As we head towards a new football season, IdahoSports.com is once again getting fans ready by unveiling the Top 10 players at each position. These lists feature players from all corners of the state, and from all six classification levels. Each week, we'll publish a new list of Top 10 players. Here's the schedule:
July 6 (Offensive Linemen)
July 14 (Defensive Linemen)
July 17 (Special Teams)
July 24 (Running Backs)
July 30 (Linebackers)
August 7 (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends)
August 12 (Defensive Backs)
August 17 (Quarterbacks)
These selections are listed in alphabetical order by school. These opinions are my own, and I made these selections based on a number of factors, including: returning All-State or All-Conference pedigree, college recruiting hype, and the good old-fashioned eye test.
Disagree? Send me an email at brandon@idahosports.com.
Without further ado, here are the Top 10 Defensive Backs to watch out for in 2026.
Jaxson Brady, 12, Bishop Kelly
Brady, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound athletic marvel, has played both quarterback and wide receiver for Bishop Kelly during his career. He’s also a standout pitcher and infielder on the Knights’ baseball team. Most importantly, he will be an Aggie after graduating next spring, as Brady officially committed to Division I UC Davis earlier this year. In 2025, Brady accumulated 1,233 total yards of offense, including 51 catches for 780 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Brady also rushed for 263 yards and four touchdowns, even throwing a pair of touchdown passes. No matter where he lines up this fall, Brady will be a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches.
Justus Mangum, 12, Century
Mangum is an electrifying dual-threat quarterback that guided Century to a 9-1 record a season ago. Mangum threw for 1,268 yards and 15 touchdowns, but check out the ground stats: 61 carries, 671 yards, 11 touchdowns, 11 yards per rush. Mangum uses an explosive burst to sprint past defenders. That same burst helps him elevate to the rim in basketball and clear six feet in the high jump.
Tannar Stern, 12, Coeur d’Alene
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Stern was named the MVP of the Inland Empire League in 2025, and he wasn’t even Coeur d’Alene’s full-time starting quarterback until October. With three-year starting Caden Symons firmly entrenched, Stern’s early duties included certain offensive packages and a starting spot at linebacker on defense. But when Symons broke his collarbone in early October, Stern was given more runway, and he thrived. Stern threw for 1,136 yards and 21 touchdowns on the season while adding 575 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, he notched 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Grant Clemens, 11, Coeur du Christ
Clemens is the son of Coeur du Christ head coach Kellen Clemens. Kellen knows a thing or two about the quarterback position after starting for the University of Oregon for three years before enjoying an 11-year career in the NFL. Grant looks just as polished in the pocket, as the junior threw for 2,001 yards a season ago. He completed 62% of his passes, tossed 31 touchdowns against just two interceptions and delivered a season-long touchdown pass of 99 yards.
Titus Vidlak, 12, Fruitland
Vidlak has committed to Division I Montana State, and it’s not hard to see why. Vidlak led all 11-man quarterbacks last year with 2,720 passing yards. He threw 32 touchdowns and only two interceptions. As if that wasn’t enough, he rushed for an additional 880 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Jackson Banks, 12, Genesee
Genesee coach Jason Hanson calls Banks a “co-offensive coordinator”, as the senior routinely gives his input on certain plays that could be successful over the course of a game. The collaboration is working, because Banks completed 59% of his passes for 1,524 yards, 24 touchdowns and three interceptions last year while adding 737 yards and two scores rushing.
Lawson Landmark, 12, Kamiah
Landmark piloted an ultra-efficient Kamiah offense in 2025, completing 60% of his passes for 1,946 yards, 29 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran for 623 yards and six scores and averaged a robust 19.7 yards per completion.
Maddox Kirkland, 12, Kendrick
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: most of Kirkland’s stats were accumulated in roughly 50% of the overall playing time available. Kendrick usually led by so much at halftime that Kirkland rarely played in the third or fourth quarters. With that in mind, Kirkland passed for 2,913 and 47 touchdown passes as Kendrick won its fifth consecutive state title. He competed 68% of his passes and will now attempt to win the fourth title of his high school career this fall.
Frank Fillmore, 12, Sugar-Salem
Fillmore definitely has the rushing ability to turn on the jets and blow past defenders. That’s clear by his 642 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. But Fillmore has also developed nicely as a pocket passer. In 2025, the senior completed 67.3% of his passes for 1,319 yards, 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
Cooper Miller, 11, Wallace
This is Idaho’s top passing yardage leader from a year ago, and Miller’s statistical totals look like video game numbers: 3,073 passing yards, 1,536 rushing yards and 74 total touchdowns. Miller has speed, strength and excellent leadership qualities, as evidenced by Wallace’s run to the state semifinals in 2025.