DeKalb County has built a reputation for producing some of Georgia’s premier corners, and the 2026 season is no different. This year’s group features lockdown cover corners, instinctive ball hawks, and physical defenders capable of changing games with a single play. Whether it’s taking away an opponent’s top receiver or creating turnovers, these five defensive backs have established themselves as the best in the county entering the season.
1. Aaryn Chastine | Jr. | Stephenson | 6’1”, 170 lbs
You might glance at Stephenson three-star cornerback Aaryn Chastine’s stat line and wonder how he’s ranked as DeKalb County’s top corner entering his junior season. The answer is simple: quarterbacks rarely throw in his direction.
After just one varsity season, Chastine has already earned the respect of opposing offenses. When teams do challenge him, he makes them pay. As a sophomore, he totaled 30 tackles and intercepted two passes—returning both for touchdowns.
Standing nearly 6-foot-2 with outstanding length, Chastine possesses the ideal frame to play cornerback at a high level. He thrives in man coverage thanks to his physicality, consistently wins at the line of scrimmage, and is one of the county’s most reliable open-field tacklers. His discipline is equally impressive, as he rarely bites on double moves and stays locked into receivers throughout their routes.
Expect Chastine to be the leader of Stephenson’s secondary and one of the state’s premier defensive backs this fall.
2. Rodney Benton | Sr. | Towers | 5’7” | Weight Not Listed
Despite being one of the smallest defensive backs in DeKalb County, Rodney Benton continues to prove that instincts and playmaking ability outweigh size.
The rising senior tied for the county lead with six interceptions last season while adding 22 solo tackles and three forced fumbles. Benton always seems to be around the football, consistently putting himself in position to make momentum-changing plays.
His exceptional break on the football allows him to jump passing lanes and create turnover opportunities, and he has a knack for turning interceptions into points. Benton also isn’t afraid to deliver big hits despite giving up size to many receivers.
Coming off First Team All-County and All-Region honors, he’ll look to build on an outstanding senior campaign.
3. Timothy Behling | So. | Lithonia | 6’0”, 170 lbs
Few freshmen across DeKalb County made a bigger impact at the corner position than Timothy Behling.
In his first varsity season, the Lithonia standout totaled 42 tackles, including 26 solo stops, three tackles for loss, four interceptions, and an impressive 13 pass breakups. Those numbers earned him Second Team All-County and All-Region honors.
Behling showed remarkable composure despite being tested early and consistently answered the challenge. His combination of length, athleticism, and ball skills suggests he’s only scratching the surface of his potential.
With another offseason of development, he has all the tools to become the face of Lithonia’s secondary for years to come.
4. Jamarion Davis | Jr. | Columbia
The older twin brother of Damarion—by just four minutes—Jamarion Davis enjoyed an outstanding sophomore season for Columbia and established himself as one of the county’s premier cover corners.
Davis recorded 52 total tackles, the most among returning Eagles defenders, while leading the team with four interceptions. His production earned him First Team All-Region and Second Team All-County recognition.
An aggressive and physical defender, Davis combines toughness with exceptional football IQ. He has a unique ability to bait quarterbacks into making risky throws before breaking on the football. His instincts are elite, and whenever the ball is in the air, he attacks it like a natural wide receiver.
His combination of intelligence, physicality, and ball skills makes him one of DeKalb’s most complete defensive backs.
5. Drayden Armour | Sr. | Martin Luther King Jr. | 6’0”, 180 lbs
After a breakout junior season, Drayden Armour enters his senior year as one of DeKalb County’s most experienced and dependable cornerbacks.
Armour finished 2025 with 61 total tackles, 12 pass breakups, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles, earning All-County Honorable Mention recognition.
His football IQ immediately stands out on film. Armour consistently puts himself in position to make fundamentally sound plays and understands route concepts well enough to anticipate throws before they happen. He also has the size and physicality to challenge larger receivers at the line of scrimmage while possessing the speed and lateral quickness to hold up in man coverage.
His ability to thrive on an island makes him one of the county’s most trusted lockdown defenders entering the season.
Honorable Mentions
- Amir Lamar | Jr. | Southwest DeKalb | 6’0”, 180 lbs
2025 Stats: 24 tackles (17 solo), 2 interceptions, 4 pass breakups - Marquise Ealey | So. | Southwest DeKalb | 6’0”, 160 lbs
2025 Stats: 16 tackles (9 solo), 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble - Julian Russell | Jr. | Lakeside | 6’2”, 190 lbs
2025 Stats: 53 tackles (39 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble - Chase Casey | Sr. | Dunwoody | 6’0”, 180 lbs
2025 Stats: 33 tackles (24 solo), 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 10 pass breakups - Ashton “Duke” White | Jr. | Dunwoody | 5’11”, 170 lbs
2025 Stats: 27 tackles (15 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 7 pass breakups
- Tyaire Byrd | Sr. | Tucker | 5’11”, 170 lbs
2025 Stats: 63 tackles (42 solo), 1 sack, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 4 fumble recoveries, 5 pass breakups - Sheron Clark | Sr. | Lithonia | 6’0”, 180 lbs
2025 Stats (4 games): 6 solo tackles, 1 interception, 4 pass breakups - Andre Blackburn | Sr. | Tucker | 5’7”, 160 lbs
2025 Stats: 26 tackles (19 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 5 pass breakups - Trevon “Tre” Milsap | Sr. | Towers | 5’11”, 150 lbs
2025 Stats: 47 tackles (29 solo), 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles - D’mitrius Brown | Jr. | Towers | 5’9”, 170 lbs
2025 Stats: 31 tackles (16 solo), 4 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions - Jaidyn “J.O.” Owens | Sr. | Cedar Grove | 6’0”, 170 lbs
2025 Stats: 56 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 5 pass breakups - Jermaine Kelly | Sr. | Cedar Grove | 5’5”, 155 lbs
2025 Stats: 31 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble - Tony McKibben | Jr. | Miller Grove | 5’10”, 150 lbs
2025 Stats: 30 tackles (25 solo), 1 interception - Benji Jackson | So. | Lithonia | 5’11”, 170 lbs
2025 Stats (at Redan): 24 tackles (11 solo), 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions
