2021 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the safeties
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Wednesday, August 25, 2021 | 10:32 PM
Brashear receiver Ta’Mere Robinson catches a pass during practice on Sept. 8, 2020.
Gateway’s Patrick Body during practice Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 at Gateway High School.
Woodland Hills’ Deontae Williams (6) rushes the ball during their game at Penn-Trafford on Oct. 2, 2020.
Sto-Rox’s Drevon Miller-Ross intercepts a pass over Western Beaver’s Dakkari Bradford during the first quarter Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, at Sto-Rox.
TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here’s a look at the top safeties for the 2021 season.
1. Ta’Mere Robinson
Brashear
Junior, 6-3, 220
Robinson may project as an edge rusher in college, but his athleticism makes him a difference-maker in Brashear’s secondary right now. He’s also playing quarterback this fall, meaning City League opponents will see a lot of him. The four-star Rivals recruit already has offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee and Toledo.
Watch Ta’Mere Robinson highlights
2. Patrick Body
Gateway
Senior, 6-2, 180
The Gators graduated a Division I safety after last season (LSU freshman Derrick Davis) but Body will step into that defensive play-maker role this fall. Body committed to Cincinnati from a list of offers that included Pitt, Cincinnati, Illinois, Rutgers and West Virginia. A two-way starter, Body has played receiver since his sophomore year and caught 42 passes for 731 yards and eight touchdowns over the past two seasons.
3. Deontae Williams
Woodland Hills
Senior, 5-11, 190
Williams earned recognition last fall as an all-conference quarterback who threw for 14 touchdowns and rushed for five more, but his talents on defense can’t be overlooked. His junior film online starts with him making an aggressive tackle for a loss. He holds Division I offers from Akron, Army, Buffalo, Fordham, Kent State, Navy, Toledo and Western Michigan.
Watch Deontae Williams highlights
4. Devin Barren
Central Catholic
Senior, 6-0, 180
As a solid run stopper, you can find Barren around the line of scrimmage often. But he also has a knack for finding the end zone. He returned an interception for a touchdown and took a blocked punt back for a score last fall. He lists Division I offers from Navy and Youngstown State along with Slippery Rock, Walsh and Fairmont State.
5. Dre Miller-Ross
Sto-Rox
Junior, 6-0, 170
Miller-Ross made 64 tackles last season and five interceptions, one that he returned for a touchdown. He was a defensive stopper for the Vikings, who reached the WPIAL Class 2A finals. He also caught five touchdowns passes including a 74-yarder. He lists offers from Bluefield State, Fairmont State, Wheeling and West Liberty.
Watch Dre Miller-Ross highlights
ONE TO WATCH
Kolin Dinkins
North Allegheny
Senior, 6-1, 170
Dinkins, whose father Darnell played at Pitt and later in the NFL, will start at safety for NA this fall. He lists a college offer from Robert Morris. His brother, Khalil, was a standout for the Tigers last fall who’s now a freshman at Penn State. He should see time in the backfield at running back as well.
Watch Kolin Dinkins highlights
• • • • •
POSITION BREAKDOWNS
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | CB | S | K
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Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Brashear, Central Catholic, Gateway, North Allegheny, Sto-Rox, Woodland Hills
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