Texas high school cornerbacks you should know entering the 2025 football season: vote for the best

We've compiled some of the best cornerbacks in Texas, and now it's your turn to vote for the best

Levi Payton | Jul 28, 2025

Jermaine Bishop (7) is one of the top returning cornerbacks in Texas in 2025. / Photo by Tom Dendy, SBLive

Do you want to hear something that won’t surprise you? Texas has another deep class of DBs expected back for the 2025 season.

While colleague Cody Thorn will handle Texas’ top returners at safety, we’ve broken down more than 60 cornerbacks across the Lone Star State that you should be aware of entering the new campaign – from five-star recruits to up-and-coming talents that are sure to climb the rankings between now and graduation day.

After you check out these notable returners, be sure to cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of the page for which one you think will have the best season in 2025. Voting will remain open until midnight on Monday, Aug. 4.

Please note this is not an overall ranking, as each player is listed in alphabetical order.

LeBron Bauer, sr., Allen

A third team all-state selection, Bauer is an impact player. Teams don’t throw it his way much, but he still came away with eight breakups, picked off two passes, and stuck his nose in on 36 tackles as a junior. On special teams he blocked a punt and added over 200 return yards. He holds 13 collegiate offers.

Jermaine Bishop, sr., Willis

One of the most pure athletes in the country, Bishop is a five-star recruit who committed to Texas back in May after mulling 24 Division I offers. You won’t find a ton of five-star recruits who play both ways, but Bishop does. A 1,500-yard receiver who is also one of our top returners at that position, at corner he also recorded 26 tackles, picked off three passes, broke up six passes, forced two fumbles and recovered one despite teams not throwing the ball his way very often.

Maliek Bracy, sr., Argyle

A three-star recruit by 247Sports, Bracy held 21 Division I offers before committing to Memphis on June 15. He also excels in track and field at Argyle, where the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder long-jumped 22-feet, 4-inches as a junior, was clocked in the 200 at 24.69 and runs a 4.5 40. That explosiveness blends well with his athleticism on the gridiron, where he recorded 44 tackles (two for loss) to go along with five interceptions last season – including one pick-6 – en route to earning Class 5A all-state honorable mention.

Jason Bradford, sr., Temple

TCU faithful were pretty stoked when Bradford gave the Horned frogs his commitment back on June 17. He’s the No. 21 cornerback in the nation, and No. 34 overall prospect in Texas, per 247Sports, after a junior campaign that saw him record 37 tackles (three for loss) with four interceptions.

DaQuwan Dunn, sr., Richardson Berkner

A three-star recruit who committed to Arizona State in May, Dunn’s best football is likely still ahead of him. A two-way player who also gets reps at receiver, he is a physical corner who swallows up receivers off the line with his 6-foot-1 frame and long arms.

Braylon Edwards, sr., Duncanville

An Army All-American and three-time all-district selection, Edwards (6-0, 187) is a four-star recruit who committed to SMU over Auburn, Utah, Arkansas and North Carolina. In all, he held a staggering 41 Division I offers and returns for his final season at Duncanville after racking up 43 tackles (one for loss) with seven pass breakups and a fumble recovery as a junior.

Ryan “Deuce” Gilbert II, sr., North Forney

SMU did a fantastic job in securing commitments from both Gilbert II, a three-star, and four-star Braylon Edwards. At 6-0, 180, Gilbert is a physical corner who plays bigger than his size. Teams don’t throw the ball his way much, but he got involved anyway with 44 tackles (32 solo, three for loss), three pass breakups and forced a fumble.

Marcell Gipson Jr., sr., Dallas South Oak Cliff

The Gipson family could practically start their own DB University. Gipson’s father played cornerback at Wyoming and his uncle, Tashaun Gipson, is a former Pro Bowl safety who played 11 seasons in the NFL. Clemson secured Gipson Jr.’s commitment back in March, beating out 28 other DI offers to secure him. Playing on a stacked defense at South Oak Cliff, he will be trying to get his squad back to the Texas 5A-Division II title game for a fifth consecutive time.

Jaylen Gordon, sr., North Richland Hills Richland

Gordon (5-10, 170) had a wildly productive junior season that saw him stack up 59 tackles (30 solo, four for loss) with two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups. He also stood out on special teams with three blocked field goals, three kick return touchdowns and 685 return yards. He holds offers from Arizona State, Baylor, SMU and UTEP.

Xavier Harmon, sr., Conroe

It’s tough enough to get open against a corner as big and talented as Harmon, who stands in at 6-2, 183. It’s even tougher when the player is as smart and instinctual as Harmon. Still, teams test the Stanford commit and it usually doesn’t end up well for them when they do. He’s a top-notch prospect and a huge part of the Tigers’ talented defense.

Xaier Hiler, sr., Denton Billy Ryan

He helped the Raiders reach the 5A-Division I state quarterfinals last year while racking up 31 tackles and picking off five passes. A three-star recruit, Hiler (6-4, 180) is also a track and field star who clocked 11.47 last year in the 100. He held nine Division I offers before committing to Arizona on June 16. He is the No. 38 corner in the country, per 247Sports.

Montre Jackson, jr., Garland Lakeview Centennial

His rocket ascension at the cornerback position has been something to behold. In only his second year playing corner, Jackson (6-1, 175) allowed only seven catches on 17 targets and two touchdowns as a sophomore. He also had 35 tackles (21 solo) with nine pass breakups, one interception and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. A four-star recruit, he holds 37 Division I offers and is ranked the No. 20 junior cornerback in the country and No. 30 overall in Texas, per 247Sports.

Brock King, sr., Port Arthur Memorial

A 9-5A-Division I first team all-district selection and TCU commit (July 4), King (5-9, 178) is also a sprinter at Memorial who clocked an 11.27 100. His speed, physicality and elite athleticism helped him lock down his side of the boundary all season and helped his squad reach the second round of the 5A-Division I playoffs. The three-star commit held 26 Division I offers before making his decision.

Victor Lincoln Jr., sr., Duncanville

Originally committed to Oklahoma State, Lincoln flipped his commitment to Arkansas on June 30. He also flipped high schools this summer – from Lancaster to three-time state champion and 2024 state semifinalist Duncanville. He joins forces with a loaded Panthers defense that held opposing offenses to 14 points per game last season.

S’Vioarean Martin, sr., Palestine

A four-star recruit and the No. 26 2026 cornerback in the country by 247Sports, Martin (6-2, 185) racked up 40 tackles, broke up nine passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble as a junior. The Navy All-American also plays receiver at Palestine and is a standout sprinter in track. He held 15 Division I offers before committing to Texas Tech on June 19.

Taelyn Mayo, jr., Lewisville

A consensus four-star recruit, Mayo is rated the No. 14 cornerback in the country by 247Sports and ESPN, No. 16 by On3 and No. 25 by Rivals. The Under Armour Next All-American is expected to be a huge piece to the defensive puzzle for the Farmers in 2025. He holds 28 DI offers.

Mikhail McCreary, jr., San Antonio Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson

A four-star prospect with 13 Division I offers, McCreary put opposing offenses on notice when he was named 27-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year on the heels of a monster sophomore season. In 10 games he collected 46 tackles (22 solo), picked off three passes and had nine pass breakups. He will be back to help the Jaguars build off their 10-2 finish.

Isaiah McMillian, sr., Katy

A three-star recruit, McMillian’s size (6-1, 171), athleticism and 4.4 speed allows him to keep up with about any receiver. An elite sprinter with a 10.72 in the 100, he held 29 Division I offers and took nine visits before announcing his commitment to Kentucky on June 22. A lockdown defender, he returns to a Tigers squad that went 11-2 and reached the regionals of the 6A-DI playoffs.

John Meredith III, jr., Euless Trinity

As a highly touted five-star recruit, the consensus No. 1 cornerback in the 2027 class and top 5 player in the country by ESPN, Rivals and On3, Meredith (6-2, 170) is a key returner for Euless Trinity who impacts a game with his 4.32 speed every time he’s on the field. He earned 4-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors in 2024, and this summer was named No Fly Zone MVP after he had a notable 105-yard pick-six in a 7-on-7 game during the UA Next Future 50.

Jerry Oathouse Jr., jr., North Crowley

A four-star recruit who recently transferred from Fort Worth Brewer, he joins North Crowley rated by 247Sports as the No. 9 cornerback in the 2027 class, No. 9 prospect in the state and No. 56 player in the nation, Oathouse Jr. (6-1, 175) broke out as a sophomore at Brewer, where he racked up 44 tackles (three for loss), had 13 pass breakups, forced a fumble, picked off five passes and returned one for a touchdown. He holds 34 Division I offers.

Zachary Taylor, sr., Katy Jordan

A two-year varsity starter and first team all-district defensive back, Taylor’s 4.39 speed on his 6-2, 180 frame allows him to excel in man-coverage – which is exclusively what the defense ran last season. The three-star Wisconsin commit with 4.43 speed racked up a whopping 60 tackles, including 40 solo and three for loss, forced a fumble, had 12 pass breakups, intercepted one pass and returned it for a touchdown.

Jamarion Vincent, sr., Waco Connally

While most corners who play both ways tend to play receiver, Vincent is the rare four-star corner who is also a dual-threat quarterback who passed for 1,123 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 818 yards and nine TDs. At corner he had 34 tackles (two for loss), an interception, returned a fumble for a touchdown, broke up eight passes and returned a kick for a touchdown. He committed to Baylor on Jan. 30.

Kai Wheaton, sr., Allen

Football runs in the family. Wheaton is the son of former Oregon Ducks and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kenny Wheaton and the cousin of former NFL wide receiver Markus Wheaton and Southern Miss defensive back Marquese Wheaton. Kai is a

Trenton Blaylock, jr., Humble Atascocita

A lockdown corner with tremendous speed (he is also a sprinter at Atascocita), Blaylock was born with football in his blood. He’s the son of former Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets running back Derrick Blaylock, and the brother of former Wisconsin DB Travian Blaylock and Sam Houston State and Lindenwood DB Taylen Blaylock. A three-star recruit, Trenton has at least 10 DI offers, including Texas, SMU, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Ole Miss, Arizona, among others, and picked up a recent offer from Pittsburgh.

Jack Duckworth, sr., Rockwall

While he spent the bulk of his time at receiver last season, Duckworth also got reps at corner for 6-6 Rockwall and came away with one interception. He committed to Stanford on June 5 after mulling 16 DI offers. He should have a more prominent role in the defensive backfield in 2025.

Other notable returners

Garrett Ashurst, jr., Wheeler

Amiri Barnes, sr., Cy Springs (Texas State)

Luke Bell, sr., New Braunfels Canyon (Texas Tech)

Lovie Berry, sr., Richardson

Izaiah Cabrales, jr., Calhoun

Dylan Davis, sr., Lewisville

Marrel Davis III, sr., Humble Summer Creek (Texas State)

Maddox Deleon, jr., Tuloso-Midway

Trevor Floyd, jr., Edna

Brandon Ford, sr., Crowley (Oklahoma State)

Jeremy Garner, sr., Iowa Colony

Grayson Hardy, jr., Sulphur Springs

James Henderson, sr., Cypress Falls (Rice)

Davin Hill, sr., Mansfield Timberview (UTSA)

Karnell “Greedy” James Jr., jr., Manvel

Antonio Johnson, sr., Fort Worth Arlington Heights (BYU)

Noah Lewis, sr., Terrell (Texas Tech)

Brenden Logan, sr., Killeen Shoemaker

Colt Matlock, jr., Brock

Dhillon “Sauce” McGee, jr., Red Oak

Tyrece McMillan, soph., Diboll

Austin Olivas, jr., Seminole

Jaylan Palmer, jr., Brookshire Royal

Kolton Prox, soph., Grand Saline

Yaheim Riley, jr., Austin LBJ

Brandon Sherrard, jr., Pearland Shadow Creek

Mahamadou Siby, sr., Trophy Club Byron Nelson (Wake Forest)

Branson Simental, soph., Ropes

Jake Simper, jr., Shiner

Kayden Steptoe, sr., College Station A&M Consolidated

Jett Taylor, jr., Grand Saline

Mark Tullous, jr., Peaster

Josiah Turner, sr., North Forney

Jaden Vaughn, sr., Cy-Fair (Northwestern)

Josiah Vilmael, sr., Fort Bend Travis (Oklahoma State)

Caden Ward, sr., La Marque (Army)

Dylan Waters, sr., Fort Bend Marshall (Utah)

Jayvion White, jr., Little River Academy