You better know where these guys are before you throw the football. The Suburban One League brings back a deep group of defensive backs in 2026, with everything from proven All-League performers and three-year starters to young players who look ready to take a major step forward. There are corners who can cover, safeties who will come downhill and hit you, and plenty of two-way athletes who seemingly never leave the field.
For this list, we looked at 2025 production, All-SOL recognition, experience, projected role and what we expect to see in 2026.
Top Returning Defensive Backs
Mekhi Paschall — Springfield Township — ’28 — CB/S/WR
Paschall was a First Team All-SOL American defensive back as a sophomore. That alone gets your attention. Then you add the 6-foot-1 frame, his ability on both sides of the football and a recruiting profile that already includes offers from Oregon, Virginia Tech and Pitt. He’s still only a junior. Good luck throwing his way for the next two years.
Louie Cipollo — Central Bucks West — ’27 — FS/RB/WR
Cipollo does just about everything for CB West. The First Team All-SOL National defensive back recorded 55 tackles, two interceptions, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery while also piling up 1,670 all-purpose yards offensively. He’s a three-year starter in the secondary, a senior captain and one of the most experienced players in the league. Football player. Plain and simple.
Rylei Gray — North Penn — ’27 — CB/RB
Gray was a major piece of North Penn’s District 1 championship run. A First Team All-SOL National defensive back, he returns as a three-year starter at corner after also rushing for 1,196 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Gray has already been through the big games. North Penn will lean heavily on that experience again in 2026.
Luke Beighley — Pennsbury — ’27 — SS/RB
Beighley brings exactly what you want at strong safety: experience, physicality and leadership. A Second Team All-SOL National defensive back in 2025, he returns as a senior captain and one of the anchors of the Pennsbury secondary. He’s comfortable coming downhill and making plays near the line of scrimmage. And in the SOL National, you'd better have somebody willing to do that.
Dan McGarrity — Neshaminy — ’27 — DB
How does a defensive back make 95 tackles and not receive All-League recognition? We’re still trying to figure that one out. McGarrity finished 2025 with 95 tackles, 32 solo stops, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Forget the postseason awards for a second. That production is impossible to ignore.
Shane McGuire — Central Bucks West — ’27 — SS/CB/OLB
Want another reason CB West’s secondary is going to be a problem? McGuire recorded 73 tackles, five tackles for loss and six pass breakups last season. He can play in the box, cover in space and tackle in the open field. Put him alongside Cipollo and Mason Darrows and West has some serious experience on the back end.
Jacob Depew — Pennsbury — ’27 — FS/WR
77 tackles from a safety gets our attention.
Add three tackles for loss, six pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble, and now we’re really paying attention.
Depew was all over the field for Pennsbury in 2025 and gives the Falcons another experienced playmaker on the back end alongside Luke Beighley.
He can tackle, disrupt the passing game and make plays around the football.
That’s a pretty complete résumé.
Sean Leuthe — Pennridge — ’27 — FS/WR
Leuthe already made our Top Returning Wide Receivers list. Turns out he’s pretty good on the other side of the ball too. The Pennridge safety finished 2025 with 77 tackles and two interceptions and returns as the senior leader of the Rams’ secondary. He’s one of the better two-way players in the league.
Anthony Paone — Upper Dublin — ’27 — DB/WR
Paone enters 2026 as one of the most accomplished returning players in Upper Dublin’s secondary. He earned First Team All-SOL Continental honors last season and came away with two interceptions. Upper Dublin has plenty of young talent on the back end, but Paone gives the Cardinals a proven veteran presence.
Michael Ferguson — Pennridge — ’27 — CB/RB
Ferguson didn't receive the postseason recognition some others did. His production says he belongs here anyway. The returning Pennridge corner recorded 52 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 2025. Pair him with Leuthe and the Rams have two experienced seniors leading the back end.
Carter Tucholski — Quakertown — ’28 — CB/DB/WR
Tucholski was already making noise as a sophomore. He earned Honorable Mention All-SOL Continental honors at defensive back while also being named Second Team All-SOL at wide receiver. Now he enters his junior season with two full years remaining. There’s a lot of football ahead for this kid.
Mason Darrows — Central Bucks West — ’27 — CB/WR
Darrows might need three separate spots on the All-SOL ballot. He was Honorable Mention All-SOL National at defensive back and First Team All-SOL at both kicker and punter. At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, he also gives West good size at corner. Just another piece in a defensive backfield absolutely loaded with experience.
Dylan Moody — Upper Dublin — ’28 — DB
Four interceptions in a season is good. Four interceptions in one game is ridiculous. Moody did exactly that as a sophomore, picking off four passes in Upper Dublin’s 20-7 win over Bensalem. That accounted for all four of his interceptions in 2025, but we’re talking about a sophomore producing a game most defensive backs will never have in their career. Yeah, he’s on the list.
Gavin Mensch — William Tennent — ’27 — DB
Mensch earned Honorable Mention All-SOL American honors as a junior and returns as one of William Tennent’s top defensive players. We don't have the monster statistical line attached to his name that some others possess, but league recognition matters. Now we get to see if he can turn Honorable Mention into something more as a senior.
Ty Greenberg — Upper Dublin — ’28 — S
Another young Upper Dublin defensive back who made plays early. Greenberg recorded two interceptions as a sophomore and returns as a starting safety at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds. Paone may be the veteran, but Greenberg and Moody give the Cardinals two younger names worth watching closely.
Alex Whitcomb — Souderton — ’27 — S/WR
Souderton lost some experienced pieces from last year’s secondary. That puts even more responsibility on Whitcomb. The 6-foot-1 senior returns at safety and is expected to help anchor the back end while also starting at wide receiver. He’ll be asked to do a lot in 2026.
Brody Walker — Council Rock South — ’27 — S/WR
Council Rock South went 10-2 last year, and Walker returns as an experienced senior safety for the Hawks. He also earned Honorable Mention All-SOL recognition at wide receiver. Another two-way athlete who doesn't have many reasons to come off the field.
Logan Smith — Council Rock South — ’28 — S/WR
Now this is an interesting one. Smith is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior safety. Read that again. He already returns with starting experience and is expected to become one of Council Rock South’s top two-way players. With that frame and another two seasons to develop, Smith is a name to remember.
Sly Jones — Pennsbury — ’27 — CB
Sometimes being a veteran starting corner in the SOL National tells you plenty. Jones returns as an experienced starter for Pennsbury and will once again be asked to handle some of the conference’s better receivers. There might not be a monster stat line attached to his name. Reliable corners still have plenty of value.
Sal Colella — North Penn — ’27 — DB/WR
Colella brings championship experience back to the North Penn secondary. He returns as a veteran two-way player after helping the Knights capture the District 1 title, including an interception in their district semifinal victory over Neshaminy. North Penn doesn't have to completely rebuild its secondary. It reloads it.
Tyree Chambers — Wissahickon — ’27 — SS/RB
Chambers returns as Wissahickon’s starting strong safety and one of the veteran pieces of a defense coming off a 9-2 season. He also earned Honorable Mention All-SOL recognition at running back. Another experienced two-way player who should have plenty on his plate this fall.
Amir Gray — Bensalem — ’27 — CB
Gray enters his senior season as Bensalem’s returning starting cornerback and one of the veterans of the Owls’ defensive backfield. There isn't a huge statistical line to throw at you here. But returning starters at corner matter, especially when they're being counted on to lead a young secondary. Gray gets that responsibility in 2026.
Jimmy Cross — Bensalem — ’28 — S
Cross gives Bensalem another returning starter on the back end. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior already has varsity experience at safety and enters 2026 as one of the Owls’ players to watch. He’s still young, but unlike a lot of juniors around the league, Cross isn't walking into this season trying to figure out varsity football for the first time. That matters.
Asher Green — Central Bucks East — ’28 — DB/RB
Green recorded 27 tackles as a sophomore and returns as one of CB East’s young contributors in the secondary. He also averaged 7.8 yards per carry offensively. There's that two-way theme again. Green still has two seasons remaining and has a chance to become a much bigger part of what East does on both sides of the football.
Ziyon Smith — North Penn — ’28 — DB/RB
Smith became increasingly important during North Penn’s run to the District 1 championship. Now he enters his junior season as a two-way athlete expected to contribute both in the backfield and in the secondary. The full defensive stat line might not be there yet. The role is. And on a defending district champion, that gets our attention.
Avery Godoy — Wissahickon — ’27 — DB
Wissahickon brings back an unusually experienced secondary, and Godoy is part of the reason why. The senior returns as a starter and veteran presence on the back end after the Trojans finished 9-2 last season. He’ll be part of a group that shouldn't need much time getting comfortable together. They've already been there.
Kyleeh Washington — Wissahickon — ’27 — DB
Washington gives Wissahickon another senior returning starter in coverage. Like Godoy, his value isn't tied to some gigantic stat total. It's experience. When you're bringing back multiple veteran defensive backs from a nine-win team, we're paying attention.
All-League selections. District champions. Three-year starters. Two-way playmakers. And a group of sophomores from last season who could look very different by the time October rolls around. As always, preseason lists are just the starting point. Now go prove it on Friday nights. The SOI 2026 Top Returning Players Series continues next with the linebackers.