Ball Hawks are back: DB’s with high pick totals

Maryland

Ed OBrien April 6, 2026 @ 05:57 PM

As a defensive back, you have to make the most out of any opportunities that come your way to intercept a pass. Here are some of the cornerbacks who were among the best at taking the ball away from the opponent last season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1935080' first='Braylen' last='Cooper'] | 2028 | Carver Vo-Tech | 5-9 | 160   As a sophomore, Cooper intercepted six passes in 10 games and deflected five others. He finished with 30 total tackles (15 solo). Size-wise, you'd think he'd be playing cornerback. After watching his highlights, I can see why his coaches have him at safety. Why not put someone with great instincts and a knack for creating turnovers in the last line of defense? Skill-wise, he definitely looks like he'll be able to transition to cornerback when and if the time arrives. Cooper accelerates immediately after the read and gains ground quickly. Does a nice job tracking deep throws and has solid route recognition.   [player_tooltip player_id='1644551' first='Didier' last='Marroquin'] | 2028 | Calvert | 6-0 | 160   Marroquin finished the 2025 season with nine interceptions, three passes deflected, and two fumble recoveries. He racked up 58 total tackles (41 solo) as well. I wrote about him late last year. His reaction skills and ability to read the quarterback's eyes stood out to me, and I attributed part of that to him being a wide receiver as well. From the looks of his X account, he'll be on a bus tour showcasing his skills in front of college coaches this summer.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/dider28_/status/2013143684632428953?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='2078718' first='Nyjae' last='Colbert'] | 2027 | Old Mill | 6-1 | 160   Colbert picked eight passes last season to go along with his 53 total tackles (25 solo). He earned first-team all-county, all-region, and all-state honors in 2025. I also talked about him late last year as a playmaker to watch. Colberg is rangy and makes plays from his free safety position. I am impressed with his natural feel for the game and how he capitalizes on the offense's mistakes, some of which end with him intercepting passes. Hopefully, he's taken the advice I gave back in December and put mostly plays from his safety position in the first 5-7 plays of his 2025 season highlights.   [player_tooltip player_id='1720058' first='Tyler' last='Diggs'] | 2027 | Oxon Hill | 5-11 | 170   Diggs intercepted six passes and deflected 11 others last season. He also made 24 total tackles (15 solo). From a recruiting standpoint, he's taken junior day visits to both Howard (March 21st) and Morgan State (April 4th).   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TheTylerDiggs/status/2040559475208098204?s=20 </div></figure>   Diggs highlights show him in mostly zone coverage, with a few plays in man coverage. What stands out is that not only does he create turnovers with the interceptions, but he also flips the field on the return. He's versatile, lines up at both safety and cornerback positions. Also a good punt returner for his team as well. Speed is good enough to match vertical routes. He stays on top of receivers. He'll get chances to show what he can do in man-to-man coverage situations if he ends up attending any college prospect camps this summer in front of college coaches.

As a defensive back, you have to make the most out of any opportunities that come your way to intercept a pass. Here are some of the cornerbacks who were among the best at taking the ball away from the opponent last season.