Top Triad Defensive Backs

Our series continues where I am digging into the Triad Area players in the state of North Carolina to spotlight before the season starts. Previously, I focused on the Charlotte Metro Area in a series earlier this year, and my colleague Will Helms dug into the Raleigh area in a similar fashion earlier this year as well. The Triad in North Carolina will feature schools centered near the cities of Winston-Salem and Greensboro for full clarity.   This article will feature some Triad Defensive Backs worth keeping an eye on this upcoming season. There is definitely room for new stars to move up from Junior Varsity or transfer in from different schools; however, our article will focus on players returning after playing Varsity football for their teams last season.    Kosci is a talented and long defensive back who helped the Whirlies win a state championship last season, and he has a number of college football programs after his services. Kosci has narrowed it down to a Top 6 schools, which include North Carolina, South Carolina, Rutgers, Kentucky, Miami, and Mississippi State. Kosci will announce his decision on July 26th. Kosci excels in man coverage, staying in phase with receivers on a variety of routes, and shows excellent ball skills. Those ball skills translate when he is a receiver on offense as well, used as a deep threat against single coverage. Finally, Kosci is not afraid to come up and run support from his corner position, tackling well in space.     Jacen is a two-time All-Conference selection and is a versatile defensive back who has put some good stuff on film so far in his career. Jacen, I think, would be best classified as a box-type of safety who shows good coverage skills in both zone and man concepts. I really like Jacen's awareness when the ball is in the air - it led to a number of interceptions and pass breakups last season. Jacen also shows a strong ability to defeat blocks and make tackles in the open field. Jacen does a very good job in run support because of this ability. I think he should have a little more attention from a recruiting perspective, but he can help himself with a strong start to the upcoming season on film.     Keenin is a player I had a chance to see up close at the CFI Carolinas MEGA Showcase in May, and he's grown from his listed height here to an impressive 6'2 and 195 pounds physically. I think Keenin has good footwork and overall speed, and he's a pretty technically sound prospect. I think college coaches want to see some more game film from Keenin before pulling the trigger, and I think with a strong start next season, you'll see interest grow for him quickly. Keenin can also do some things with the ball in his hands, so it wouldn't surprise me to see him a little bit on offense also.     I was able to see Bobby up close at the CFI Carolinas MEGA Showcase back in May, and I thought he played bigger than his listed physical size of 6'0 and 180 pounds. Bobby was excellent in man press coverage and was named a Top Defensive Back for that showcase. Bobby only has one Division 1 offer currently, from Gardner-Webb, and I think he's under the radar right now for sure. Bobby ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the Gardner-Webb camp, and he's going to be a steal for a college program on the next level. I think he can be a very good corner playing college football.     We were in early on Zion and have had him ranked as one of the best corners in the 2028 class for several months now. Playing varsity as a true freshman is a rare feat, and it's a testament to the talent Zion has and the work he has put in so far in his career. Zion has already received offers from college football programs, which include Virginia Tech, Maryland, South Carolina, & Liberty. On film, Zion is physical at the snap, and shows impressive reactionary speed when the ball is in the air, and when he's getting to the ball in the quick game & screen game. Zion tackles well in space, and he even shows a little offensive ability as a big-play receiver down the field for the Pirates. Zion has a bright career ahead!     My colleague Will Helms wrote about Zion recently in late April, and he thought Zion was a player who could really move up our rankings. Will was right in his assessment because in early June, Zion received his first offer from Wake Forest. So, not only did Zion move into our Top 50, but he's also moved on to college football program radars! Zion's positional versatility in the secondary is a major plus, as well as his length and overall speed as a prospect. Zion is also off to a great start in the classroom with a 4.31 GPA! Sporting a 7-foot wingspan per his Twitter/X profile, that will allow him to break up a lot of passes in the air - there's a lot to like about this young man!     Austin was a tackling machine last season for NW Guilford, with over 120 tackles from his safety position. Austin also sports an impressive 4.0 GPA and was an All-Conference selection last year. From a recruiting perspective, Austin has picked up offers from Hampden-Sydney College, UNC Pembroke, and Catawba College, all within the last two months. Colleges are really starting to turn the heat up on Austin, and it's well deserved. Austin shows the speed to get off the hash in two-deep coverage, along with being able to run support very well from the safety position. Austin can also come off the edge and effectively cover slot receivers in man coverage. That kind of flexibility defensive coaches absolutely love, and I'm looking for another huge season from Austin this year - and he's a great candidate to be in our next rankings update.     Jeremiah, or "Dre" as he goes by from most people, made a switch over to NE Guilford from Dudley last season, but when I saw him live last year in the playoffs, I thought he was built physically to go play college football right now - he has put in a tremendous amount of work and it's impressive. Last year, he had 67 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and 8 tackles for loss - he was literally all over the field for the Panthers. Dre has very good speed and range, and college football programs have taken notice. Sporting a 4.45 GPA, Dre has official visits scheduled with Charlotte and Elon, along with offers from several other schools. A college program will be getting a special player with him, for sure.

Our series continues where I am digging into the Triad Area players in the state of North Carolina to spotlight before the season starts. Previously, I focused on the Charlotte Metro Area in a series earlier this year, and my colleague Will Helms dug into the Raleigh area in a similar fashion earlier this year as well. The Triad in North Carolina will feature schools centered near the cities of Winston-Salem and Greensboro for full clarity.