Top defensive backs classes so far in the 2026 cycle

In today’s college football landscape of high-powered offenses and dynamic quarterback play, the importance of recruiting the defensive secondary at an elite level can’t be understated. If you need any further examples, look at the teams who gave up the fewest points per game last year. (Hint: the top 10 features the two programs that played for the national title, as well as CFP teams like Indiana, Penn State, Texas and Tennessee).

Cornerbacks are one of the sport’s most valuable positions, and ball-hawking safeties who can both cover and defend against the run aren’t far behind them. The 2026 class with a combined 21 of the country’s top 100 recruits projected to play there.

As Signing Day looms a little less than three months from now, Rivals is looking at the top DB classes this cycle and which programs in particular have been loading up:

Texas A&M

The Aggies have loaded up this cycle in all areas of the secondary, headlined by five-star California cornerback Brandon Arrington. Beating out USC, Oregon and dozens of others was a huge coup for Mike Elko’s staff back in June. But he is just the tip of the iceberg. They flipped top-100 prospect Victor Singleton, who hails from Toledo, away from an early commitment to Illinois and went into Arizona to get blue-chipper Camren Hamiel. Mississippi-based safety Tylan Wilson and in-state Rivals300 standout Chance Collins give A&M defensive back commitments in five different states.

Alabama

While Alabama’s group this cycle might not be as deep in terms of sheer numbers as others on this list, it’s hard to ignore the top-end talent. Five-star safety Jireh Edwards had 92 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, six pass break-ups and three forced fumbles during the 2024 season and is one of the most college-ready players in the cycle. He’s joined by another five-star in Georgia native Jorden Edmonds, who committed back in March and has been all-in ever since. Along with Zyan Gibson, they create one of the top secondary trios in the country. The latter has been a three-year standout at Gadsden City (Ala.). And don’t sleep on three-star Rihyael Kelley, who boasts a 4.49 40-yard dash, 4.34-shuttle, and had a 78-inch wingspan.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish have been recruiting on a different level since Marcus Freeman took over, but after their CFP title game appearance last year, things have been kicked up another notch. And a big part of that is their class on the back end of the defense. Rangy 6’5 safety Joey O’Brien and elite cornerback Khary Adams draw most of the attention — and rightfully so. Both could very reasonably play their way into five-star rankings this fall. They’re surrounded by another pair of four-stars in Ayden Pouncey, whose brothers both played at Florida, and Rivals300 corner Chaston Smith. Three-star safety Nick Reddish is coming off a leg injury that cost him his entire junior season, but as a sophomore he totaled 95 tackles (3 for loss), 4 interceptions, 10 pass break ups, 4 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles.

Georgia

Nobody recruits defensive backs at quite the level Kirby Smart does — and he has the NFL production to back it up. Despite missing on a couple of their five-star targets, the Bulldogs still have an elite class in the secondary headlined by Justice Fitzpatrick. The younger brother of former Alabama star Minkah Fitzpatrick, he is looking to write his own legacy in Athens. Rivals already ranks him as a borderline five-star, and we could see that ranking continue to go up. He is flanked by four-star cornerbacks Caden Harris (Vanderbilt flip) and Texas-based blue-chipper Chace Calicut.

UGA has also gone deep in the safety room this cycle as well, landing four-stars Jordan Smith, Zech Fort, Tyriq Green, and high three-star Kealan Jones.

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Miami

The Hurricanes are on a short list of schools with five blue-chip secondary commits in the Rivals Industry Ranking this cycle. They don’t feature any top-100 players, but have depth that can match just about anyone. At the top of the list is in-state safety Jaelen Waters out of Armwood (Fla.), who was previously committed to both Florida and Florida State. ‘Canes legacy Camdin Portis is one of the longest-tenured commits in the class for Mario Cristobal and will bring some much needed depth to the cornerback room along with four-stars Jontavius Wyman (Georgia flip) and Brody Jennings (Michigan flip). At the safety spot, Miami went into Georgia and grabbed hard-hitting safety Cortez Redding, too.

Oregon

Dan Lanning and his staff have had as good of a summer as anybody, and their defensive back haul is a big reason for it. In June, they overcame USC, Alabama and plenty of other heavy-hitters to land five-star Jett Washington out of national powerhouse Bishop Gorman (Nev.). He was the Ducks’ second safety pledge, joining Xavier Lherisse out of Florida. They went back to the well in the Sunshine State in early July by beating out Nebraska, Florida, Miami and LSU for premier safety Devin Jackson. And to kick off August, they went ahead and grabbed Rivals’ No. 1 cornerback in the class, Davon Benjamin, for good measure.

Florida State

Tallahassee has long been a destination for some of the country’s top DBs, and Patrick Surtain is looking to return the secondary to its former glory. A big piece of that could come from this recruiting class, which is led by five-star cornerback Chauncey Kennon and Rivals top-50 overall prospect Lawrence Timmons — both of whom committed to FSU this summer. They give the ‘Noles two of the top six CBs in Rivals’ own rankings this cycle and have the potential to be even bigger stock-movers during their senior campaigns. But that’s not all of it. In addition, four-star safeties Tedarius Hughes and Darryl Bell give them a lethal one-two punch in the middle of the field. And big-bodied corner Sean Johnson will be another looking to make an impact early.