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<p>The Defensive Back position demands a high level of athleticism, and to excel in coverage and attract attention from college recruiters, high school football players need to develop certain physical attributes and technical skills that are relevant at the collegiate level. College recruiting guidelines indicate that scouts focus on innate athletic ability, agile movement, and top-notch ball skills when assessing defensive backs. In this report, I will highlight several unoffered defensive backs from New England who possess the talent to compete at the next level.</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='790504' first='Chris' last='Pangaro'] is a polished, high-football-IQ athlete whose film shows a player comfortable on both sides of the ball. Although he lacks ideal length for some position-specific molds, but his movement skills, competitiveness, and versatility make him an attractive prospect for college programs looking for immediate contributors in slot packages or secondary depth with upside. Pangaro consistently demonstrates smooth, efficient route running. He gets in and out of breaks cleanly with quick feet and very good change-of-direction ability. His release off the line is crisp — he uses subtle hand usage and shoulder dips to avoid press and create early separation, especially against off-coverage. In the intermediate and short-to-intermediate areas, he excels at finding windows and sitting down in zones. What stands out on film is his ability to make tough catches in traffic. Pangaro shows strong, reliable hands and excellent body control to secure contested throws over the middle. He also tracks the ball well on boundary throws, adjusting to poorly located passes and making plays near the sideline without losing his feet. </p>
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<p>At 170 lbs he plays with good functional strength — he doesn't shy away from contact after the catch and can break arm tackles from smaller defenders. While top-end long speed isn't elite based on the film reviewed, his acceleration and route tempo allow him to create enough separation for YAC opportunities. Pangaro's versatility is a genuine asset. On the defensive side, he shows physical tackling and good pursuit angles. He is willing to come downhill and fill against the run or support the run after the catch. His quick feet translate well in off-man or zone coverage, where he can mirror receivers and close quickly on the ball. He plays with awareness and has the football instincts to make plays on the ball when opportunities present themselves. [player_tooltip player_id='790504' first='Chris' last='Pangaro'] is the type of high-floor, versatile athlete that builds roster depth and wins games in the margins. College coaches should prioritize getting him on campus for a visit — his film shows a player who will compete hard and find ways to contribute immediately.</p>
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<p>Samson has a well-built, compact frame with good muscle tone and functional strength. He plays with a physical, downhill mentality that belies his listed size. Davis consistently shows the physicality and toughness required to play in the box at the next level. He is a strong, willing tackler who brings the lumber on contact — wrapping up securely and driving through ball carriers with good leverage. He sheds blocks efficiently in the run game and pursues with purpose, showing the short-area burst and lateral agility to mirror gap schemes and chase to the sideline. At 200 lbs he is stout enough to hold the point of attack against tight ends and pulling guards without getting washed out. </p>
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<p>Davis is more than just a box defender. He demonstrates the range and speed to handle coverage responsibilities effectively. He moves well laterally in zone, flips his hips smoothly, and shows excellent plant-and-drive ability when breaking on the ball. His instincts stand out — he anticipates routes, reads the quarterback's eyes, and arrives at the catch point with timing and physicality. He can match up in man coverage against slot receivers and tight ends without being a liability. One of the most impressive traits on film is his consistent aggression in the tackle phase. Davis does not arm-tackle; he squares up, delivers strikes, and finishes. Multiple plays show him delivering big hits that jar the ball loose or stop momentum cold in the open field. He plays with great effort and motor, rarely taking a play off.</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='851271' first='Michael' last='Votto'] brings a well-built, compact frame at 6'0" and 190 pounds with the functional athleticism college coaches look for in modern defensive backs. He possesses the ideal combination of size to match up against bigger slot receivers and enough speed/quickness to stay on top of smaller, twitchier wideouts on the perimeter. Votto shows excellent foot quickness off the line and in his pedal. He transitions smoothly from backpedal to drive and flips his hips with minimal wasted steps. This allows him to mirror receivers through route stems and maintain leverage in both press and off coverage. He plays with outstanding balance and body control when changing directions, rarely getting caught flat-footed. One of Votto's standout traits is his ability to excel in both man and zone schemes. In man coverage, he shows tight hip fluidity and the competitiveness to stay in phase through contact at the top of routes. In zone, he demonstrates strong discipline with excellent eyes and spatial awareness, consistently finding the right landmarks and reacting to the quarterback's drop. He processes route combinations cleanly and rarely gets caught peeking into the backfield too early. </p>
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<p>Votto plays with very good football IQ. His eyes are active and he shows natural anticipation, particularly when diagnosing run/pass or breaking on the ball in zone. He has a knack for finding the football in the air and closing ground quickly on underneath throws or check-downs. Despite his build, Votto is a willing and physical tackler. He consistently squares up ball carriers in space, wraps up, and drives through contact. He doesn't shy away from run support duties and is effective shedding blocks or taking proper angles to the perimeter. This physicality in the open field makes him a reliable defender against both the pass and the run. [player_tooltip player_id='851271' first='Michael' last='Votto'] is a polished, scheme-versatile defensive back who plays with confidence, physicality, and intelligence. His quick feet, spatial awareness, and competitive tackling make him a high-floor prospect with the upside to develop into a starter at the next level. College coaches looking for a defensive back who can handle multiple coverages and contribute against both the run and pass should have Votto high on their board.</p>
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<p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1238105' first='Jaiden' last='Johnson'] is a compact, twitchy defensive back whose game is defined by quickness, instincts, and competitiveness. From the film, he consistently shows the traits of a reliable cover corner and effective run-support defender who punches above his listed size. While he lacks elite length, his functional athleticism and football IQ allow him to stay competitive against bigger, faster receivers at the high school level. Johnson displays excellent quick feet and the ability to mirror routes cleanly in press and off coverage. He stays low in his backpedal and transitions smoothly to run with receivers on vertical and intermediate routes. His change of direction is sharp, allowing him to maintain leverage through breaks. Particularly impressive is his ball production awareness. Johnson shows good field vision and consistently breaks on the ball with timing, arriving at the catch point with authority. He plays the receiver's hands well and has the confidence to contest throws without excessive pass interference penalties. In man coverage, he rarely gets caught out of position, and in zone looks, his eyes are disciplined. </p>
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<p class="text-gray-700">One of Johnson's standout traits is his willingness and ability in the run game. Listed at 165 lbs, he is stout in run support for his frame, taking on blocks with good leverage and shedding quickly to pursue. He tackles well in space, wrapping up securely and driving through contact rather than arm-tackling. Film shows him consistently making plays on the perimeter and in pursuit from the backside—valuable traits for modern defensive schemes that ask nickel and corner defenders to be multi-phase contributors. [player_tooltip player_id='1238105' first='Jaiden' last='Johnson'] is a coach's dream—smaller stature but plays big, instinctive, and reliable in all three phases of defensive back play. Any program looking for a nickel who can mirror, break on the ball, and support the run will find a high-floor player with room to grow.</p>
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<p>Collins is a compact, twitchy defensive back with good length for his size and a frame that still has room to add quality weight. He possesses the ideal build for a modern nickel/corner hybrid or box safety role. His explosiveness and quick-twitch movement skills stand out immediately on film. Collins shows excellent quick feet and hip fluidity, allowing him to mirror receivers cleanly in press or off coverage. He is explosive out of his breaks and demonstrates the ability to close distance rapidly on underneath routes. His change-of-direction skills are sharp, and he maintains balance through transitions. Collins breaks on the ball well with decisive plant-and-drive ability, showing natural instincts when the ball is in the air. Good field vision allows him to keep eyes on the quarterback while maintaining leverage on his assignment. </p>
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<p>One of the more impressive traits on tape is Collins' willingness to support the run. He can set the edge effectively from the outside, using quick feet to beat blocks and establish proper force positioning. When tackling, he is physical and wraps securely, showing a competitive temperament that belies his listed weight. He does not shy away from contact and consistently finishes plays. Collins projects as a player who can contribute immediately in multiple defensive schemes. He has the skill set to play outside corner in press-man or zone-heavy systems and the football intelligence and run support toughness to slide down into safety roles or nickel packages. His combination of explosiveness, vision, and physicality gives coordinators significant positional flexibility. Collins is a high-upside defensive back whose film shows production and traits that translate well to the next level.. His combination of twitch, toughness, and scheme versatility makes him an attractive target for programs running modern, multiple defensive schemes.</p>
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The Defensive Back position demands a high level of athleticism, and to excel in coverage and attract attention from college recruiters, high school football players need to develop certain physical attributes and technical skills that are relevant at the collegiate level. College recruiting guidelines indicate that scouts focus on innate athletic ability, agile movement, and top-notch ball skills when assessing defensive backs. In this report, I will highlight several unoffered defensive backs from New England who possess the talent to compete at the next level.
HEIGHT
5'10"
WEIGHT
170
POS
ATH/DB
CLASS
2027
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HEIGHT
6'0"
WEIGHT
195
POS
DB/ATH
CLASS
2027
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HEIGHT
6'0"
WEIGHT
190
POS
DB/ATH
CLASS
2027
Subscribe below to view this player's evaluation
HEIGHT
5'10"
WEIGHT
164
POS
DB
CLASS
2027
State:
New England
School:
Catholic Mem
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HEIGHT
6'0"
WEIGHT
180
POS
DB/WR
CLASS
2027
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