#TN2027 Defensive Backs Watch List

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Scouting the defensive backfield for our in-state junior class has been fun as I see tons of talent here destined for the Power Four stage along with several guys that many may not know about now but should down the road.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Secondary talent has steadily grown and gotten better over the last few years, where now it's become one of the best position groups throughout the state and that's no different looking into the #TN2027 crop. It's top heavy with some potential elite players along with growing depth that should make this position even more formidable as we go into the next off-season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking at who could be the top defensive back from our junior class will be a battle. There are multiple guys like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1162582' first='Jaden' last='Butler'] </strong>(Haywood), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1294979' first='Jarrell' last='Chandler'] </strong>(Knox. Halls), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='904747' first='Dre' last='Otey'] </strong>(Riverdale), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1642438' first='Romel' last='Koon, Jr'] </strong>(Brentwood Academy) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1605749' first='Jordan' last='Darren Djila'] </strong>(Baylor) that are in the mix to find themselves in that top spot.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Butler is an uber athletic safety prospect that brings excellent range and ball skills to the field. He has good size too with nice arm length that has already enticed several Power Four programs. Chandler is an intriguing guy that I'm seeing schools have interest with him at cornerback but I think his biggest upside resides back at safety where his size can be a difference maker.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1616303,"width":"280px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/02/jchandler.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-1616303" style="width:280px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Otey, Koon, Jr and Djila are three guys that can play cover corner on the next level along with having a skill set to handle other positions as well. Moving his high school career to Riverdale this year, Otey is a long, long and lanky prospect that shows nice transitional feet and the closing speed to make a difference out wide.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bursting onto the recruiting scene in a big way this off-season has been Koon, Jr, who recently transferred to Brentwood Academy from Chatt. Prep. Major interest has floated his way due to his upside to play the island and lock things down at cover corner. Djila is sitting under the radar right now but they guy is legit and one of my favorite scouting tapes so far this off-season. He is a clean, efficient prospect that shows flashes of cornerback upside but might work best inside at nickel.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Joining Otey in the Riverdale defensive backfield will be junior safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='378857' first='Hudson' last='Fuqua']</strong>. This 6'0 hard hitting tackler has a lot of potential residing within his body. Fuqua is an athletic guy that runs well, showing an explosive first step and closing speed that shows up stopping the run.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another hard hitting safety is new Brentwood Academy junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1585726' first='Kenneth' last='Simon']</strong>. Recently transferring over from Bearden, Simon is an interesting talent that is built like a linebacker but shows enough speed to potentially remain on the back end. Green hill junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1368155' first='Will' last='Butler'] </strong>brings great size to the field along with range and the willingness to come up and attack the run game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three safeties in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1570551' first='Calvin' last='Maclin'] </strong>(Memp. East), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1566251' first='Kajuan' last='Taylor'] </strong>(James Lawson) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1617242' first='Kaleb' last='White'] </strong>from Lausanne are under the radar currently but bring a lot of talent to the football field that translates well to the college game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maclin is a rangy guy with good closing speed that will lay some powerful hits. Taylor has great size (6'1 185) and length that could work at boundary or field safety. White may have the best speed of the three. He gets downhill fast, showing excellent instincts reading the pass. All three show potential for the next level but need more time developing before their recruiting stocks take-off.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two Memphis based prospects in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1158912' first='Kadience' last='Nelson'] </strong>(MASE) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1104284' first='Dequavion' last='Bell'] </strong>from Munford are versatile players that could handle multiple secondary roles. Nelson is a bit undersized but plays bigger due to his athleticism, instincts and ball hawking tendencies. Sporting good size with versatility, Bell is an intriguing guy that I see flashes of skills that could work at corner but more foot speed is needed to compete there.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rising juniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1616602' first='Jacob' last='Jewell'] </strong>from Ravenwood and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687518' first='Bradley' last='Stamper'] </strong>out of USJ are two very intriguing prospects due to their size, length and overall skill set. Both these guys look like safeties, which Stamper is and should translate to in college but for Jewell, he shows the potential to possibly play corner on the next level.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1687297,"width":"205px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/34-Jacob-Jewell-rotated.jpg?w=684" alt="" class="wp-image-1687297" style="width:205px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stamper is a natural athlete that may get some run on offense at receiver but his length, range and size are too enticing to not have over on defense. The Raptors may have a stud with Jewell, especially if he can increase his agility and foot speed. He is a smart, savvy ball player that uses his length and size well to stay on track with receivers. Jewell could very well end up at safety but there are flashes of upside to stay on the island.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The safety position for the #TN2027 class appears deep. We have mentioned several safety prospects above but there are several others, including <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595026' first='Parker' last='Emerson'] </strong>(Brentwood), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='866727' first='Corey' last='Jenkins Jr.'] </strong>(Whitehaven), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1585715' first='Quinn' last='Taylor'] </strong>(Ensworth) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1571417' first='Anthony' last='Carnahan'] </strong>from Pearl Cohn. Two of those guys in Jenkins, Jr and Carnahan have landed offers so far while Emerson and Taylor are still waiting to add their first.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jenkins, Jr is an athletic defender that plays hard and fast along with the versatility to play both safety positions or provide work at nickel. Carnahan is built in the same fashion. The Firebirds junior is a versatile guy that shows upside in pass coverage as well as playing close to the line versus the run.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both Emerson and Taylor are rangy safety prospects that play a clean brand of football. The Bruins junior is a budding ball hawk that reads the pass well then breaks fast on the ball to either pick it off or breakup passes. Taylor is a good athlete that moves well. He shows a quick first step along with solid size and a nice frame that can pack on more weight.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mt. Pleasant junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1610501' first='Jaylen' last='Easterling'] </strong>is a hidden gem that shows a lot of upside on film to potentially play cornerback on the next level. Standing 6 '0 175 pounds, the Tigers defensive back has good size with nice arm length as well as natural athleticism that helps him handle several roles across the secondary.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four guys that have versatile skill sets with flashes of being able to play cornerback include <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664092' first='Amari' last='Mitchell'] </strong>(FRA), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1646054' first='Quincy' last='Finley'] </strong>(Page), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1648722' first='Felix' last='Mitchell'] </strong>(Blackman) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1662944' first='Dallas' last='Johnson'] </strong>out of Stewarts Creek. I recently got to scout Mitchell and Johnson in person at the #PRZTN Summer Showcase and both are impressive prospects with great size, length and the ability to develop nicely at either cornerback or safety.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1688014,"width":"353px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/dallasjohnson.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1688014" style="width:353px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finley is an under the radar talent that many may not know about now but should after the 2025 season. The Patriots junior is well built physically with nice arm length that can work well at cornerback. If the island doesn't work, Finley could move back and excel at safety. Mitchell is a long term, big pay off prospect from Blackman that has shown flashes of college upside but needs added weight to see his recruitment spike up.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lawrence Co. junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1597010' first='Zakyus' last='Everly'] </strong>is a fun prospect to watch on film as this Mid-Tennessee product plays with his hair on fire as he embraces and enjoys the physical aspect of football. The Wildcats defender is undersized but plays much bigger. Everly shows a quick first step along with great instincts for reading the play and putting himself in position to make plays on the ball.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four guys that fit the nickelback role very well include <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1617060' first='Ke'Anthony' last='Barbee'] </strong>(Dyer Co.), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='904918' first='Derrecas' last='Henson Jr.'] </strong>(Bartlett), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1630025' first='Condis' last='Cherry'] </strong>(Alcoa) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1685249' first='Thomas' last='Evan Davis'] </strong>from Antioch. Henson Jr. is the one guy here that has a chance to play cornerback moving forward, especially if he increases his body mass and overall speed.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barbee hails from an area of the state that doesn't receive much recruiting attention but this guy is a good player that brings versatility to the secondary with his best upside residing at nickel or safety. Cherry is an undersized but feisty ball player that uses his instincts to excel. Davis is a new guy on my radar but someone I like watching on film. The Bears junior plays aggressive and fast along with the willingness to come and tackle in run support.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This junior class looks good early on but still has plenty of room for improvement. I expect several guys mentioned here to increase their stocks after the coming season and push up our rankings at some point. I also expect new names to be added over time as I see others across the state that have a chance to reach the college level.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is plenty of time for the defensive backs in our #TN2027 crop to push their games forward and get themselves on the map as legit college prospects. By the time we reach this point next summer, I could see the junior secondary defenders being one of the better position groups within this recruiting class.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other DB's On The Radar:&nbsp; </strong>(S) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1675594' first='Brandon' last='Goldsmith'] </strong>- South Pittsburg, (DB) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='903857' first='De'Marcus' last='Huffine Jr.'] </strong>- Powell, (DB) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1144213' first='Gowan' last='Brown'] </strong>- Sequatchie Co., (CB/S) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1651762' first='Isaiah' last='Standard'] </strong>- Brighton, (S) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1597003' first='Jonathan' last='DeStefanis'] </strong>- Christian Brothers, (DB) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1586186' first='Mario' last='Hicks'] </strong>- Southwind, (DB) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1571435' first='Mekhi' last='Jones'] </strong>- West Creek, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1582357' first='Sucory' last='Weathers'] </strong>- Smyrna, (DB) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1617434' first='Mason' last='Laster'] </strong>- Bearden</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1688016,"width":"280px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/quabell.jpg?w=700" alt="" class="wp-image-1688016" style="width:280px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->