Top Defensive Back Prospects in Texas High School Football

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: August 6, 2014

In association with Elite Scouting Services we have released the Top 100 recruiting prospects. We have broken them down by position for our ongoing series. These are the best recruiting prospects across the Texas high school football world.

Defensive Backs (19)

Kris Boyd - Gilmer

Kris Boyd, Gilmer, 6’1, 175
Boyd features primarily on offense when lining up for perennial east Texas powerhouse Gilmer. Boyd has rushed for nearly 2,500 yards and 38 touchdowns over the past two seasons while compiling 558 yards receiving and six more touchdowns. A First Team All-District selection, Boyd is believed to be considering heavily considering Florida State, Texas, and Texas A&M.

Josh Butler, West Mesquite, 5’11, 175
Butler earned First Team 10-4A All-District honors as a junior. Butler verbally committed to Michigan State in July over Arkansas, Baylor, Boise State, Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and UCLA to name a few. Butler recorded 38 tackles and broke up 15 passes in 2013.

Jalen Campbell, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, 5’10, 175
A one-time Texas commit, Campbell missed the entire 2013 season after suffering a knee injury. Campbell earned All-District honors as a sophomore in 2012. Oregon and TCU are coveting Campbell, who is regarded as arguably the top prospect in south Texas in the Class of 2015.

Justin Dunning, Whitehouse, 6’4, 205
The Texas A&M commit suffered a season-ending knee injury as a junior for a Whitehouse team bitten by the injury bug. Dunning participated in “The Opening” in July and is on pace to have an impressive 2014 season. Dunning registered 62 tackles and five interceptions when healthy as a sophomore to earn All-State honors.

Roney Elam, Newton, 6’3, 170
Elam is blessed with outstanding size for a potential cornerback at the next level. Over the past two seasons, Elam has recorded 80 tackles and 11 interceptions. As a junior, Elam played quarterback and compiled nearly 1,500 yards of total offense. Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Texas, and Texas A&M are pursuing Elam.

DeShon Elliott, Rockwall-Heath, 6’1, 200
Arguably a prospect who will settle in at defensive back, the Texas commit recorded 70 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, and three interceptions as a junior. Arkansas, Baylor, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and TCU also extended offers to the All-District prospect.

Kahlil Haughton, Waco-Hewitt Midway, 6’2, 175
A First Team All-District safety as a junior, Haughton has an impressive offer list heading into his final year of his prep career. Baylor, Louisville, LSU, Ohio State, and Oklahoma are believed to be in the lead to land Haughton, who recorded 87 tackles and picked off two passes for Waco-Hewitt Midway in 2013.

Holton Hill, Houston Lamar, 6’2, 180
Hill earned First Team 20-5A All-District honors as a junior. Hill, who participated in “The Opening,” is a tall, physical presence on the outside at cornerback. Alabama, Baylor, LSU, Texas, and Texas A&M in hot pursuit of the Houston Lamar product.

Jaylon Lane, Nacogdoches, 6’1, 180
During his junior season at San Angelo Central, Lane made huge waves at cornerback and in the return game. Lane finished his junior season with five interceptions, returning two of them back to the end zone. A prospect who exploded with more than 30 offers after his junior season, Lane is verbally committed to Oklahoma State.

Jamile Johnson - South Oak Cliff

James Locke, Beaumont Central, 5’11, 190
Locke committed to Oregon at the beginning of July, choosing the Ducks over Arizona State, Baylor, Kentucky, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, and TCU to name a few out of the over 30 offers he received. Locke recorded 82 tackles as a junior to earn First Team 20-4A All-District honors.

Jamile Johnson, South Oak Cliff, 6’1, 195
Originally committed to Oklahoma, Johnson reopened his recruitment in August, Johnson has heard from the likes of Arkansas, Louisville, Nebraska, Texas Tech, TCU, and Washington State. As a junior, Johnson registered 79 tackles and picked off two passes for a South Oak Cliff team loaded with FBS talent.

Kenneth McGruder, Alief Taylor, 6’1, 195
A Second Team 18-5A All-District honoree as a junior, McGruder verbally committed to Oklahoma State in June over LSU, Missouri, and Nebraska among others. McGruder recorded over 60 tackles in 2013 and added three interceptions.

Prentice McKinney, South Oak Cliff, 6'2, 185
McKinney will join Johnson in the defensive backfield in 2014 for South Oak Cliff. As a junior, McKinney earned First Team 11-4A All-District honors after recording 80 tackles and seven interceptions. McKinney committed to Notre Dame over Arkansas, Louisville, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, TCU, and Texas A&M.

PJ Mbanasor Jr., Pflugerville Hendrickson, 6’1, 175
Mbanasor will be another in a long line of FBS prospects produced at Pflugerville Hendrickson. Mbanasor is verbally committed to Oklahoma, selecting the Sooners over the likes of Arkansas, Baylor, Florida, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, and Texas A&M.

Darrell Miller, Cedar Hill, 5’11, 175
Miller earned Second Team 7-5A All-District honors as a junior and will be part of another talented roster for the Longhorns in 2014. Boise State, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Tennessee appear to be in the lead heading into Miller’s senior campaign.

Keivon Ramsey - Converse Judson

Keivon Ramsey, Converse Judson, 6’1, 170
Ramsey was a First Team 25-5A All-District performer as a junior after recorded 127 tackles and intercepting three passes. Ramsey verbally committed to the University of Texas in April and held offers from Baylor, LSU, and Oklahoma to name a few.

Kendall Sheffield, Fort Bend Marshall, 6’0, 180
Sheffield posted one of the top times nationally in the 110-meter hurdles in the spring after a successful junior season on the gridiron. Marshall recorded 39 tackles and intercepted three passes in 2013 to earn All-District honors. Texas and Texas A&M are hoping Sheffield stays in the Lone Star State and appear to be in the lead.

Deionte Thompson, West Orange-Stark, 6’2, 175
Thompson earned Defensive MVP honors in District 21-3A as a junior and has picked off 11 passes over the past two seasons, taking two back for touchdowns in 2013. Thompson also had 692 receiving yards and 4 TDs as a junior. Thompson is verbally committed to the University of Alabama.

Jordan Tolbert, Fort Bend Ridge Point, 5’11, 165
Tolbert is part of the ongoing revolution in Waco having verbally committed to Baylor in May. Tolbert has an impressive offer list that includes Arizona State, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, and Wisconsin. Tolbert was a Second Team 22-4A All-District selection in 2013.

Honorable Mention

Mitch Abramson, San Antonio Alamo Heights, 5’9, 170
X’zaviae Ausborne, South Oak Cliff, 5’10, 170 (Committed to Wisconsin)
Bryce Balous, McKinney North, 5’11, 185
Christian Bertrand, Fort Bend Hightower, 6'1, 190 (Committed to Rice)
Andy Chelf, Southlake Carroll, 6’0, 185 (Committed to Purdue)

Jalen Gross - Ingleside

Jameel Cook, Fort Bend Ridge Point, 6’0, 180 (Committed to Maryland)
Johnny Durham, Aledo, 6’0, 180
Will Echols, Houston Cypress Christian, 6'0, 185
Cade Erwin, Flower Mound Marcus, 5’11, 180
Christian Gibson, Dallas Prime Prep, 6'0, 190
Jeff Gladney, New Boston, 5'10, 160 (Committed to TCU)
Darryl Godfrey, San Antonio O'Connor, 6'1, 185
Jah Golden, Wills Point, 6’2, 175
Jalen Gross, Ingleside, 5'9, 165
Jairus Hall, Mesquite Horn, 5’11, 175
Junior Henderson, Katy Seven Lakes, 6’0, 190
Omar Hicks-Onu, Carrollton Hebron, 6’1, 175 (Committed to Oregon State)
JaCorie Jones, Port Arthur Memorial, 5'10, 175 (Committed to Houston)
Kylan Johnson, Dallas Skyline, 6’3, 205
Ryan Lemmons, Cedar Park, 6'0, 190
CJ Levine, Port Arthur Memorial, 6’0, 185
Will Lockett, Manvel, 6’0, 180
Torin Marks, George Ranch, 6’0, 180
Andrew Martel, Richmond Foster, 6’1, 190 (Committed to UTSA)
Jacob Murray, Coppell, 6’3, 195 (Committed to Northwestern)
Timon Nolan, Richmond George Ranch, 5’10, 175
Ryan Phillippe, Colleyville Hertiage, 6'1, 175
Reggie Robinson, Cleburne, 6’1, 190
Johnny Shaw, West Orange-Stark, 6’1, 190 (Committed to Louisiana Tech)
Niko Small, Arlington Bowie, 5’10, 185 (Committed to TCU)
Jalen Smith, Houston St. Pius X, 5’10, 175 (Committed to Fresno State)
Kyshaun Smith, Tatum, 6’1, 185
Zach Spigner, Sulphur Springs, 6’0, 180
Darrell Stewart, Houston Nimitz, 6'0, 170 (Committed to Boise State)
Willie Sykes, Spring, 5’11, 175
Christian Taylor, Jersey Village, 6'2, 18
Jordan Wallace, Denton Guyer, 6’0, 180 (Committed to Iowa State)
Isaac Warren, Tyler John Tyler, 6’0, 190 (Committed to Purdue)
Damon Weaver, DeSoto, 5’11, 175
Deandre Williams, Lindale, 5’10, 175
Takadrae Williams, South Oak Cliff, 6’1, 170 (Committed to Wisconsin)
Montrel Wilson, Keller Fossil Ridge, 6’3, 195 (Committed to Baylor)

Ten for 2016

Deontay Anderson, Manvel, 6’0, 190
Eric Cuffee, Waco, 6’0, 190 (Committed to Baylor)
Travon Fuller, Athens, 5’11, 180 (Committed to Texas A&M)
Brandon Jones, Nacogdoches, 5’11, 190
Jaylon Jones, Allen, 5’11, 175
Jared Mayden, Sachse, 6’0, 190
Eric Monroe, Galena Park North Shore, 6’0, 180
Bailey Phillips, West Mesquite, 5’8, 160 (Committed to Tennessee)
Keshawn Somerville, Plfugerville Hendrickson, 5’11, 170 (Committed to Baylor)
Collin Wilder, Katy, 6’0, 185 (Committed to Texas Tech)

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Lone Star Gridiron

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