With the final 2024 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's time to dive into the position rankings. The defensive position rankings are being released today, and the national analyst team – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney and Greg Smith – is giving their takes on which player is the best fit with the team they signed with. Up next are the defensive backs.
NEW POSITION RANKINGS: Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB | All-Purpose RB | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Offensive Tackle | Offensive Guard | Center | DT | Weakside DE | Strongside DE | Outside LB | Inside LB | CB | S | ATH
*****
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1 in the 2024 Rivals250?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Biggest movers | Gorney's thoughts
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released | QB breakdown | RB breakdown | WR/TE breakdown | OL breakdown | Podcast
Thursday: Defensive position rankings released | DL breakdown | LB breakdown | DB breakdown | ATH breakdown
Friday: State rankings released
Saturday: Final thoughts on the 2024 Rivals250
*****
GORNEY: Jaylen Mbakwe
Mbakwe is not as tall or long as Kool-Aid McKinstry but the feeling is that the Alabama signee could be used in a similar fashion because of his athleticism and playmaking ability all over the field. The five-star is not a finished product at cornerback yet which we like because he still has room to grow – just like McKinstry did when he got to Tuscaloosa. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Mbakwe used on special teams because of his electric speed.
McKinstry is expected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick and by moving Mbakwe up to five-star status, we feel the same way about him in the coming years.
*****
GARCIA: Zaquan Patterson
Ellis Robinson IV is the low-hanging fruit on this one, so we'll pivot to an unconventional body type in the secondary in Patterson. Miami has long made due with outside-the-box safety prospects, including All-American Kam Kinchens from the 2023 roster, and Patterson could be next in that exact mold.
The U loves an instinctive, smart and physical leader in the secondary, and the versatile local standout is just that. In one game, we saw Patterson block a punt, make an interception and strip-sack the quarterback on a blitz. He can line up over tight ends, slots or cover running backs while big and physical enough to work as a sub defender in the box on passing downs.
Patterson is among the best pure football players in the class and it would be a surprise if it took long for him to splash in the ACC.
*****
FRIEDMAN: Ellis Robinson
While this may be the obvious choice, it is the right choice. Robinson is an elite defensive back and finished the ranking cycle as the top-ranked defender in the nation. At cornerback he showed the speed, technical skills, physical traits and football instincts to compete with even the best receivers around.
Georgia isn't afraid to play young defensive backs. We saw Daylen Everette end up as a starter for the Bulldogs as a freshman this past season. It wouldn't be surprising to see Robinson earn significant playing time during his first year on campus either.
*****
SMITH: Koi Perich
The Minnesota signee elected to stick with his pledge to the home state school and turned down a serious push from both Ohio State and Florida State at the end of the cycle. It’s easy to see why those programs worked to flip him. Perich is competitive and confident in his abilities.
He showed out in San Antonio for the All-American Bowl and was one of the breakout stars of the week. His combination of size, speed and instincts were more than enough to hold his own through the event. You can tell that he’s been a multi-sport athlete through his time in high school.
At Minnesota, he will become a cornerstone of the defense and has the potential for a career like Tyler Nubin for the Gophers.
