CSD Mag Positional Rankings: Defensive Backs

Over the past month or so, I’ve rolled out 15 “teasers” for the CSD Mag (if you missed any, you can find them all under the football tab) Now, it’s time to start rolling out the full thing, starting with my “positional rankings” The categories for these are: QB, RB, WR, OL, DL, LB, DB, and ST (Special Teams). They will be released in that order.

All stats via sports-reference.com, and all recruiting rankings via 247sports.com

#1 – Florida State

Derwin James is the best safety in the country, and Tavarus McFadden is the best corner in the country. Passing on the ‘Noles is going to be really hard in 2017. James is a household name at this point, but McFadden doesn’t get as much coverage. The Junior earned 1st-team All-American honors in his first year as a starter after recording eight interceptions in 2016, good for best in the country.

#2 – Alabama

Alabama will have to replace first-round draft choice Marlon Humphrey, but Nick Saban does that every year. The new star in the secondary is Minkah Fitzpatick. The Junior was a corner last year (6 Int, 2 INT ret for TD) but will shift over to safety this season, where he will be a preseason All-American. Bama has four stars three-deep in the secondary, and they should be up with the best yet again.

#3 – Stanford

Stanford returns pretty much everybody in the secondary from last year’s ten-win season, including top cornerbacks Alijah Holder and Quenton Meeks, who both went down with injuries in 2016. Safety Justin Reid (57 tackles in 2016) will start at strong safety, and Brandon Simmons is the favorite to start alongside him at FS.

#4 – Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech returns all four starters from a secondary that ranked fifth in the country in opposing completion percentage. The cornerback duo of Brandon Facyson and Greg Stroman is one of, if not the best in the ACC. True freshman Devon Hunter could start, Hunter was the #3 Safety of the class of 2017.

#5 – Florida

The Gators lose three 2nd-round draft picks from a team that was one of the best in the country against the pass last season. This year’s unit will be led by Senior Duke Dawson, who shifts from the #3 corner to #1. Dawson has a lot to live up to with the Gators long history of corner play, but the four-star has speed, both of his career interceptions were returned for touchdowns.

#6 – LSU
#7 – Ohio State
#8 – Auburn
#9 – Oklahoma
#10 – Georgia
#11 – TCU
#12 – Clemson
#13 – Northwestern
#14 – Wisconsin
#15 – Texas
#16 – USC
#17 – Nebraska
#18 – Washington
#19 – Louisville
#20 – UCLA
#21 – Indiana
#22 – Appalachian State
#23 – Kansas State
#24 – Texas A&M
#25 – Penn State