Arkansas’ top high school football players: Meet the state’s best defensive backs

Who are the top defensive backs in Arkansas this season?

By Jeff Halpern | Photo by Sadie Rucker

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Arkansas high school football. This list focuses on the defensive backs.

There are hundreds of standout football players in Arkansas and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Use the comments section to discuss the other defensive backs worthy of fans’ attention in 2021. 

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Tony Weeks, 5-8, 137, sophomore, Bismarck

Weeks played in nine games at free safety and intercepted eight passes while making 28 tackles, including 15 in a 52-14 loss to Prescott.

Seth Brooks, 6-1, 180, sophomore, Hoxie

Brooks, a strong safety, intercepted seven passes while making 32 tackles on the regular season. He had 55 tackles and 3 interceptions as a freshman.

Devren Brown, 5-8 145, junior, Hot Springs

Brown played free safety in seven games, but had 6 interceptions for the Trojans.

Landon Garrett, 5-10, 150, sophomore, Camden Harmony Grove

Garrett, a cornerbacks, had 6 interceptions after 10 games.

Josh Cady, 5-10, 155, senior, Pulaski Academy

Cady, a cornerback has 5 interceptions, defended 7 others and 29 tackles after 10 games for the Bruins. He had 25 tackles, 5 break ups and 2 interceptions as a junior.

Dylan McCormick, 6-0, 180, senior, Ozark

McCormick, a cornerback, has 5 interceptions, 36 tackles and has deflected 4 others for the Hillbillies. He ran one back for a touchdown in a 31-28 loss to Charleston. 

Miguel Graham, 6-1, 170, junior Bryant 

Graham, a cornerback has 4 interceptions and run one back for a touchdown in a 49-13 victory over Little Rock Catholic.

Clay Burks, 6-0, 162, senior, Rivercrest

Burks plays cornerback and had 4 interceptions, 4 pass deflections, 3 fumble recoveries and 34 tackles for the Colts in the regular season. He had 58 tackles as a junior.

Dayton Sanders, 5-10, 165, senior, Paragould

Sanders played cornerback and had 4 interceptions and 33 tackles for the Rams.

Briveon Sample, 5-10, 165, senior, Pine Bluff Dollarway

Sample had 64 tackles, 4 interceptions and 9 pass deflections for the Cardinals.

Zach Holte, 5-8, 140, junior, Greenland

The junior cornerback played in 9 games and had 4 interceptions, 38 tackles and 1 fumble recovery. 

Ethan Milam, 5-9, 140, junior, Quitman

Milam, a free safety, who run the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds, had 4 interceptions, 3 pass deflections and 1 fumble recovery for the Bulldogs in the regular season.

Jaxon Taylor, 5-11, 175, senior, Fayetteville

Taylor, a senior cornerback, has 4 interceptions, 4 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery and 34 tackles for the 9-1 Bulldogs, who won their first outright conference title since 1963.

Sam Bell, 5-10, 145, senior, Gurdon

Bell, a 4-year starter at cornerback, had 20 tackles and 4 interceptions for the Go-Devils in the regular season. He had 27 tackles and 1 interception as a junior.

Anton Pierce, 6-2, 2-00, junior, Mills

Pierce, a free safety, had 65 tackles including 3 for loss, 4 interceptions, 2 deflections and caused 3 fumbles.

Sebastian Gaona, 5-10, 140, junior, Charleston

Gaona, a cornerback, had 21 tackles and 3 interceptions for Charleston in the regular season.

Ladavion Willis, 5-10, sophomore, Barton

Willis played cornerback and had 15 tackles, 3 interceptions and 4 pass deflections for the Bears.

Preston Riddle, 6-0, 160, senior, Greenbrier

Riddle plays strong safety for the 11-0 Panthers and had 20 tackles, 3 interceptions, including 1 returned for a touchdown in a 44-0 victory over Batesville. He also had 1 fumble recovery and caused 2 others.

Erik Wilson, 5-11, 178, senior Jonesboro

Wilson, a cornerback, has 3 interceptions and 10 tackles for the 7-3 Hurricane.

Cameron Seratt, 6-1, 145, senior Johnson County Westside

Seratt played cornerback and had 20 tackles, 3 interceptions, 3 pass deflections and caused 1 fumble for the Rebels.

Caleb Waller, 5-9, 175, junior, Lake Hamilton

Waller plays cornerback and had 3 interceptions, 6 pass deflections, 21 tackles and recovered 1 fumble for the 9-2 Wolves in the regular season. 

Jacaylon Zachery, 5-9, 1673, senior, Prescott

Zachery, who plays free safety for the Curley Wolves, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. He had 31 tackles and 3 interceptions in the regular season. 

Braelon Palmer, 6-0, 175, senior, Fayetteville

The Bulldogs strong safety had 44 tackles, 3 interceptions and 4 pass deflections for the 7A-West Conference champions after 10 games.

Dyelon Caradine, 6-1, 165, sophomore, Malvern

The cornerback had 15 tackles, 3 interceptions and deflected 10 others for the Leopards in the regular season.

Kalem Rorie, 5-8, 160, junior, Bismarck

The cornerback had 12 tackles, 3 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries for the Lions.

Jabauree Lockhart, 6-2, 160, sophomore, Camden Fairview

The cornerback has 40 tackles, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, 16 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries and caused 2 others. He ran an interception back for a touchdown in a 41-21 victory over Arkadelphia.

Dustin Jones, 6-1 170, senior, Vilonia

Jones had 25 tackles, 2 for losses and intercepted 3 passes for the 9-2 Eagles at cornerback.

Cooper Hutchinson, 5-11, 155, senior, Shiloh Christian

The free safety had 32 tackles, 1 for loss and 1 sack while intercepting 3 passes and and deflecting 6 others for 10-1 Saints after Week 10.

Jamison Hinsley, 6-0, 190, senior, Vilonia

The free safety had 45 tackles, 4 for losses, 3 interceptions and 2 pass deflections for the 9-2 Eagles.

Ross Baxter, 5-10, 170, sophomore, Cabot

Baxter plays free safety and had 29 tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 pass deflections for the Panthers.

Dax Widger, 5-9, 140, sophomore, Shiloh Christian

Widger starts at cornerback and had 32 tackles, 3 interceptions and 3 pass deflections in the regular season for the Saints.

Te’kaylin Walker, 5-8, 170, senior, White Hall

Walker, a cornerback, had 34 tackles, 3 interceptions and 3 pass deflections for the Bulldogs after Week 10. 

Ben Redix, 5-11, 170, junior, White Hall

Redix starts at cornerback and had 20 tackles, 3 interceptions and 8 pass deflections for the Bulldogs in the regular season. 

Braylon Johnson, 6-0, 185, senior, White Hall

The Bulldogs free safety had 27 tackles, 3 interceptions and 5 pass deflections. after Week 10.

Bryce Bratton, 6-2, 175, junior, Barton

The Bears strong safety has 20 tackles, 3 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery.

Miles Howard, 5-9, 150, cornerback/free safety, Little Rock Christian

Howard had 43 tackles, including 2 for losses, with 3 interceptions and 6 pass deflections for the Warriors after the regular season.

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