' last='Link'] and Jackson Christian versatile defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1601034' first='Carlos' last='Roberson'] show on tape the upside to potentially play cornerback on the college level. Link has good size (6'0 185) with an athletic lower base and aggressive nature to lockdown receivers on the outside. Roberson is a natural athlete that runs well but would need added weight and field work to remain at corner in college.    Most of his work on film is at cornerback but I think Collierville senior [player_tooltip player_id='1142036' first='Tristan' last='Plumlee'] is an excellent option in college to play field safety. Sporting good height (6'1 170 lbs) and length, the Dragons defender moves well with his lower base while playing with strong instincts that would translate well to the back end of the secondary.    Huntingdon senior [player_tooltip player_id='1648079' first='Tyreke' last='Hutch'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1648087' first='Tyree' last='Porter'] from Oak Ridge are two talented nickelback prospects that are willing tacklers but also have the athleticism to play in space, play in coverage. I could see both guys transitioning to safety as well on the college level.    One of the more versatile pieces we have in the #TN2026 defensive back class is Oakland senior [player_tooltip player_id='1138121' first='Kyrie' last='Gainor']. A natural athlete with instincts that can run, Gainor is undersized but fearless. His ability to run allows him to play several roles in the secondary with maybe his biggest upside coming at nickelback.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/kygainor.jpg?w=700" alt="" class="wp-image-1655074" style="width:318px;height:auto" /></figure>   Closing things out with our in-depth look at the defensive backs, we finish things with five safeties that have a variety of traits between athleticism, instincts and size that would work well in college with all five still forming into themselves and their games.    Those five safeties include [player_tooltip player_id='1118506' first='Emarion' last='Woods'] (Oakland), [player_tooltip player_id='1194077' first='Demontez' last='Anderson'] (East Nashville), [player_tooltip player_id='1648128' first='Elijah' last='Reams'] (Riverdale), [player_tooltip player_id='1597027' first='Jayden' last='Westmoreland'] (Rossview) and Hixson senior [player_tooltip player_id='1635017' first='Ryan' last='Burney'].    Woods has outstanding size (6'3 185) and a skill set that fits very well at boundary safety. He is strong versus the run with development upside in coverage. Anderson is built in the exact same way with maybe a little more athleticism. Reams had a strong debut season last year where he became a top standout on his Warriors defense that could play either safety role with maybe his best upside being on the boundary.    Westmoreland may be undersized but this Clarksville native plays exceptionally hard with a violent approach to the game that could work well at nickel or boundary safety. He is also an excellent athlete that can and may be one of the better return men in the state. Burney fits well at boundary where his size would help well in run support while providing the occasional coverage.    Overall, this is a very talented and deep defensive back class that I feel will only get better and deeper as the season goes on. Several guys listed above have a chance to develop further throughout camp season and make statements in the Fall that could boost their recruiting stocks.    I could see new names join this class by the time we reach December. College coaches should enjoy sifting through this group as there is plenty of talent here that bring a variety of skills and traits to the field that translate well to the next level.    Other DB's to Know …..   [player_tooltip player_id='480892' first='Jalen' last='Smith'] - Mt. Pleasant, [player_tooltip player_id='402524' first='Blair' last='Otero'] - NCS, [player_tooltip player_id='480824' first='Taylor' last='Whitney'] - Blackman, [player_tooltip player_id='1648091' first='Wyatt' last='Maples'] - Sevier Co., [player_tooltip player_id='1599130' first='Reeves' last='Gill'] - Spring Hill, [player_tooltip player_id='1261312' first='Wayne' last='Gibson'] - Oak Ridge, [player_tooltip player_id='1631231' first='Javion' last='Shipp'] - Briarcrest Chrst., [player_tooltip player_id='1285554' first='Carter' last='Boothe'] - Germantown, [player_tooltip player_id='1646445' first='Tripp' last='Hendricks'] - Houston, [player_tooltip player_id='1648108' first='Quintin' last='Cottrell'] - Whitehaven, [player_tooltip player_id='1648121' first='De'Angelo' last='Hence'] - Houston, [player_tooltip player_id='1103034' first='Andrew' last='Smith'] - Maryville, [player_tooltip player_id='1617206' first='Yashan' last='Campbell'] - Bearden, [player_tooltip player_id='1640997' first='Caleb' last='Odom'] - Middle College, [player_tooltip player_id='1554199' first='Payton' last='Niehaus'] - Summertown, [player_tooltip player_id='1651771' first='Gabe' last='Linkous'] - CAK   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/hmullen.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-1655075" style="width:313px;height:auto" /></figure>