The top 12 Sarasota, Manatee area DBs entering 2026. Vote for No. 1

The Herald-Tribune is listing the 12 best defensive backs in the Sarasota–Manatee area entering the 2026 high school football season and inviting readers to vote for the area’s top quarterback in a related poll. The voting window runs until 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. Among the nominees are Aric Cleveland (Lakewood Ranch), Athian Early (Manatee Early) and Chase Fritz (Sarasota), plus others including Casey Izquierdo (Riverview), Connell Jackson (Cardinal Mooney) and Kingston Kokoefer (Out-of-Door Academy). The list also includes Jayden Lewis (Manatee), Amarian McRae (Cardinal Mooney), Pinot Parks (Riverview), Nazir Pitchford (Palmetto), Jared Sanders (Cardinal Mooney) and additional players beyond the excerpt.