20 best high school defensive backs in the nation entering the 2024 football season

Expect these 20 DBs to make headlines throughout the 2024 high school football season

North Shore (Texas) cornerback Devin Sanchez is the top-ranked senior defensive back in the country in 2024. / Tom Dendy, SBLive

We're one week away from the kickoff of the 2024 high school football season, so it's time to start featuring the players expected to stand out as the best in the country.

Over the next couple of weeks we'll go through the major position groups to shine the spotlight on the nation's best high school football players.

We'll start with the defensive backs.

Here are the 20 best defensive backs in the nation heading into the 2024 season.

Dorian Brew, sr., Conroe (Texas)

Brew started his high school football career with Northmont (Ohio) but moved to Houston before his junior year. The big (6-foot-2) and fast (was a star sprinter for the Conroe track team last spring) corner committed to the Oregon Ducks in June.

Adonyss Currie, sr., Quartz Hill (California)

Currie starred on offense, defense and special teams as a junior, but he'll be a DB at Texas A&M. The 6-foot-2 track star (sprints, hurdles) finished 2023 with 35 tackles, three sacks, four interceptions (one for a TD), a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and six pass breakups on defense. He also scored 10 touchdowns on offense and one on a kickoff return.

Faheem Delane, sr., Our Lady of Good Counsel (Maryland)

Ohio State commit Faheem Delane, left, and brother Mansoor Delane, a DB at Virginia Tech, visit the Buckeyes-Michigan game. / Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

A big safety at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Delane helped Our Lady of Good Counsel to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship in 2023. The Ohio State commit finished the season with 69 tackles and 18 pass breakups.

Shamari Earls, sr., Dale (Virginia)

Yet another big corner (6-foot-2) who's also a track star (sprints, high jump, long jump), Earls finished the 2023 season with three interceptions on defense, scored eight touchdowns on offense and another on special teams. He's committed to Georgia.

Justice Fitzpatrick, jr., St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida)

The younger brother of Pittsburgh Steeler Minkah Fitzpatrick should be one of the best juniors in the country this season at any position. The uncommitted cornerback had 13 tackles and two interceptions in limited snaps last year for loaded St. Thomas Aquinas, but expect big-time production as a junior if teams throw at him.

Tae Harris, sr., Cedartown (Georgia)

A 6-foot, 195-pound versatile athlete who can play safety or cornerback, Harris committed to Clemson in March. He had 44 tackles, three forced fumbles and six pass breakups, plus 59 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions as a sophomore.

Trystan Haynes, sr., Carl Albert (Oklahoma)

Carl Albert defensive back Trystan Haynes committed to Oklahoma in May. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Haynes is coming off a junior season where he racked up 51 tackles (four for loss), three interceptions, seven pass breakups and and three forced fumbles while also notching a 1,000-yard year as a receiver. The 6-foot-2 cornerback committed to Oklahoma in May.

Lagonza Hayward, sr., Toombs County (Georgia)

Toombs County cornerback Lagonza Hayward (2) tackles Thomson wide receiver Cervutes Felts on Nov. 17, 2023. / Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hayward excelled on offense and defense last year for 2A Toombs County, but he'll be a safety at Tennessee. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder finished 2023 with 48 tackles (three for loss), four pass breakups, three interceptions and a forced fumble. He scored eight touchdowns on offense and one on special teams.

Dijon Lee, sr., Mission Viejo (California)

Mission Viejo defensive back Dijon Lee, left, has committed to play college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. / Heston Quan, SBLive

Everything about Lee screams five-star recruit. He's listed at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and has a long, rangy body to make plays when the ball is in the air. The Alabama commit's length and strength is also good for press coverage on the line of scrimmage. Lee had 55 tackles, 13 pass breakups and two interceptions last season.

Chuck McDonald, sr., Mater Dei (California)

Another Alabama commit from Southern California, McDonald was a standout corner on the Monarchs' CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF State Open Division championship team in 2023. He had 34 tackles and a pick last season.

Trey McNutt, sr., Shaker Heights (Ohio)

A 6-foot, 180-pound safety, McNutt committed to the Oregon Ducks earlier this month. He finished his junior season with 61 tackles (three for loss), 12 pass breakups and two forced fumbles, and he scored 12 touchdowns on offense.

Na’eem Offord, sr., Parker (Alabama)

Offord is a top 10 senior prospect regardless of position, and Ohio State added him to the Buckeyes' stacked class of commits in February. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback finished his junior season with five interceptions and four pass breakups.

DJ Pickett, sr., Zephyrhills (Florida)

Pickett plays offense and defense for Zephyrhills, putting up some strong numbers in 2023. The fleet-footed two-way dynamo had over 1,000 yards receiving and made 31 tackles at safety. He committed to LSU last month over Miami and Oregon.

Shane Rosenthal, sr., Newbury Park (California)

Newbury Park High wide receiver/free safety Shane Rosenthal was the Ventura County Star Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. / Juan Carlo/THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rosenthal terrorizes defensive backs as a wide receiver, and perhaps he would terrorize himself on both ends if he could. The uncommitted, sticky-handed DB/WR had 12 interceptions and 122 catches last season.

Devin Sanchez, sr., North Shore (Texas)

Sanchez and Offord form a historically strong 1-2 punch of Ohio State cornerback recruits in the Class of 2025. He was a human highlight reel as a junior, leading North Shore to a 15-1 season and preseason national No. 11 ranking heading into 2024.

Victor Singleton, jr., Toledo Central Catholic (Ohio)

Toledo Central Catholic's Victor Singleton breaks up a pass intended for Bishop Watterson's Christopher Bair on Dec. 1, 2023. / Bob Rossiter / Special to The Canton Repository / USA TODAY NETWORK

Singleton had four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 15 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and four tackles for loss for a defense that allowed only 10.4 points per game. He helped lead Toledo Central Catholic to its second straight state championship.

Ivan Taylor, sr., West Orange (Florida)

West Orange DB Ivan Taylor watches from the sidelines at the Florida High School 7v7 Association state championship in 2022. / PAUL RYAN/CORRESPONDENT / USA TODAY NETWORK

Taylor enjoyed a strong junior season, making 45 tackles (six for loss) and one interception for the Warriors, who are known for producing Division I talent under coach Geno Thompson. He flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Michigan in July.

Kainoa Winston, sr., Gonzaga (Washington, DC)

Winston has been a standout sprinter in Gonzaga's track program since his freshman year, and he'll take that sprinter speed to Michigan as a free safety.

Bralan Womack, jr., Hartfield Academy (Mississippi)

Womack was a big-play machine as a sophomore, scoring 10 touchdowns as a receiver, two on defense and four on special teams. The 6-footer had seven interceptions playing safety, his expected position in college.

Mark Zackery IV, sr., Ben Davis (Indiana)

Ben Davis DB Mark Zackery IV is committed to play college football at Notre Dame. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Zackery helped Ben Davis go 13-1 and win the Indiana Class 6A football championship in 2023 while playing cornerback, wide receiver and special teams. The Notre Dame commit also stars on the basketball court for Ben Davis.

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports