2026 Preseason All-State Defense

We're one week from the start of the 2026 North Carolina high school football season, and we're in the midst of a crazy week at Prep Redzone. Amidst rankings updates for the 2027 and 2028 classes, we dropped our Preseason All-State Offense, free to read like this one, and our All-Breakout Offense for subscribers (If you're not a subscriber, promo code Helms30 will get you 30% off your first billing cycle). Here's our Preseason All-State Defense.

Editor's Note: We strove to be as accurate as possible with this. These are projections primarily for the 2026 season. So, we're not simply picking our highest-ranked players. We considered projected production, level of competition, future projection, and overall impact on the game.

Analysis: I tried to find a mixture of complete defensive tackles and pass-rushing specialists. Obviously, the latter get the headlines, but there's more to playing on the interior than racking up sacks. Chandler, McKoy, and Vann are three of the best run-stuffers in the state (though they'll still thrive as pass rushers, too).

I was low on Cunningham entering last season, but he proved himself a versatile lineman as we transitioned to the defensive tackle position. This year, Galloway might be that guy. He's still listed as an edge by most outlets, and his get-off at his size is ridiculous. But I think he'll play more on the interior as a senior. Look for Totten and Flowers to post big numbers as athletic pass rushers.

Analysis: This group was hard. There are a lot of elite prospects and plenty of players with elite production in the state, but there's weirdly not much overlap. Rogers and Streets are the primary examples, as each has over 30 career sacks. Pruitt, Sturdivant, and Cockerham are all FBS prospects with great twitch and an impact on both the running and passing games. Pruitt might be the best pure pass rusher in the state.

Williams and Broadie are each elite prospects. Broadie excels against the run, while Williams harassed quarterbacks last year, converting a handful into sacks. Both guys should have their best high school seasons in 2026.

Analysis: Again, I tried to balance future college talent with on-field production. Here, there's a lot of overlap, but I had to sift through the tackle inflation that's rampant in high school football. Figuring out the difference between one team's 100 tackles and another's can be difficult. Ultimately, I got to nine game-changers at the linebacker position.

A high-level overview: six of these guys are Power Four bound, with Chaffin as an Army (G6) commit. Cuadra and Wilson Mills are both a bit undersized, but you won't find many guys who live around the ball and make big plays as much as those two.

Editor's Note: As much as possible, I tried to get two corners, a nickel, and two safeties on each team. Obviously, with so many factors, that wasn't always conducive to the best team. Still, with so much positional versatility, it isn't hard to imagine each of these groups playing together.

Analysis: Interceptions are nice, but don't tell the story of the best players in the defensive backfield. There are dozens and dozens of elite defensive backs in the state, several of whom had to be left off this list. The first team seems fairly obvious, with the two best corners in the state (Dobson, Hasan), a budding star at safety (Jones), and the ultra-versatile Crumel and Bryant.

It wouldn't surprise me if a few of these guys had quiet years as quarterbacks look the other direction. Make no mistake, the Tar Heel State in loaded with defensive back talent right now.

First-Team: Tre Geathers Tre Geathers 6'2" | 200 lbs | DB/LB Providence Day | 2027 State NC | Providence Day

Second-Team: Jordan Matthewson Jordan Matthewson 6'4" | 205 lbs | ATH Martin County | 2027 State NC | Martin County

Analysis: I started here by taking the most versatile defenders in the state, then used a spot to add Peterson, who deserves a spot in this piece, but whom I did not grab on the linebackers list. While Geathers was recruited as a linebacker by all but one team, I still think he fits best as a box safety at the next level.

Matthewson stuffed the stat sheet on both sides of the ball last year. While he likely ends up at linebacker, I'm not ruling out a potential career in the slot or at safety. Spence and Hefner are similarly versatile defenders. Spence plays edge, but could move off the ball, while Hefner plays a hybrid linebacker-safety role. Finally, few guys are as versatile as James, who will take snaps with his hand in the dirt, out in the slot, and at middle linebacker. I wouldn't rule out the occasional snap inside on pass-rushing downs, either.

Analysis: Finding balance in the special teams ranks is difficult. Rankings are determined almost exclusively by camp performances, and it's not uncommon to have a top kicker who rarely attempts field goals in high school. We tried to balance future potential and overall talent with on-field performance. Fehling and Flynn make first- and second-team, respectively, because each has made the majority of their field goals, with Fehling hitting 11 last year.

North Carolina is loaded with talented kickers, punters, long snappers, and explosive returners. We tried to honor that by picking this group, having to leave out plenty of talented specialists.

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