Breakout Candidates: 5 DBs Expected to Step Up

We're slowly approaching the 2026 high school football season in North Carolina. One of my favorite preseason exercises is looking at potential breakout candidates: guys who go from relative unknowns to household names. We usually start with the quarterbacks, but we'll go backwards here. Let's look at five defensive backs who could break through on the field this fall.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Predicting Breakout Defensive Backs</h2>    Allen's Junior Varsity film is excellent, as he flies around from his free safety position making plays you don't normally see at that level. He has great range and strong ball skills. I'm not sure where he fits in a secondary that returns a couple of key returners, but his movement skills suggest he could play in the slot if he's not playing free safety. His length and coverage skills make him an excellent pick to be a high-level varsity contributor.     We've evaluated Allen multiple times at various Prep Redzone camps, and he has the coverage skills to be an elite corner. He moved over from a crowded defensive backs room at Southeast Raleigh to a very talented position group at Franklinton. The difference is that Franklinton has a bit less depth, and he should get immediate reps as a sophomore. We think he could have a breakout season on one of the better defenses in the 6A class.     Wall has been on our radar for a while, and while he played as a sophomore, his junior year could be the breakout. He has good ball skills, even if that hasn't yet translated to interceptions. He's a willing tackler, and he can set the edge against the run or make tackles on shorter throws. We expect to see both his ball production and tackle production tick up in 2026 as part of what could be a breakout year.     Barnes flashed elite potential last season in limited action, picking off two passes in blowout wins. This season, he'll be counted on as a key contributor in a secondary that loses a couple of top seniors from last year's team. Barnes has fantastic length and coverage skills, and he projects as a high-level cover corner. He has some skill as a tackler, as well, and as he continues to add weight, he should grow in that area of his game.     Mallard Creek brings back a massive group of veterans, but there are opportunities in the secondary. Isaiah projects as a guy who could step in at a variety of defensive positions and deliver steady, high-quality play. He's a physical defensive back who can stop the run or match up with bigger receivers. He could be a key piece on one of 8A's top teams.    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Potential Breakout DBs</h3>   [player_tooltip player_id='1612746' first='Korzane' last='Wilkes'] | Corvian Community   [player_tooltip player_id='2243993' first='Trumane' last='Lee'] | RJ Reynolds   [player_tooltip player_id='1709449' first='Prince' last='Stringer'] | East Rutherford   The 2026 high school football season is nearly here. Think we missed somebody? Let me know on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>). Want to send this to a friend? Help them get 30% off their first billing cycle with promo code Helms30.

We're slowly approaching the 2026 high school football season in North Carolina. One of my favorite preseason exercises is looking at potential breakout candidates: guys who go from relative unknowns to household names. We usually start with the quarterbacks, but we'll go backwards here. Let's look at five defensive backs who could break through on the field this fall.