Defensive Backs Pool is Overflowing with Talent
Defensive Back group photo from the 2025 HSSR Media Day.
By Dennis Brunson
hssr.com Associate Editor
Sumter – The state of South Carolina has a rich history of producing some outstanding defensive backs from its high school ranks on to the collegiate level. It doesn’t appear that tradition will be changing over the next few years.
The top eight defensive backs ranked in the High School Sports Report Top 100 for the Class of 2026 have made commitments to Power 4 Conference schools. Not only is the top player in the 2027 class a defensive back but he is the No. 1 recruit in the country, according to some recruiting sites. The state’s top recruit for 2028 is a defensive back as well and is holding seven Football Bowl Subdivision offers prior to the start of his sophomore season.
The top-ranked defensive back for the 2026 class is South Pointe safety J’Zavien Currence. The 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pounder is committed to South Carolina. He has offers rom practically all of the Power 4 schools.
“Currence is one of the hardest-working football players I’ve ever been around,” said South Pointe head coach Bobby Collins. “He’s versatile, playing multiple positions — free safety, corner(back), strong safety, quarterback and wide receiver. He’s not only talented but also a true leader on our football team.
“I believe he’s going to be an NFL (National Football League) football player in the next few years. I’m grateful to have coached him for the past four years and excited to watch his career continue at the University of South Carolina.”
Like Currence, York County is the home of the 2027 top defensive back in Catawba Ridge’s Joshua Dobson. He too has an offer from practically all of the Power 4 schools.
“Josh is a tremendous athlete and even better young man,” said Copperheads head coach Zac Lendyak. “His effort and attitude shine above everything else.”
You have to go a littler farther west across the northern part of the state to find the No. 1 defensive back in 2028. He is Gaffney’s Zion Dawkins. He has offers from Atlantic Coast Conference schools Boston College, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Virginia Tech as well as FBS schools South Florida and Appalachian State.
“Zion committed himself to getting stronger over the summer,” said Gaffney head coach Donnie Littlejohn. “He does not shy away from contact and has a natural instinct on how to play the ball. He has a huge football IQ (intelligence quotient).”
If you go just a little farther west you’ll find the No. 2 DB in the 2026 class in Dorman’s Kentavion “Polo” Anderson.
Anderson, who earned his nickname because he wore Polo shirts over his pads playing Pop Warner football, is the No. 8 overall prospect. He is committed to Clemson and will join the Tigers in the spring semester of 2026. He chose Clemson over USC, Michigan, Florida, Kentucky and Southern California.
Dorman head coach Jake Morris has nothing but praise for Anderson.
“He’s the type of kid you want to coach,” Morris said. “He’s a generational type of kid. He has a heart for people, a heart for his team, a heart for the game. He’s a straight A student, a leader who never any discipline issues. He’s the kind of guy you wish you had more than four years with.”
Anderson said he gets to a do a lot of different things in the secondary, and that suits him just fine.
“I think being versatile is my biggest strength,” he said. “They like to bring me off the edge to get in the backfield, put me in the box to stop the run as well as use me in coverage. It try to use my abilities the best that I can. They like to bounce me around.”
Defending AAAAA Division II state champion Northwestern has a pair of standouts in 2026 No. 18 Tamarion Watkins and No. 71 Josh Singleton. Watkins recently committed to Texas A&M after a heated recruiting battle with South Carolina, Alabama, Miami and Georgia.
“Tamarion is a good person first and foremost,” said Northwestern head coach Page Wofford. “He is respectful, hardworking, and dedicated. When you couple his intangibles with a 6-4, 200-pounds frame you are going to get a good football player every time.”
Singleton had 40 tackles last season to go with two interceptions and 13 passes defended.
“Josh has worked very hard to be come the player he is today,” Wofford said. “He has honed his craft on the field and has gotten stronger in the weight room. We are excited to see his performance this season.”
Jayden Boyd is No. 23 in the 2026 class and will be playing for Westwood this season after transferring from-. He is committed to Duke.
“Jayden has come in and done a good job trying to pick up the scheme,” said first-year Westwood head coach Stephen Burris. “He’s three months behind so he’s got a lot of catching up to do. But he's obviously a very talented player, and we’re looking forward to see how he fits into what we do and how we can utilize his talent.”
Triston Lewis of Greenwood is ranked 27th and is committed to South Carolina, while Ridge View’s Jordyn Best is 34th and committed to North Carolina State.
Strom Thurmond’s Kaleb Simpkins is ranked 45th and has a Power 4 offer from Wake Forest. He also has three Ivy League offers in Princeton, Yale and Dartmouth.
“Kaleb is a 4-year starter,” said Strom Thurmond head coach Andrew Webb. “He has a ton of experience. He is extremely smart and understands the game well. He is strong and can play every position in the secondary.”
Simpkins said he utilizes all of that experience when he’s on the field.
“The main part is having confidence in the craft and think you’re the best on the field,” Simpkins said. “Having confidence in yourself that you’re working the craft enough is important. You’ve got to be prepared, know what's coming.”
Junior Kaiden Watkins is ranked 12th in the 2027 class. He transferred to South Pointe after playing for city rival Rock Hill last season. He has 15 FBS offers to date, including Power 4 schools Auburn, Penn State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and West Virginia.
Gaffney’s Kareem Shaw is ranked 27th for the 2027 class. Littlejohn said Shaw is ultra talented.
“Karem will probably be a tailback before it is all said and done,” Littlejohn said. “We have a lot of talent at that position this year and Kareem is too talented of an athlete not to be on the field. He has excelled at DB so far this year. We look forward to having him on the team for the next two years.”
