Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2025 defensive backs

With the full 2025 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's now time to dive into the position rankings. The defensive position rankings are being released today, and up next are the defensive backs.

LATEST 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Pro-Style QBs | Dual-Threat QBs | RBs | All-Purpose RBs | WRs | TEs | OG | OT | SDE | WDE | DT | OLB | ILB | CB | S

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who should be No. 1?

Monday: Five-Star Countdown

Tuesday: New 2025 Rivals250 revealed | Gorney's thoughts | Ten players on the rise

Wednesday: New offensive position rankings | QB rankings breakdown | RB rankings breakdown | WR/TE rankings breakdown | OL rankings breakdown | Five teams that should be pleased

Thursday: New defensive position rankings | DL rankings breakdown | LB rankings breakdown

Friday: New state rankings

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Galena Park (Texas) North Shore five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez is the top-ranked defensive back and the No. 2 overall defensive player in the country because of his extra-plus length as a boundary corner at 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, combined with his elite movement and his smooth hips and feet.

Sanchez already has just about every offer he could want as Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, USC and more have already thrown their respective hats in the ring, most of which came before he even started a varsity game for the first time last fall. However, as the season went on, Sanchez proved why his stock is so high with elite coverage on some of the top 6A receivers in the state of Texas.

In an era that is increasingly valuing length on the boundary, Sanchez brings that to the table without sacrificing fluid movement both in the short to intermediate game all the way downfield.

In a class that's still so fresh to the scene, college programs can only really benefit from geography and early recruiting with top prospects and Georgia and USC have shown early momentum.

The state of California lays claim to six defensive back prospects in the Rivals250 headlined by high four-star safety Jadyn Hudson, who already has USC on his offer sheet, along with an elite Mater Dei duo of Daryus Dixson and Chuck McDonald III. With a defensive rebuild still taking shape at USC, the Trojans are certainly a team to watch with loading up in the secondary both in 2024 and 2025, especially with the latter holding so much talent in-state.

With defensive back talent continuing to show prowess in the state of Georgia, the 2025 class is only furthering the Peach State's excellence in the secondary with four highly ranked defensive backs in the Rivals250. The group is headlined by the nation's No. 2 cornerback Jontae Gilbert, along with fellow four-stars Devin Williams, Jaylen Bell and Shamar Arnoux. With Georgia continuing to put one of the nation's top defenses on the field year-after-year, the Bulldogs will have a figurative dibs on any top secondary talent within state borders.

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Zephyrhills (Fla.) four-star safety DJ Pickett sits inside the top 10 and in prime position for a five-star ranking as his length at 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds, and range from the defensive backfield, exceeds the talent of just about any other defensive back in the country.

Pickett's stock has already risen to magmatic levels with more than 40 offers and counting heading into his sophomore offseason. If Pickett can continue his hot streak in offseason camp circuits, there's a real shot for him to contend for the No. 1 defensive back in the country.

Katy (Texas) Paetow four-star Deyjhon Pettaway starred for one of Texas' most star-studded defenses in 2022 alongside 2023 five-star defensive tackle David Hicks Jr. and four-star linebacker Daymion Sanford, the latter of which is Pettaway's older brother.

Pettaway has versatility in the secondary, lining up at corner, nickel and safety, and he has translated that onto the 7-on-7 circuit. It will be interesting to see where Pettaway performs best as a junior with the stage set for him to take the lead role on his Paetow defense.

DeSoto (Texas) four-star safety Sael Reyes is a recent transfer from East St. Louis (Ill.) after totaling five interceptions as a sophomore in The Prairie State, but he now has a premier opportunity to play against top competition in the Texas 6A ranks. The brother of former high four-star safety Antonio Johnson, Reyes has the pedigree, length (6-foot-2) and resume in his short career to contend among some of the nation's top secondary talents.