2024 HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the cornerbacks

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 2024 season.

1. Xxavier Thomas

Senior, 5-10, 160

Thomas has shown a knack for big plays. He took the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the WPIAL championship game last fall. A few weeks earlier, he took another kickoff 92 yards to the end zone. But it was his plays as a defensive back that earned him first-team all-conference honors for the second year in a row. A starter since his freshman year, Thomas has played in the WPIAL finals every season. He’ll try to make it four in a row fall. The Penn State recruit had four interceptions and 22 tackles a year ago, while covering some of the WPIAL’s top receivers. He committed to the Nittany Lions in December. His brother, Rodney, is a third-year NFL safety with the Indianapolis Colts.

2. Larry Moon

Sophomore, 5-11, 180

MaxPreps.com named Moon as a first-team preseason sophomore all-American, highlighting the expectations the defensive back carries into this season. He was a teammate of Thomas at Central Catholic last season and started there as a freshman. He transferred to Aliquippa in February. At Central Catholic, Moon had 32 tackles, earning all-conference honorable mention in Class 6A. His stats included four tackles for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. More than three dozen colleges have offered him a scholarship, including Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia. He holds offers from every Power 4 conference, including Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon and Notre Dame, among others.

3. Kyshawn Robinson

Junior, 5-10, 170

Robinson may see more time at safety than cornerback this fall, but the City League standout can play either. He earned first-team all-City League honors a year ago, helping Westinghouse reach the state finals for the second year in a row. The Bulldogs held five opponents to a touchdown or less and started the season with 15 straight wins. His latest college offers came from Clemson, Oklahoma and TCU, pushing his total to more than three dozen schools. Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia already offered him, along with Florida, Michigan State, Southern Cal, Texas A&M and others.

4. Carter Bonner

Sophomore, 6-2, 190

Bonner is another defensive back who able to play corner or safety. As a freshman, he earned all-conference honors for both offense (first team) and defense (second team) for Shady Side Academy before transferring to Penn Hills. His defensive highlights included six interceptions and 20 tackles. Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia already have offered him a scholarship, along with Akron, Maryland, Miami (Ohio), Troy, UConn and UNLV. He added 448 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season.

5. Antwan Black

Senior, 6-1, 170

Black picked off three passes last season and returned two for touchdowns. His season was interrupted by a hit that saw him flown to a hospital, but he returned a couple of games later, earning second-team all-conference honors. He has listed close to 20 college offers, including Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia, along with Ohio State, Clemson, Miami (Fla.) and Florida State. More recently he announced offers from Bowling Green and Marshall.

One to watch

Da’Ron Barksdale

Junior, 5-11, 175

Barksdale entered last season with hopes of becoming one of the WPIAL’s newest stars. But his sophomore campaign was cut short by an early season knee injury. Rated as a four-star college prospect, Barksdale has Pitt and West Virginia among his first seven scholarship offers. He isn’t yet cleared, but should return to the field sometime soon.

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Position breakdowns

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

Tags: Aliquippa, Central Catholic, Laurel Highlands, Penn Hills, Steel Valley, Westinghouse