Skip to main content
High School

Meet Oregon's Top 25 High School Football Defensive Backs Entering the 2026 Season

From nationally recruited cornerbacks to small-school ballhawks, these are the 25 defensive backs expected to make the biggest impact across Oregon this fall.
René Ferrán|
West Linn's Josiah Molden is one of the West Coast's top cover cornerbacks and has committed to the University of Oregon.
West Linn's Josiah Molden is one of the West Coast's top cover cornerbacks and has committed to the University of Oregon.

Championship defenses are built on elite play in the secondary, and Oregon returns plenty of standout defensive backs entering the 2026 season.

Similar to our previous lists on lineman and linebackers, this group includes nationally recruited football stars to small-school standouts, these 25 playmakers — shutdown cornerbacks, ballhawking safeties, and the hybrids coveted by college scouts who can cover in space and fill holes in the run game — are among the best of Oregon’s secondary players to watch this fall.

Blue-Chippers Who’ll Shine on Saturdays Next Year

CB Malachi Garlington, Nelson, senior

Garlington has committed to play receiver next year at the University of Oregon, but the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder was also a second-team all-Mt. Hood Conference selection in the secondary.

CB Josiah Molden, West Linn, senior

Molden has been one of the top cover corners on the West Coast since arriving at West Linn as a freshman, but after committing to Oregon in April, the 6-foot, 175-pounder who had 35 tackles, 12 pass breakups and an interception while earning his third 6A all-state selection has worked to recoup from a knee injury suffered in the Lions’ state semifinal loss to Central Catholic.

CB Barry Myles, Sheldon, senior

Myles is one of the more underrated prospects in the state, recently committing to Eastern Washington following a junior season in which the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder allowed only three catches while making 21 tackles, breaking up nine passes and intercepting three.

S Lincoln Teeney, Silverton, senior

The Mid-Willamette Conference defensive player of the year and first-team all-state selection missed the Foxes’ final three games during their 5A championship run after breaking his foot in practice the Monday before their quarterfinal win over Wilsonville, but the 5-foot-11, 185-pound University of Idaho commit had 35 tackles (eight for loss), 10 pass breakups and three interceptions before suffering his injury.

S Ben Wiepert, Wilsonville, senior

The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is the younger brother of former Gatorade player of the year Mark Wiepert, and after making a team-high 137 tackles and forcing three fumbles as a junior, Ben committed to the University of New Mexico in June.

Don’t Throw on These Corners

CB Sean Bour-Nelson, Lakeridge, senior

Bour-Nelson is a 6-foot, 165-pound legacy prospect — his grandfather, Darrin Nelson, is a College Football Hall of Famer who recently retired as athletic director at Cal Irvine, while his father, JD, played for Oregon — who had 19 tackles, eight pass breakups and two interceptions as a junior. 

CB TyVelle Hill, Roosevelt, sophomore

The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Hill is a two-sport standout for the Roughriders, making the all-PIL first team in the secondary last year while also drawing interest as a basketball prospect.

CB Jackson Morris, Tigard, senior

First-year Tigers coach Will Whitley will count on the versatility of Morris, a 5-foot-10, 175-pounder who plays mostly outside but can slide to safety or into the slot, as he looks to rebound from last year’s 1-8 campaign.

CB Sorne Olsen, Hillsboro, senior

Olsen is another jack-of-all-trades who was a first-team all-Northwest Oregon Conference selection at cornerback and received all-NWOC honors at four positions, with the 6-foot, 160-pounder making 18 tackles with two interceptions last fall.

CB Lincoln Schmidt, Glencoe, senior

The 6-foot, 180-pounder played a big part in the Crimson Tide winning their most games since 2009, finishing with three interceptions in becoming their first underclassman to earn first-team all-Pacific Conference honors in the secondary in at least 15 years.

Safeties to Watch in the Portland Area

S Caleb Bailie, Westview, senior

Bailie moved from middle linebacker to the secondary last year, where the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder made the all-Metro League first team at safety with 38 tackles. 

S Summit Cvitash, Lake Oswego, senior

Cvitash missed five games due to injury but still earned first-team all-Three Rivers League honors, and the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder returned for the 6A semifinals to help the Lakers win the state title as the nickelback finished with 15 tackles (four for loss), three pass breakups and two interceptions.

S Nolan Eilers, Jesuit, senior

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is on college recruiting radars in both basketball and football, earning second-team all-Metro League honors in the secondary last fall.

S Mason Frederickson, Sandy, senior

Frederickson is starting to draw interest from several NAIA and Division III schools after the 6-foot, 185-pounder made his second all-Mt. Hood Conference first team last fall and earned third-team 6A all-state honors with 74 tackles, 10 pass breakups and three interceptions.

S Carter Lemon, Tualatin, junior

Lemon is another basketball prospect — a top combo guard who helped the Timberwolves win the 6A state title in March — who also shines on the gridiron, with the 5-foot-10, 150-pounder making the all-Three Rivers League second team with 60 tackles and two interceptions.

S Greyson Murff, Lincoln, senior

Murff showed off his athleticism as a sophomore when he won the 6A state title in the discus, then last fall was a two-way first-team all-PIL selection, finishing with 1,105 all-purpose yards while making 39 tackles as a strong safety with two interceptions and a forced fumble.

S Shane Peters, West Linn, senior

Peters’ explosiveness was on display on special teams, where he returned two punts for touchdowns, and a season-ending knee injury in mid-October wasn’t enough to keep the 5-foot-8, 170-pounder from receiving first-team all-Three Rivers League honors.

Expanding Horizons Outside the Suburbs

CB Brevik Hill, Grants Pass, senior

Hill is better known as one of the state’s top receivers, earning South Central Athletic Conference offensive player of the year and first-team 6A all-state honors, but the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder also was an honorable mention selection on defense.

S Seraph Homann, Ridgeview, junior

Homann is a 5-foot-9, 160-pound hybrid linebacker/safety who made the all-Intermountain Conference first team last season with 72 tackles (six for loss), seven pass breakups and an interception.

FS D’Mariyae Ireland, North Eugene, senior

Ireland’s breakout season in the secondary last season led to him earning first-team all-Midwestern League honors and 5A all-state honorable mention, when the 5-foot-11, 155-pounder made 61 tackles with two interceptions.

FS Quinn Piquette, Thurston, junior

Piquette was one of the highlights of the Colts’ youth movement that helped them recapture the Midwestern League title, earning first-team all-league and third-team 5A all-state with 36 tackles (two for loss).

Small-School Standouts in the Spotlight

SS Jorge Cruz, Taft, senior

Cruz followed up a season in which he made the 3A all-state team as a sophomore by earning first-team all-district honors last year, when the 5-foot-10, 165-pounder made 95 tackles (three for loss), broke up two passes, forced two fumbles and blocked two punts. 

CB Josiah Hawkins, Cascade, senior

Hawkins made the all-state first team at three positions last fall for the 4A state champions, moving up from the second team in the secondary as a sophomore as the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder finished with 42 tackles, eight pass breakups and five interceptions and received his first FBS offer from Boise State.

CB Tripp Stewart, Heppner, senior

The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Stewart was a two-way first-team all-state selection for the 2A runner-up Mustangs, making 34 tackles (three for loss), seven pass breakups and six interceptions in the secondary.

SS Bryson Walker, Cascade Christian, senior

The Southern Oregon Conference defensive player of the year and two-time first-team all-state selection helped lead the Challengers to the 3A title, with the 5-foot-6, 165-pounder making 66 tackles (5.5 for loss), breaking up 12 passes, forcing four fumbles and intercepting two passes.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
René Ferrán
RENÉ FERRÁN

René Ferrán has written about high school sports in the Pacific Northwest since 1993, with his work featured at the Idaho Press Tribune, Tri-City Herald, Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, The Columbian and The Oregonian before he joined SBLive Sports in 2020.

Home/Oregon