Northern Virginia has slowly become a hotbed for Division I defensive backs over the past few years.

Last season alone, three defensive backs - Centreville's Marcus Hamilton (Virginia), Robinson's Cary Wade (Virginia Tech) and West Potomac's Cornelius Smith (Richmond) - committed to Division I schools.

Five other Northern Virginia natives who played in the secondary during high school - West Potomac's Willie Pile, Fairfax's Mike Daniels, Oakton's Chad Cooper, Hylton's D.J. Walton and Centreville's Blake Warren - all play for Virginia Tech.

Before the 2002-03 school year ends, several other defensive backs will have committed to prestigious schools. Here are five defensive backs to watch for the upcoming season:

CHASE ANASTASIO

Robinson (6-foot-2, 195, Sr.)

The senior got offers from Division I schools like Stanford, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Virginia after a stellar junior year.

That didn't stop him from working hard in the summer, when he gained 25 pounds of muscle. Robinson coach Mark Bendorf credits Anastasio for not letting the attention from the colleges get to his head. Bendorf said Anastasio has taken the same approach Virginia Tech true freshman Mike Imoh took last year as a senior at Robinson.

"He's not satisfied with his high school career to date, and his primary focus is his senior year,'' Bendorf said.

The Rams coach says Anastasio's stellar defensive play was that much more impressive last year considering Anastasio rarely came off the field. The senior played at running back and at wide receiver, and became a key member of Robinson's special teams units.

Regardless of what Anastasio did on the field, he made an impact.

In the Northern Region final against Centreville, he blocked a punt, recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass and intercepted a pass.

Anastasio followed that up by catching a touchdown pass against Deep Creek in the Group AAA state semifinals. He capped off his season by picking off two more passes in the state final. "He has those kinds of skills,'' Bendorf said. "He makes big plays in big games.''

College coaches like Anastasio's solid frame, which is rare for a cornerback. Bendorf compared Anastasio playing corner to the 6-4 Cal Ripken playing shortstop - a position normally reserved for players of slighter builds during his prime - in the early 1980s.

"From a defensive standpoint, he's got a great nose for the football, has great instincts,'' Bendorf said. "He's a tall guy with agility, and that makes him an anomaly [at cornerback].''

But Bendorf said Anastasio, because of his build and athleticism, could play most positions on the field.

"He can probably play quarterback if need be,'' Bendorf said. "He's just a good football player.''

JOSH BURNS

Centreville (5-11, 170, Sr.)

Burns and Hamilton, best of friends who blanketed opposing wide receivers on last year's Wildcats team, still talk regularly on the phone being 120 miles apart.

Hamilton now plays cornerback as a true freshman at Virginia, and Burns covers the opposition's best receiver at Centreville - the same responsibility Hamilton had last year.

Wildcats coach Mike Skinner said the two are the best defensive backs Centreville has ever had. Who's better? Only time will tell, Skinner says.

"Marcus is the best we've ever had, Josh might be the best we've ever had,'' Skinner said.

Skinner might give a more definite answer to that question once Burns completes his senior season, having played against top-notch wide receivers like All-Journal selection Paris Jackson from Westfield.

Skinner says Burns might have a slight edge in speed over Hamilton at this point in high school - Burns had the fastest time at the Northern Virginia Football Coaches Association combine in May - but said Hamilton had better technique.

But Skinner also likes Burns's work ethic. Even during practice, Burns doesn't like coming off the field.

"He doesn't let the younger kids take a rep [at his position],'' Skinner said. "So we have to put them on the other side of the field.''

That's just Burns's desire to get better.

"In the back of his mind, he feels he can play beyond college,'' Skinner said.

DARREN GARRIGAN

Gar-Field (5-9, 170, Sr.)

Off the field, Garrigan conducts himself in a polite manner, quietly saying, `Yes, sir' or `No, sir' in response to each question Indians coach Jim Poythress asks him.

On the field, it's a different story.

"If you go out there and buckle the chin straps, there's not a more ferocious kid out there,'' Poythress said.

Garrigan excels shadowing opposing wide receivers, but he doesn't shy away from contact. According to Poythress, he runs a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash, and Garrigan's lateral movement impresses the Gar-Field coach even more. That doesn't mean the senior is content picking off passes - he had seven interceptions last year - or knocking them away.

"Pound-for-pound, he's the strongest kid we have,'' Poythress said. "He'll come out and knock you out of your shoes.

Poythress didn't think Garrigan was that kind of player before the 2001 season, when he wondered if Garrigan could take the pounding associated with football.

"When he showed up last year, he was a little pipsqueak,'' Poythress said.

Then Poythress saw his competitive fire. After the past season, Garrigan worked hard in the weight room. Poythress doesn't worry about Garrigan anymore, especially considering he squats 450 pounds and dead lifts 500.

"The kid pulls off his shirt, and he's Mighty Mouse,'' Poythress said.

Major Division I schools like Florida State and Tennessee have expressed interest, but haven't given any scholarship offers. College coaches have raised questions because of his height, but Poythress says they haven't criticized his skills.

Offensively, Gar-Field has several talented skill players, including quarterback Elihu Smith and running back Rasheed McCloud. Both rushed for more than 900 yards last season.

But Poythress wants a superior athlete like Garrigan touching the ball five to 10 times per game. "He's a playmaker,'' Poythress said.

JEROME QUINATA

Hylton (5-10, 185, Sr.)

Like Garrigan, Quinata doesn't have the size Division I colleges like. But Hylton coach Lou Sorrentino says the senior cornerback/safety is everything a coach wants out of a defensive back.

"The things you measure as a defensive back on, he's got that,'' Sorrentino said.

That's why Maryland has expressed interest in him.

According to Sorrentino, Quinata runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds. And he says Quinata's strength separates him from most other defensive backs.

Sorrentino has coached great athletes who couldn't make the proper adjustments or reads in the secondary. Then there were players who "were a step slow'' but somehow got in position to make tackles.

Quinata is a combination of the two: an athletic player who swarms to the ball.

"He has a knack for finding the football,'' Sorrentino said.

Sorrentino doesn't classify Quinata as a vocal leader or a leader by example, but "something in between.'' With Hylton losing several key starters from last year's Group AAA state semifinalist, the Bulldogs must lean on players like Quinata.

"If we have success, guys like him are going to have to lead us,'' Sorrentino said. "And I like him in that leadership role.''

PAT DAY

Oakton (5-9, 165, Sr.)

Oakton coach Pete Bendorf helped coach Virginia's players in the Super 45 All-Star Classic last summer. The game pits a collection of some of the best high school seniors from Virginia against those from Maryland.

At the time, Bendorf thought Day could play at the same level as the other safeties in that game.

"I thought he was the best safety in the region last year,'' Bendorf said.

James Madison, Georgetown and Towson have expressed interest in Day.

Bendorf said the senior is the best run-stopping safety he's had at Oakton. On top of that, with Day roaming in the middle of the field during passing downs, the Cougars coach has supreme confidence the team's secondary won't give up a big play if he decides to blitz.

"As a coach, you feel much better knowing you can take chances up front because you know you have a safety net,'' Bendorf said of Day, who also will play at quarterback and return kicks.

And if a defender misses a tackle, Day likely is there ending the play.

"He's a very sure tackler, and he has very good hands,'' Bendorf said.