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Vote for Ponce Law's Preseason Top DB for 2026 TSSAA football season The Tennessean ranked the top 20 Nashville area defensive backs returning for the 2026 TSSAA football season.
Now, you get to choose the best.
Vote for the Ponce Law 2026 Preseason Top Defensive Back.
Voting will close Thursday at noon.
Rankings are based on 2025 statistics, strength of schedule, observations, recruiting interest, and coach feedback.
Players are listed by their grade for the 2025-26 school year.
ReMello Armstrong, FRA, So.: Armstrong, whose offers include Tennessee, Arkansas, Michigan and Kentucky, recorded 42 tackles, two TFLs and one interception as a freshman in Division II-AA.
Antonio Batey, Maplewood, Jr.: Batey had four interceptions, 12 pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss and 36 tackles as a sophomore.
Braylen Bedford, Brentwood Academy, Jr.: Bedford, a four-star transfer from Vardaman (Mississippi), is the No.
2 player in Tennessee from the 2028 class and the No.
6 safety nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.
His offers include Indiana, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Oregon.
He had 69 tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception last season.
He also compiled 1,067 total yards and seven TDs.
Christian Blivens, Lipscomb Academy, Jr.: Blivens, who has offers from Miami (Ohio) and Columbia, recorded one interception, 58 tackles and one tackle for loss last season.
Jamari Brown, Columbia, Jr.: Brown, who has an offer from Murray State, recorded six interceptions as a sophomore.
Will Butler, Green Hill, Sr.: Butler was last years Region 4-6A MVP at safety.
He logged six interceptions, 12 pass breakups, 78 tackles and three sacks.
His offers include MTSU, Chattanooga, Liberty, Marshall and Charlotte.
Jermaine Cobbins, Springfield, Jr.: Cobbins is a five-star prospect ranked as the No.
1 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and the No.
3 cornerback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.
He totaled 1,186 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs on offense, adding 41 tackles, one TFL, one interception returned for a TD, one fumble recovery and a forced fumble on defense.
His offers include Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Hudson Fuqua, Riverdale, Sr.: Fuqua, the co-Region 3-6A Defensive Back of the Year and a three-star Mississippi State commitment, finished with three interceptions, six pass breakups, four TFLs, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and 87 tackles.
Hes the No.
36 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Cole Hackett, Smith County, Sr.: Hackett intercepted five passes to go with 54 tackles and a forced fumble as a junior.
Evan Kellum, BGA, Jr.: Kellum, whose offers include Boston College, Washington, Memphis, Liberty and UT-Martin, recorded six interceptions as a sophomore.
Romel Koon, Brentwood Academy, Sr.: Koon, a three-star prospect, recorded 42 tackles, 36 solo stops, three TFLs, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.
His offers include Indiana, Florida State, Florida, Arkansas, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon and Vanderbilt.
Brandon Leavell, Goodpasture, Sr.: Leavell, a Tennessee commitment, is the No.
22 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and No.
31 athlete nationally.
Leavell caught 35 passes for 735 yards and 12 TDs as a junior.
He had four interceptions at cornerback and was a Division II-AA Middle All-Region selection.
Landan Left, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: Left, one of the areas top return threats, recorded 56 tackles, 33 solo stops, one TFL, three interceptions, one interception for a TD, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
His offers include Memphis, Arkansas State, Marshall, Liberty, MTSU and Western Kentucky.
Amari Mitchell, Whites Creek, Sr.: Mitchell, whose offers include East Carolina and Arkansas State, recorded one interception, three pass breakups and 51 tackles at FRA last season.
KeVontae Pitts, East Nashville, Sr.: Pitts, a three-star Mississippi State commitment, is the No.
46 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class.
He had three interceptions, eight pass breakups and 58 tackles last season.
Troy Porties, Brentwood Academy, Sr.: Porties, the 2025 Division II-AAA West Region Defensive MVP, logged 19 tackles, 17 solo stops, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
His offers include Miami (Ohio), Southern Miss and Nicholls State.
Cason Reed, East Nashville, Sr.: Reed logged two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 50 tackles last season.
His offers include Austin Peay, Arkansas State, Charlotte, ETSU and North Alabama.
Tristan Thornton, Blackman, Sr.: Thornton recorded four interceptions, six pass breakups, 10 TFLs, three forced fumbles and 58 tackles last season.
Sucory Weathers, Smyrna, Sr.: Weathers recorded 30 tackles, two interceptions, five pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Wyatt Wooten, Clarksville, Sr.: Wooten recorded five interceptions, three TFLs, one forced fumble and 57 tackles as a junior.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean.
Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at [email protected] and on the X platform,@tpalmateer83.
He also contributes to The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg.Subscribe to The Bootleg here.