Preseason all-Bay Area News Group high school football 2023: Defensive backs
De La Salle, Pittsburg, Serra standouts lead all-Bay Area News Group preseason defensive backs list
PRESEASON ALL-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
DEFENSIVE BACKS
(Listed in alphabetical order)
St. Francis sophomore Sefanaia Alatini, 6-2, 185
Hasn’t put up the numbers that many of the other players on this list have, but he has all the measurables: size, speed, and toughness to tackle. Lancers coach Greg Calcagno is experimenting with him at wide receiver and defensive back. Alatini is listed as a safety. Has scholarship offers from Arizona and BYU.
Senior Joseph Bey, Serra, 6-0, 185
One of two San Jose State defensive players to commit. The other is linebacker Jabari Mann. Last season, the three-year varsity starter was named WCAL Defensive Back of the Year. Plays it safe. Arizona State and Pittsburgh were among the seven offers made to the three-star recruit.
Christopher Amari Bluford, 5-9, 150, senior
Mt. Hamilton first-team all-BVAL cornerback in 2022. Also serves as a running back and returns kicks. Colleges are starting to take notice. Lewis and Clark, Pacific-Oregon, and Oberlin College in Ohio have all made offers.
Tim Daugherty, Campolindo, senior, 5-9, 170
A standout on the Campolindo golf team, which he plans to continue playing in college. Good football player who will be crucial to the Cougars’ success this fall. Foothill’s second-team all-DAL DB in 2022, with 58 tackles and two interceptions. Caught 33 passes for 567 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Senior Marley Filson, St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 5-9, 170
Last season, Stone was named to the TCAL first team. Plays mostly FS. For the league-champion Panthers, he had three interceptions. As St. Mary’s adjusts to a new quarterback, he will be a key target at wide receiver. On special teams, he’s a long-snapper.
5-11, 165-pound senior Johnathan Guerrero of De La Salle
One of three DLS DBs with college scholarship offers. Guerrero was named to the EBL Mountain first team in 2022. I intercepted six passes, twice as many as any other Spartan. Also serves as WR. NorCal Preps has a two-star recruit. Has a scholarship offer from the University of San Diego.
Jadyn Hudson, 6-2, 175, junior, Pittsburg
Four-star candidate. Top-rated Bay Area DB. Has received over 20 scholarship offers from Power-5 schools. According to the On3 recruiting site, the top four are USC, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Michigan. Safety is a two-year starter. Last season, he was named to the BVAL’s first team. I made 71 tackles. On offense, he plays wide receiver.
El Cerrito senior Kamani Jackson, 6-0, 180
In September, he is expected to announce his college commitment. The frontrunners appear to be San Diego State, San Jose State, and Washington State. With seven offers, he is a three-star recruit. Last season, he was named All-TCAL Rock DB. A gifted wide receiver as well.
De La Salle sophomore Jaden Jefferson, 5-8, 150
The Spartan secondary’s youngest stud DB. Last season, he appeared in all 14 games for DLS. At DB, he had 40 tackles and was named second-team all-EBAL Mountain. The team’s only freshman. Oregon State, San Jose State, and UNLV have all made offers. Also serves as a wide receiver.
5-9, 160, senior Robert Mendez and James Logan
The Colts’ secondary safety was a ball-hawk. Logan’s 2022 stats on MaxPreps are incomplete, but he had a team-high four interceptions. Foothill DB made first team all-WACC.
Darren Miller, 6-0, 175, junior, South San Francisco
This season, the Warriors have high expectations thanks to players like Miller, who was named PAL Lake Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore free safety. When SSF has the ball, he will play wide receiver.
5-11, 145, senior Marques Polk, Washington-Fremont
Last season, he intercepted six passes in only five games. Over 10 yards per return on average. First-team all-WACC/MVAL-Mission defensive back. Excellent WR as well. According to MaxPreps stats, he caught 12 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns.
De La Salle junior Robert Santiago, 6-2, 170
Due to injury, free safety missed the majority of the 2022 season. Despite this, he had 41 b tackles and three interceptions. Oregon, Washington, UCLA, Miami, and Oklahoma are among the schools that have made offers. Cal is very interested.
Zach Shapiro, senior, Burlingame, 6-3, 210
Last season, he was named first-team all-PAL Bay. Strong safety recorded 61 tackles, including 8.5 for loss of yardage. On offense, TE. Panthers receiving yardage leader. Five Ivy League schools have expressed interest. Outstanding student. On the SAT, I received a score of 1,530 out of a possible 1,600.
Javion Smith, 5-11, 170, senior, Antioch
Last season, he was a first-team all-BVAL defensive back. In league play, only two completions were permitted. I had three options. “Long, great speed and quickness,” Antioch coach Brett Dudley texted. In 2022, he only played defense. This season, in addition to his DB duties, he will be a WR on offense.
In the coming two weeks
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