DBs Covering Plenty of Ground in 2028 Rankings

Editor's note: We'll continue breaking down this class in its entirety. If <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe/">you're not yet subscribed to Prep RedZone</a>, you can save 40% off an annual subscription by using the offer code Guerin40 at checkout.   From true cover corners capable of shutting down the best receivers to hard-hitting strong safeties capable of packing a punch to hybrids doing a bit of everything, the Prep RedZone South Carolina Class of 2028 rankings are jammed with budding star defensive backs.   We've now got 22 of them included in our esteemed list, not counting several more who are diverse enough to still be listed as athletes in our system.   But here, we're going to tackle those with more defined roles, the ones that put them on our radar to begin with.   Let's break down the statewide landscape top to bottom.     BREAKING DOWN THE TOP FIVE   [player_tooltip player_id='1821952' first='Kareem' last='Dupree'] Dutch Fork   Dupree only played one game in the first seven weeks of the 2025 season. We love pointing that out first because if you saw what he did in the playoffs and specifically the Class 5A Division I championship victory over Summerville you'd have thought he was a focal point of this defense. Either way, the late bloomer (in the scope of a season, at least) finished with 28 tackles and five interceptions, two of which came in the title game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1672904' first='Logan' last='Thames'] Nation Ford   Thames missed two games this fall. We start with that because the safety still led the Falcons in tackles (109). He also has seven tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. His stops weren't of the dainty variety, either. Thames is a ferocious hitter and was known to light up some opposing ball carriers and receivers who never saw him coming.    [player_tooltip player_id='1674089' first='Chase' last='Tonon'] Bishop England    When the Tonon family transferred their three boys to Bishop England last year, we already know a ton about Brody and even one of the younger brothers, Trevor. But Chase was still a bit more of an enigma since he hadn't played as much at their previous school. Yeah, about that, Tonon has joined Trevor (his twin) in the Top 30 of the overall PRZ rankings after piling up 116 tackles and three forced fumbles from his rover spot.    [player_tooltip player_id='1615072' first='Levar' last='Gilchrist'] South Aiken    Gilchrist was absolutely thrown into the fire during his first season on the varsity, and he responded well, all things considered. His second fall in pads was a lesson in player development. He finished the year with 81 total tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions. South Aiken still struggled overall on defense, but Gilchrist is a player capable of being one of the cornerstones for correcting that.   [player_tooltip player_id='873100' first='Zion' last='Dawkins'] Gaffney   Our top-ranked defensive back and our No. 4 overall player was good as a freshman, when he picked off a couple passes and chipped in 17 tackles. His sophomore production value, though, shot up considerable. He doubled his interception count and - as a result of being an every-down player - put up 57 tackles. His next trajectory might be seeing even more time on offense and special teams, too.    NOTABLE NEW ADDITIONS   [player_tooltip player_id='2067768' first='Sloan' last='Sanders'] Wren   The Hurricanes' free safety is going to be the team's top returning tackler in 2026 after he had 59 stops during his sophomore season. That was behind only a pair of seniors. How Sanders supplemented the Wren rush defense was key. He knows how to use the field to his advantage, working angles toward ball carriers and then putting them on the ground.    [player_tooltip player_id='2072414' first='Amari' last='Dawson'] Fort Dorchester   Some of the offseason chaos related to transfers left a not-so-kind present on Fort D's doorstep as the 2025 season approached. Dawson was one of the names who made the most of the opportunity to shine. The sophomore has some quick-twitch capability that tended to favor his chances of sticking with pass catchers, even when he appeared initial beaten.    [player_tooltip player_id='1816849' first='Brady' last='Whetzel'] West Ashley    Much like Fort Dorchester, Rashad Graham's first season at the helm also included some unexpected turnover from last spring and summer. It left the coach a little short handed, but in Whetzel, he found a safety more than ready to go to work. He finished the season with 57 tackles, four forced fumbles, four pass breakups and three interceptions.    [player_tooltip player_id='2098785' first='Isaiah' last='Baxter'] Manning   Likely a safety long-term, Baxter is the next multi-tooled guy who Manning will charge with playing all of the place. As a sophomore, he saw time at free safety, strong safety and corner, not to mention all his responsibilities on offense and special teams. As the picture becomes a bit more clear, we're excited to see just how far Baxter can go with his skills.    [player_tooltip player_id='1827469' first='DJ' last='Johnson'] North Augusta   Johnson isn't what you'd describe as absurdly fast, but his stride and length allow him to cover ground just the same while probably covering up just how difficult it is to throw against him. At just shy of 6-foot-3, even if a receiver gets a step on him, it still requires the quarterback to get the ball over the top of his long reach. He's a rare breed at corner.     PRIMED FOR BIGGER ROLE   [player_tooltip player_id='1856574' first='Kaleb' last='Brooks'] Blackville-Hilda   It took less than a month at his new school for Brooks to record his first interception for the Hawks. He's a physical corner, and while that part of his game is flying somewhat under the radar since most opponents haven't been airing it out against Blackville-Hilda, he quickly morphs into someone who can take on the look of a run-stopping defensive back.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818403' first='Landen' last='Pollard'] Woodmont    Pollard was a bit of an experiment in 2025, if for no other reason that Woodmont was trying to get all the Tetris pieces to fit appropriately. Pollard responded with a couple of big individual showings, including a 15-tackler performance against Woodruff. That came in a lopsided loss, but it was a positive signal the Wildcats and Pollard can win much more in the future.   [player_tooltip player_id='1636916' first='De'Andre' last='Caldwell'] Swansea (pictured)   A budding star on offense, too, Caldwell has the type of skills that translate to either side of the. We love his field vision as a hybrid safety and ability to get where he needs to be to make the play. And his open-field tackling skills are more advanced than most sophomores. The only reason you might not hear more about him on defense is because he'll make a name for himself on the other side.   [player_tooltip player_id='1672929' first='Malachi' last='Thompson'] Woodruff   Thompson's field time more than doubled in terms of games he played (five appearances as a freshman to 13 as a sophomore). But his play count jumped even more than that as he became a starter at corner. He didn't intercept any passes, but he was in the right position, something that was evident via his 10 pass breakups. He's putting himself into position to make the plays, and we think they'll continue to have a bigger impact.

Editor's note: We'll continue breaking down this class in its entirety. If you're not yet subscribed to Prep RedZone, you can save 40% off an annual subscription by using the offer code Guerin40 at checkout.