Just like the game, the position of corner has been revolutionized. At one point, cornerbacks weren't your first thought of who's most important on the defense, but nowadays it is one of the most important positions to address on the field. A great corner can shift momentum, games and seasons. A terrible corner can make things really simple for an offense. Here's a look at the best 50 corners of East Texas since 2000.
At 6'1 175 pounds, Braelyn Riden provided an imposing presence for the Indians. As a junior, he was tested and often aced that test, bringing down 6 interceptions, along with 5 pass break ups, 5 forced fumbles and 30 tackles. While his senior numbers are not provided, Riden's senior highlight tape is full of a variety of plays. He was incredible in closing speed and pbu's, he showed the same grit in tackling by punching the ball out, and even went over to aid the offense as a deep threat.
It took a little convincing, but we got to this point. After rewatching tape, LaDarius "Ping Ping" Brooks had one of the best senior seasons a player can have. At 5'7 140 pounds, Brooks ferociously competed with the best in the state. He finished the 2009 season with 42 tackles and 7 interceptions, including his insane effort picking off a pass in the State Championship game. His interceptions were instinctual and provided big emotional, momentous shifts in big games.
Jayden Doss got his varsity experience in 2022 with Mount Vernon playing in 3 games and even catching an interception. That experienced helped payoff because in 2023, Doss was absolutely special. Doss showed off an array of skills, picking off 8 passes his junior seasons. Playing with energy, he had a special bounce to him. His senior year, was cut short. In just 5 games, Doss finished the year with 7 pass break ups and 22 tackles.
In his first and only year to start, Rosborough came up with an undeniable stat line that helped him earn 1st Team All-State recognition: 43 tackles, 10 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. He combo'd with Chris Lacy to make one of the more dominant secondaries in Longview history with a school record for interceptions
Back in 2020, Texas High had one of the more physical corners to come through East Texas in Lajontae Wrightner. The Tigers blitzed Wrightner out of condensed formations and had a couple of sacks coming in untouched. Wrightner made my Top 100 List at number 58 in 2020, making plays in a multitude of ways. Wrightner is the biggest hitter on this list, forcing 4 fumbles by physically dislodging the ball away from ball carriers. He was as solid as they come in the run game, and even scored a defensive touchdown from recovering a fumble.
At 6'1 185 pounds, Ivory Brown carried on the legacy of his father, a former NFL Running Back from Palestine, by balling out as a senior. Brown earned All-East Texas honors from Smoaky after a 68 tackle, 6 interceptions, 2 returned for TDS, and 6 pass break up performance. Brown signed with TJC out of high school, but there isn't any information about his college career.
A 2 year letterman, appearing as a nickel and dime corner his junior year. As a senior Lacy finished first team all-district after a 5 interception performance, 1 interception return for a touchdown, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown and 2 blocked kick returns for a touchdown. Lacy's athleticism was his calling card, but his true impact was his ability to turn turnover into immediate points. 4 defensive touchdowns is still a part of a school record that he shares with Travin Howard and Kason Brooks.
Kepha Luster was a 2 year starter at Jefferson in 2016 and 2017. As a junior, Luster was all over the field racking up 88 tackles and 3 interceptions from his corner position. As a senior, Kepha Luster doubled his interceptions. He made 52 tackles, had 6 interceptions, 7 passes broken up, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown.
Donovan Adkins was one of the best playmakers on a Kilgore team that went to the 4th round in 2020. A 3 year letternman, Adkins' senior season was one of the best. Adkins finished #52 on my top 100 list for 2020 after starring both ways at corner and receiver. At corner, he had 74 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 pass breaks ups, 4 blocked kicks, 1 fumble forced and 1 fumble recovery.
At 5'10 180, Shelby Davis made the most of a senior yearorner, intercepting 8 passes and returning 2 of them for touchdowns. He had 54 tackles to go along with that earning a scholarship to play at Sam Houston. Davis started in 2014 for the Bearkats, but after off the field trouble, he did not return to the playing field.
In 2016, Tyler Russell had an incredible season for Malakoff. The senior picked off 11 passes to go along with 12 pass break ups and 69 tackles. At 6'2 and a high jump champion, Russell had an incredible skillset, and for some reason teams kept throwing it his way that year. Russell signed with Angelo State to play receiver and participate in track as well.
Kenneth Timmons was the most consistent defender on a Lufkin team that went 10-2 in 2024. Timmons has incredible closing speed, driving to the football and catching it, and knowing what to do with it after the catches it. He excelled in zone coverage, always Johnny on the spot, at the right place and right time in 2024. Timmons caught at least 5 interceptions in the 2024 season, and because Lufkin is in the 1900s still, there's no stats listed for him for 2024.
A 3 year letterman for Coach Outlaw, D-Terry used a big senior year to catapult himself into D1 status and jump players on this list. As a senior Terry had 56 tackles and 5 interceptions. He was named All-State for that performance. Terry went on to sign with Louisiana Tech, but there's no recollection of his stats.
Sergio Rodriguez was a lightening bolt for PG back in 2019. The team's best receiver as well, Rodriguez was a busy man on Friday Nights. Using his electric speed and lively hops, Rodriguez came away with 33 tackles, 6 interceptions, 3 returned for touchdowns and had 10 pass break ups. Rodriguez was a strong point of a defense that included Landon Jackson, Marcus Burris, and Nick Martin. Helluva group.
McGee was the leader of the defense from a vocal standpoint at the corner position. A 32 game career starter, McGee had 10 career interceptions including an explosive senior year that led him to being 2nd team All-State. As a junior, McGee finished with 75 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 fumble recoveries 5 pass break ups, and 3 interceptions. As a senior, McGee came back with another 60 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 fumbles forced, 3 fumbles recovered, a whopping 21 pass break ups and 7 interceptions. All this for a man that's 5'4 145 pounds.
In 2021, Michael Thomas was shut down. He was a tremendous coverage guy for Texas High and was highly competitive. His senior year, Michael came down with 8 interceptions to go along with 65 tackles, 54 of them solo, and 15 pass break ups. Thomas is a guy you'd have to watch to truly appreciate. He had incredible technique, but most importantly not only was he going to play the ball, he was going to catch it. He finished as the #33 player on my Top 100 List for 2021.
Colbert played quarterback his senior year, but as a junior he was an All-East Texas corner after 54 tackles, 3 for loss, 6 interceptions, 7 pass break ups, 2 fumbles forced and 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 blocked kicks. His quarterback numbers aren't great, but in 2013 he was good enough to help lead the Bulldogs to an All-East Texas State Championship game, where they eventually lost to Carthage.
At 6'3 187 lbs. Woods brought incredible length to the corner position. Woods' senior year was a huge one. He finished the year with 48 tackles, 7 interceptions, 28 pass break ups, 2 blocked kicks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 defensive touchdown.
Walker took advantage of a huge senior year in 2014 making 52 tackles, 9 interceptions, 5 pass break ups, 1 forced fumble and scoring 2 defensive touchdowns. That effort was good enough to land him 1st Team All-State as well as 1st Team All-East Texas
Typically I ignore 1A stats, but Duncan's numbers cannot be denied. As a junior he had 52 tackles, 4 for loss, 9 interceptions, 1 for a touchdown, 2 forced fumbles. His senior year he had 55 tackles, 4 for loss, 8 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries. Two first team All-State bids and two first team All-East Texas bids make you top 10.
Back when the Panthers ran east Texas, they had a couple of lockdown corners on their roster. As a junior in 2002, Shepherd had 52 tackles, 4 interceptions and 8 pass break ups. As a senior he had 67 tackles and 6 interceptions. A 2 time All-District player, this Panther is worthy of the recognition. Shepherd signed with Rice University out of Lufkin and was a baller for the Owls as well. At Rice Shepherd was a 4 year contributor, making 134 tackles over that time period and picking off 6 passes.
Playing in the early 2000s, the ball was rarely tossed around in comparison to now. For a man to have 7 interceptions now days is remarkable, in those days down right gaudy. According to lobohistory.com Hollis finished 2001 with 7 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries, for a talented 2001 defense that carried the Lobos to a 7-5 record that season.
As a junior, Brandon King tatted his name in the brains of Carthage Bulldog fans everywhere as he gave them a dream season on the way to the State Championship. King had 9 interceptions, including 2 pick 6's in the state title game, to go along with 53 tackles, 2 for loss and 5 pass break ups. Word got around that King was pretty good, and he rarely got tested as a senior. King had 24 tackles, 8 pass break ups, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, returning one of each to the endzone.
Wright is known for his play-making ability as a receiver for the Titans and Baylor Bears, but in high school Wright played quarterback and cornerback. Wright was first team All-East Texas in 2007 after an honorable mention all-state performance at both positions his junior and senior year. In his senior year, Wright had 33 tackles, 5 interceptions, four fumble recoveries and 2 defensive touchdowns.
In 2004 Lufkin's pair of corners went 1st and 2nd Team All-East Texas. Dixon went 2nd team, but according to Rivals.com, was perhaps the best player on that Lufkin squad. Dixon went to Texas A&M and switched positions to safety. His first two years in college he finished with 29 tackles, but when he became the starter his junior year his numbers jumped. Dixon had 77 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 sacks and 3 pass break ups his junior year. He came back his senior year even stronger, finishing with 94 tackles and 2 pass break ups.
Mekhi Colbert played both corner and safety during his career for the Bulldogs, but after his junior season, it's hard to tell which position he was better than. Colbert was a dude. That year he finished with 4 interceptions, 2 of em returned back to the end zone. He had a punt return he housed, on top of playing offense and having 20 catches and 3 offensive touchdowns. His junior highlight tape is absolutely special, as Colbert made Honey Badger esque plays. As a senior, Colbert balled on offense and defense. Defensively he was a safety and the dude was everywhere. Offensively, he was a receiver, wildcat and any other way they could think of getting him the ball. Mekhi Colbert's a baller.
Ked Harper is a two time All-Smoaky member, and finished #15 for me on my Top 100 Players List in 2022. At 6'2, Harper never got topped, and with a great pair of hands, brought in most passes that were thrown his way. As a junior, Harper's numbers were modest. He had 26 tackles, 10 pass breaks ups and 2 interceptions, 1 he returned for a touchdown. As a senior, it all came together. He finished with 43 tackles, 5 interceptions, 12 pass break ups and 1 tackle for loss.
Nick Sanders was lightening from his corner position and an absolute baller for Kilgore back in 2004. At 5'8 180, Sanders used his will and speed to make plays for the Bulldogs. He finished his career with 8 interceptions while in high school, and is mostly known for blocking and scoring the potential game winning kick against Dallas Lincoln in 2OT of the State Championship game. Sanders signed with TCU out of Kilgore and was a baller for the Horned Frogs as well. A 4 year starter, Sanders put together a 42 game starting streak during his 50 game starting career. He finished with 6 career interceptions, 32 passes broken up and 143 tackles for his career.
As a sophomore Willie Andrews impacted the field as a defensive back, blocking a punt that was key to Longview defeating DeSoto in 1999. He finished that sophomore season with 2 interceptions and made several PBUs. Willie's junior season saw him with the ball more often playing more offense at running back and receiver than the year before while also returning punts and kickoffs. Andrews finished his junior year with 3 interceptions. As a senior Willie stayed on offense. He went on to Baylor where he was an eventual 7th round draft pick as a safety and kick returner. He caught 3 interception during his time in Waco.
Kris Boyd, current member of the NY Jets, seems pretty low for an NFL corner, but that's because Kris was more of a running back during his time for the Buckeyes. As a senior, Boyd in split time made 43 tackles, 32 of them solo, 2 interceptions and 4 passes broken up. As a junior, Boyd had 26 tackles, forced 2 fumbles and recovered one of them. As a sophomore, Boyd had 18 tackles and a forced fumble. At the University of Texas Boyd was a four year contributor, starter 33 of the 51 games he played in. He had 191 career tackles at Texas, 4 interceptions, 40 pbus, forced 4 fumbles and recovered 3.
Jayden Sanders was a staple in the Kilgore secondary for the past 3 seasons. At 6'2 180 pounds he offers a physical presence that most teams avoid. He's a top flight high school receiver as well, and those ball skills he displays on offense show up on the defensive side as well. Jayden is a two time member of top 100, coming in at 15 as a junior and 12 as a senior. As a sophomore, Sanders had 47 tackles, 4 pbus and 1 interception. As a junior, teams learned to stay away from him. He had 26 tackles, 4 pbus and 3 interceptions. As a senior, Sanders had 46 tackles, 14 pbus and 3 interceptions. He's taking his talents to Ann Arbor and we'll see how his career unfolds with the Wolverines.
The Prep All-American and two-time all-stater, Brown was a legend on both ends of the field. As a sophomore he was a full-time starter at cornerback notching 46 tackles, 18 pass break ups and 5 interceptions. As a junior he was more active on the offensive end, but still managed to record 15 tackles and 5 pass break ups. As a senior Brown rarely was tested but had 25 tackles his senior year. Brown played solely corner at Texas. There he played in 52 games, starting the final 28. At Texas he was an All-Conference player and drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 4th round.
As a free safety Carr pulled down 2 interceptions, but after a rare midseason loss to Mesquite Horn, Carr was moved to cornerback. The next game against Rockwall, Jalen picked off the Yellowjackets 3 times. He finished his senior season with 70 tackles, 3 for loss, 10 interceptions, 5 pass break ups, 1 sack, and 3 blocked kicks. That effort was good enough for him to be named first team All-State as well as East-Texas.
As a junior, the 6'2 165 lbs. Fuller locked down. As a junior he finished with 54 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries, 1 going for a touchdown. That big year led him to being named honorable mention all-state, as well as 1st Team All-East Texas. As a senior, Fuller was rarely tested, only amassing 52 tackles, 2 interceptions, one forced fumble and 7 pass break ups. Fuller went on to Texas A&M where he was a career reserve. He transferred after the Covid season to Tulsa and got his opportunity to start. His last season in college Fuller had 42 tackles, 4.5 for loss with 3 interceptions and 10 pass breaks ups. He got an opportunity with the Bills in 2022.
Terry Bussey was a 2 way star for 4 years at Terry Bussey. His first two years he was the star of Bussey Island at corner. As a freshman, Bussey put the world on notice with a 52 tackle, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 10 interceptions, 3 pick 6's, and 9 pass break ups. As a sophomore, Bussey played corner and finished with 73 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 forced fumbles and 7 interceptions. His last two seasons, Bussey played safety. Junior year: 115 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 fumble recoveries, 5 interceptions, 4 pick 6's and 6 pass break ups. The Texas A&M Aggie finished his HS career with 85 tackles, 1 fr, 3 pass break ups, to go with 7 interceptions and 3 pick 6's. In 2024, Bussey played for Texas A&M as an offensive weapon.
The truth and not a fable. Willie is the best defensive back to play at Longview since Bobby Taylor. As a sophomore in 2021, Willie exploded on the scene with 76 tackles, 8 interceptions, 2 pick 6's, and returned 2 punts for a TD as well. As a junior, Willie began to split time at safety and corner based off of team need. Nelson picked off another 5 passes to go along with 80 tackles and a pick 6. To end his career, Nelson played dual spots again, finishing his senior year with 50 tackles, 6 picks, 2 for TDS, and 6 pbus. 19 career interceptions, 5 career pick 6's, 3 punt returns for a touchdown, and 206 career tackles.
A 3 year letterman and 3 star prospect, Van Zant recorded incredible numbers through his tenure at Tyler Lee. He finished his career with 21 interceptions, and had 39 tackles and 10 pass break ups as a senior on his way to being named All-District, and All-East Texas. Van Zant started 2 and a half years at Oklahoma State. He had 2 career interceptions, both his junior year and 128 tackles throughout his career.
In 2000 as a junior, Ross had 3 defensive touchdowns to go along with 5 interceptions. As a senior in 2001, Ross made second team All-State after 6 interceptions, 3 blocked kicks, 3 fumble recoveries and only giving up 1 touchdown all season. At Texas, Aaron Ross won the Thorpe Award, the nation's best defensive back, and was a first round draft pick by the New York Giants. As a junior, Ross carried the ball 46 times for 350 yards and 5 touchdowns, while catching 5 passes for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns, while leading the Lions to the state final. Ross's senior year numbers are difficult to track, but he had a career high 362 all-purpose yards against Katy his senior year. He had 272 total yards and 2 touchdowns against Marshall that year as well. Ross went on to win the Thorpe Award in college at Texas, and was a first round pick and Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants.
The numbers weren't easy to find, but anytime a man is a two time First Team All-East Texas selection, he's probably one of the most dominant corners in school history. In 2004 Hewitt caught 11 interceptions and back-doored that performance with 8 interceptions as a senior. On top of being All-East Texas he was First Team All-State in 2004 and 2005.
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