Latest news with #defensivebacks
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Key DB storylines heading into Indianapolis
The Rivals Five-Star is being held June 23-24 at the Indianapolis Colts' practice facility. Here are four defensive back storylines we're following heading into the biggest event of the summer. RIVALS FIVE-STAR EVENT: Roster | ACC programs in the spotlight | Big Ten programs in the spotlight | SEC programs in the spotlight | Key QB storylines | Key RB storylines | Key WR storylines | Key TE storylines | Key OL storylines | Key DL storylines | Key LB storylines | Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy BEST OF RIVALS CAMP SERIES: The five best QBs of the 2025 Rivals Camp Series regionals | Five best RBs | Five best WRs/TEs | Five best OL | Five best DL | Five best LBs | Five best DBs CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State THE U IS WELL-REPRESENTED John Garcia, Jr. Advertisement Of the 10 committed defensive backs competing in Indy, two are committed to Miami. That includes four-star cornerback Jaelen Waters and versatile four-star Jontavius Wyman, who can line up inside or out and can also patrol back deep. There will be two current Miami verbals on hand -- and potentially more representing The U before long. Top Hurricanes targets like four-stars Blake Stewart, Tamarion Watkins, Samari Matthews and Michigan-committed cornerback Brody Jennings are also set to compete. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MIAMI FANS AT MORE IRISH BUZZ IN INDY Four-star cornerback Chaston Smith will be one of five Notre Dame verbal commitments competing in the Rivals Five-Star -- and that number just went up after Rivals250 safety Joey O'Brien committed to the Irish to kick off his official visit to South Bend this weekend. Advertisement No team has come on stronger this off-season with O'Brien than Notre Dame, which edged out Clemson and others for the touted blue-chipper from Pennsylvania. He will represent a big Irish contingent in Indianapolis this week. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CLEMSON FANS AT POTENTIAL GAMECOCK TANDEM AT SAFETY Nick Lucero/ Four-star safety J'Zavien Currence is a Rivals Five-Star alum after competing last year in Jacksonville. The South Carolina commit out of the Palmetto State is one of two future Gamecocks set to take the field in Indy. That number could be three before the end of the summer. Currence will be joined by four-star safety Tamarion Watkins -- also out of South Carolina -- who is a top target for the Gamecocks. Watkins has logged official visits to Miami, Texas A&M, Georgia and South Carolina this past weekend -- with the latter as the favorite in the clubhouse for the versatile defender. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH SOUTH CAROLINA FANS AT SEVERAL CORNERBACKS ON FLIP WATCH Elite 2026 cornerbacks Zyan Gibson and Brody Jennings committed to Alabama and Michigan last year, respectively. Gibson popped in-state to the Tide on Christmas Eve -- and Jennings committed to the Wolverines this time last summer. A year later, both blue-chip cornerbacks are top flip targets. Gibson is still considering both Ole Miss and Tennessee. His father played in Oxford and the Vols were a finalist before he pledged to Alabama. Jennings has logged official visits to Miami and Florida both as the Sunshine State programs work to change the Big Ten commit's mind.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Camp Series: The five best DBs of the 2025 regionals
Jeff McCulloch/ The regional stops of the Rivals Camp Series are in the books with the Rivals Five-Star at the Indianapolis Colts' practice facility coming up later this month. Today, we conclude our look at the best players at each position through the regional events with the defensive backs. Advertisement BEST OF RCS: The five best QBs of the 2025 Rivals Camp Series regionals | Five best RBs | Five best WRs/TEs | Five best OL | Five best DL | Five best LBs RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info JAYDEN APARICIO-BAILEY - Atlanta Aparicio-Bailey won reps playing in press and playing off coverage in Atlanta -- en route to being crowned Defensive Back MVP. The 2027 blue-chipper out of Oak Mountain (Ala.) High has the attention of Clemson and programs across the SEC, including South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama and LSU. Advertisement In Atlanta, Aparicio-Bailey was sound rotating and flipping his hips, sticky in coverage and aggressive making plays on the football. Our first live eval of Aparicio-Bailey was through the roof -- as a defensive back capable of playing cornerback, safety or nickel. CENSERE GAYLORD - Los Angeles Gaylord stood out in Los Angeles among another star-studded field. We were impressed by the four-star's ability to mirror receivers in coverage and then turn and run in coverage. Gaylord was one of several 2027 defensive backs to turn heads over the course of the Rivals Camp Series. He has plus length on his frame and speed to stick in coverage. There is still plenty of room for him to fill out his frame. Advertisement USC, SMU, Auburn and Texas all offered this offseason. DAVONTRAE KIRKLAND - Dallas Kirkland is a hybrid defensive back with the skill-set to work in and at cornerback and safety with length, quickness and also downfield speed to stick in coverage. We saw all of that and more in Dallas. Kirkland, who also shines as a receiver for Waco (Texas) University High, has a fantastic make-up to be a safety on Saturdays. The four-star prospect committed to Baylor on Saturday. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH BAYLOR FANS AT NASCAR MCCOY - Atlanta McCoy was sharp in coverage in Atlanta and was in contention for MVP honors. The 2026 four-star safety from Buford (Ga.) High School is instinctual and sound in coverage on the back end and his experience playing cornerback at the high school level is a key element to his game. McCoy came away with several interceptions in Atlanta. Miami, Auburn and Michigan are all after the four-star safety. JERRY OUTHOUSE, JR. - Dallas Outhouse Jr. took home MVP honors in Dallas out of a loaded field of talented defensive backs. Outhouse was sticky in coverage, able to turn and run with an array of different pass-catchers. We loved the four-star defensive back's ability to quickly close on passes with intensity. Outhouse's physicality on the back end -- able to play off and cover inside and out at a consistent clip -- in addition to getting his hands on several balls along the way. We project the 2027 four-star as a safety at the next level. SMU, Notre Dame and Tennessee are among the early teams in play here.
New York Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Pete Carroll has a ‘type' when it comes to defensive backs; this rookie ‘fits the mold'
HENDERSON, Nev. — If you know Pete Carroll, then you know how the Las Vegas Raiders coach prefers his defensive backs: tall, long and fast. The 'Legend of Boom' secondary that helped Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII was full of cornerbacks and safeties who fit that archetype. The core members were safety Kam Chancellor (6-foot-3, 225 pounds), cornerback Richard Sherman (6-3, 195), cornerback Brandon Browner (6-4, 221), cornerback Byron Maxwell (6-1, 207), nickelback Walter Thurmond III (5-11, 190) and safety Earl Thomas (5-10, 202 pounds). And while Thomas was on the small side for a safety, he more than made up for it with his freakish athleticism, elite speed and fearless physicality. Advertisement Of course, having attractive physical attributes doesn't guarantee anything. There are tall, long and fast defensive backs available in the draft every year. What sets Carroll apart is knowing what to do with those players once he gets them. 'He is elite at finding the traits in a player, what they can do, and then featuring them in that spot,' Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn said earlier this month. 'He finds out the things that you can be truly excellent at, and then he works the hell out of it.' Quinn was the Seahawks' defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014 — for both of Carroll's Super Bowl appearances in Seattle. They had an embarrassment of riches on defense, but they wouldn't have reached the heights they did if the coaching staff hadn't maximized their capabilities. That was knowledge that Carroll had accumulated over nearly two decades of experience as a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator. 'It's not to say like I only can have safeties that are this or I can only have corners that are this,' Quinn said. 'It was really about finding out the things that they can do and then (asking) how would we feature them in a certain way, much like offensive players do. Like, this guy is really good in the slot: Let's put him in there because he can win on option routes and break somebody's leverage off. … You say, 'This player with unique traits, how do we feature them?'' Naturally, it took time for Carroll to build that secondary. When he was hired by the Seahawks in 2011, they were coming off a season in which they finished 27th in the league in pass defense. Turning that around — and sustaining it for most of his 14-year tenure — took both an exceptional eye for talent and the ability to help it grow. 'Some guys just say they want them to be big, fast and strong, all that kind of good stuff, but he's detailed in knowing exactly what he's trying to get out of it,' Seahawks defensive backs coach Karl Scott, who worked with Carroll from 2022 to 2023, said recently. 'And then, honestly, what type of person is he dealing with? Not good guy/bad guy, but is that person comfortable being themselves? Do they know who they are? … The guys who are not afraid to be who they are, those are the guys he falls in love with.' When Carroll took the Raiders job this offseason, he inherited a secondary that was better — they were 15th in pass defense in 2024 — but still nothing special. As he worked alongside general manager John Spytek to improve the unit, a familiar theme emerged in the types of players they retained and added. Advertisement In free agency, they re-signed Isaiah Pola-Mao (6-4, 205) to start at free safety. They picked up Jeremy Chinn (6-3, 220) to start at strong safety. They also took a flier on Eric Stokes (6-1, 194) to compete for a role at outside cornerback. In the draft, Carroll and Spytek rolled the dice on cornerback Darien Porter in the third round. He's 6-3, 195, and ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash but was only a one-year starter at Iowa State. That was largely because, like Sherman, he transitioned from receiver to corner in college. Porter has a lot of potential, but he also needs to refine his fundamentals and technique. Sherman had plenty of the same question marks, which is why he fell to the fifth round in the 2011 draft. While it's a bit ambitious to compare Porter to a likely Hall of Famer, no one had those expectations for Sherman when he was drafted, either. Given his track record, it's no surprise Carroll is confident in his ability to get the most out of players like Porter. Causing a storm in the secondary 🌀 Get to know our newest cornerback, Darien Porter ⬇️ — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) April 26, 2025 'We've always looked for guys that are really fast and guys that are really long and tall because of the style of the way we coach them,' Carroll said. 'Darien, he's a lot like Richard Sherman was. … There's a lot of similarities in the makeup of these two kids. Richard's history is pretty bright, so I have really high expectations for how this works out with Darien. He kind of fits the mold.' With the Seahawks, Carroll installed a Cover 3-based coverage scheme along with defensive coordinators Gus Bradley (2011-12) and Quinn. That called for a middle-of-the-field safety who was capable of flying from sideline to sideline and a versatile box safety who could also line up in the slot. The final piece of the equation was lanky, athletic, physical cornerbacks who could disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and play press-man coverage, but also drop into a variety of zones. Advertisement Carroll found safeties Chancellor and Thomas and a nickelback in Thurmond in the 2010 draft, but the Seahawks went into the 2011 offseason lacking difference-makers at outside cornerback. First came the signing of Browner, who'd gone undrafted in 2005 and had played in the Canadian Football League from 2006 to 2010. Then the Seahawks added Sherman and Maxwell on Day 3 of the 2011 draft. Although Browner started every game that season, Sherman and Maxwell were fourth and fifth on the cornerback depth chart, respectively. The coaching staff knew Sherman, in particular, had special ball skills, but he was still early in the process of learning the nuances of the position. During practices early in the season, his progress accelerated. 'He was remarkable,' Quinn said. 'The best of the best players who've developed also have a good self-awareness of the things they want to work on. Richard's like a classic example of that. He didn't have years of playing corner, but he had years of catching the ball. … He was exceptional at working on things at the line of scrimmage like technique and the footwork. … And it's doing those types of skills over and over again.' After Marcus Trufant and Thurmond were placed on season-ending injured reserve after Week 7, Sherman got his shot as a starter. He'd go on to start every game for the next five seasons, making four All-Pro teams, but it all started with his work ethic. 'Richard Sherman is one of the most competitive people I've been around,' Quinn said. 'He just is an absolute dawg of a competitor. That type of attitude is what it takes to develop. When you're trying to become great at something, you have to put in the time, and you have to do extra, and you have to get feedback. You have to be willing to accept that feedback.' And when it came to giving that feedback, Carroll was as good as anybody. Advertisement 'Pete was exceptional at the smallest of details,' Quinn said. 'Look where your hand is. Watch where this could be. Get more extension this way. And if you have that type of teaching combined with that type of work ethic and resilience, then you've got a chance for somebody to turn out exceptional.' But it wasn't always smooth sailing. Carroll made the playoffs in nine of his first 11 seasons with the Seahawks, but 2021 was a down year. The team finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs. And while the defense was solid overall, the secondary was awful, finishing 31st in the league in passing defense. It was clear the unit needed help. The Seahawks landed an answer that offseason in Tariq Woolen. The cornerback out of Texas-San Antonio was 6-4, 210 pounds, ran a blazing 4.26-second 40-yard dash and had upper-echelon athleticism, but he still fell to the fifth round. In a case of déjà vu, Woolen had spent his first three seasons at UTSA at receiver before transitioning to cornerback. And just like Sherman, he had two years at corner under his belt, but was still raw. 'When you talk about the measurables and the testing and all that stuff, he was on the upper side of the quadrant,' Scott said of Woolen. 'You usually don't see a guy with his size, length, height. And then, obviously, you talk about his all-world speed. The physical traits were there. When you meet Tariq, he's a guy who's himself. He knows who he is. He's aware that his physical abilities are pretty unique. He was pretty new to the position, but I thought we all had in our mind that he had enough tools naturally given to him that we could help him with the other side of the game that he was still learning or developing.' The Seahawks proved to be right, as Woolen started all 17 games and made the Pro Bowl in 2022. Porter, who also transitioned to cornerback, is Carroll's next case study. 'They're both tall, long guys, but I think athletically, (I'm more like) Tariq than Richard Sherman,' Porter said. 'I'm just looking to take all the coaching I can to get to the level of those guys.' Besides having alluring physical traits, the Raiders were also high on Porter's mental makeup. He was raised in a military family, earned academic honors at Iowa State and was praised by Cyclones coach Matt Campbell for his character. While Porter has plenty to work on, the Raiders have no doubts about his desire. He'll have to compete with Stokes, Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson for playing time, and he's likely to start the season on the bench. Advertisement 'We've been doing it for a long time, and so there's a real style to it and a real technique and skill to it that we share with these guys,' Carroll said. 'And if they have the right makeup that we're looking for, then we can bring them along quickly.' Carroll has done this before, and the Raiders are betting he can do it again. (Top photos: Ethan Miller and Candice Ward / Getty Images)
