Big DB Performance at NY Exposure Series

NY Exposure Series brought some of the best athletes in the secondary last weekend. While the overall group size was one of the smaller ones at the event, the overall talent level was very high. These four in particular were the true lockdowns of the event, making it very difficult for the QBs and WRs to find any success during the live drills. As the season draws near, these are the four DBs that can completely change the momentum of a game and have the ability to make the biggest impact on the field any time they step on it.    Already established as one of the best athletes at the entire camp, Chiel leads the DBs conversation as the best of the bunch. With the frame and movement skills of a receiver, the Georgia native immediately caught my attention with how fluid and effortless he looked in coverage. Throughout the event, he consistently blanketed receivers and rarely allowed separation at any point in the route. His transitions were smooth, his reactions were instinctive, and his ability to mirror routes made life extremely difficult for anyone lined up across from him. Rep after rep, Chiel competed at a high level and set the standard for athletes in NY to follow.     [player_tooltip player_id='2151385' first='Shaye' last='Sykes'] earned a spot on my 2nd Team All-Camp squad after consistently proving himself as one of the more technically polished defensive backs at NY Exposure Series. I was impressed with how smoothly he flipped his hips, stayed tight through transitions, and reacting to receivers without losing positioning. Shaye showed strong instincts in coverage all day, frequently jumping into passing windows and disrupting throws with well timed pass breakups. One of his best traits was his recovery ability and closing speed, as he constantly stayed within striking distance and found ways to make plays on the football even when initially challenged downfield.     [player_tooltip player_id='1367178' first='Darren' last='Garrett'] is one of the most well known DBs in NY, and for good reason. He came into the event with plenty of anticipation surrounding him and lived up to the expectations once live reps began. He was at his best pressing receivers at the line of scrimmage, consistently disrupting releases and throwing wideouts off rhythm before routes could even fully develop. What impressed me most about Darren was his recovery ability and competitiveness. On one rep, he lost footing because of the wet conditions, yet recovered almost instantly and still managed to get into the passing lane to break up the throw. The combination of reaction speed and confidence in coverage made him one of the standout defensive backs this past weekend.     [player_tooltip player_id='1803713' first='Marcus' last='Abellard'] establishing himself as one of the top pure athletes on the field Saturday afternoon. A true speedster with a sprinter build, he showcased a big burst off the line in the 40-yard dash and looked explosive in every testing drill he was put through. His slender frame pairs with elite straight-line speed, allowing him to cover ground effortlessly and match up with some of the fastest receivers in attendance. Once in coverage, Marcus showed he can turn and run with anyone at the camp, consistently staying in phase downfield with the wide receivers.

NY Exposure Series brought some of the best athletes in the secondary last weekend. While the overall group size was one of the smaller ones at the event, the overall talent level was very high. These four in particular were the true lockdowns of the event, making it very difficult for the QBs and WRs to find any success during the live drills. As the season draws near, these are the four DBs that can completely change the momentum of a game and have the ability to make the biggest impact on the field any time they step on it.