2025 Trib HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the cornerbacks

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, August 18, 2025 | 2:23 PM

TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here is a look at the top cornerbacks for the 2025 season.

1. Gabriel Jenkins

Imani Christian

Junior, 6-2, 182

Jenkins, who committed to Penn State on Monday, is regarded as one of the top athletes in the state and proved it again last season. A highly coveted college recruit, Jenkins earned first-team all-conference honors at both defensive back and running back. As a corner, he intercepted five passes, forced two fumbles and made 31 tackles. On offense, he rolled up 1,283 rushing yards and scored 18 touchdowns. Recruiting website 247Sports rates Jenkins as a four-star prospect and the 10th-best cornerback nationally in the 2027 class. He has close to two dozen offers. In addition to the Nittany Lions, his list includes Power 4 schools Pitt, West Virginia, Baylor, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, SMU and Syracuse.

Watch Gabriel Jenkins highlights

2. Da’Ron Barksdale

Steel Valley

Senior, 5-11, 175

Barksdale deserves a comeback player of the year award after last season. A knee injury cost the Pitt commit his entire sophomore year and the first few games of his junior campaign. However, he returned in early September and quickly regained his all-conference form, earning first-team honors for defense. He made 48 tackles in 11 games, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. On offense, he rushed for 905 yards on 95 carries, scored 19 touchdowns and tossed four TDs. A consensus three-star prospect, Barksdale is ranked 94th among senior cornerbacks by 247Sports. He committed to Pitt over FBS offers from West Virginia, Akron, Bowling Green, UConn, Kent State, UMass, Syracuse and Temple.

Watch Da’Ron Barksdale highlights

3. Zachary Gleason

Central Catholic

Junior, 6-0, 170

Gleason’s profile has risen significantly since he joined the team’s lineup last season as a sophomore, at times opposite then-senior Xxavier Thomas (now at Penn State). Gleason made 27 tackles and two interceptions in a solid season for the WPIAL Class 6A champions. He now has 15 college offers, with the latest coming from the North Carolina Tar Heels and new coach Bill Belichick. Pitt, Cal, Indiana, Rutgers, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin are his other Power 4 options.

Watch Zachary Gleason highlights

4. Korry Pitts Jr.

North Allegheny

Senior, 6-0, 185

Pitts was a difference-maker in the secondary a year ago when North Allegheny reached the WPIAL Class 6A finals. The Monmouth commit intercepted three passes, made 33 tackles, recovered a fumble and blocked a punt. He earned second-team all-conference honors. He also lists college offers from Maine, Miami (Ohio), Sacramento State, Towson and Arizona State, where former Steelers receiver Hines Ward is associate head coach.

Watch Korry Pitts Jr. highlights

5. Donte Wright

Clairton

Senior, 5-9, 188

Wright intercepted a team-high five passes last season as part of a dominant Clairton defense that didn’t give up a point until its eighth game. The Bears ultimately reached the WPIAL Class A finals, and Wright earned first-team all-conference honors at defensive back and running back. He had two pick-6s and a 76-yard kickoff return among his 19 touchdowns. Akron and Temple have offered him scholarships.

Watch Donte Wright highlights

One to watch

Jaymier Austin

Franklin Regional

Senior, 6-3, 179

Austin’s combination of size and speed has college coaches showing interest in him, but those same traits could lead to a big year this fall. He lists offers from Akron, Albany, California, Dartmouth, Marshall, Ohio and Purdue. He made 14 tackles, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles last year.

Watch Jaymier Austin highlights

• • • • •

Position breakdowns

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | DE | LB | CB | S | K

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: Central Catholic, Clairton, Franklin Regional, Imani Christian, North Allegheny, Steel Valley