2007 CFN Preview - Unit Rankings ... DBs

CFN 2007 Preview Unit Rankings - Defensive Backs Ranked 1 to 119

2007 CFN Unit Rankings

Defensive Backs

CFN 2007 Unit Rankings
2007 Preview | Offenses | Quarterbacks | Running Backs
Receivers | Offensive Lines | Defenses | Defensive Lines
Linebackers | Special Teams  

1. Oklahoma
Loaded, loaded, loaded. There are ten players with appreciable experience and at least four all-star candidates, probably six. With all the movement, the hope will be for an even better year against the run and when plays are there to be made in the open field. After allowing 11 touchdown passes before the Fiesta Bowl, this group will make amends.

2. USC
Last season’s Pac-10-best pass defense will be even stingier this season, adding more picks and fumble recoveries to an already impressive stat sheet. This is an NFL caliber secondary with several players certain to make a whole bunch of money at the next level. The Trojans biggest problem in the secondary?  Keeping six experienced and qualified players happy with only four starting jobs available.  Every Pac-10 school should have such a problem.  All four starters return.

3. Virginia Tech
To be fair, the Hokies didn't exactly play a who's who of passing attacks, but it was great at keeping everyone from getting into any sort of a groove. Opponents completed 51% of their passes with just six touchdowns and 17 interceptions, and allowed just one touchdown pass, in the bowl loss to Georgia, over the final seven games and gave up two in 11 games (with four coming in back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College). As long as Kam Chancellor is a decent fill-in for Aaron Rouse and Cary Wade, the Hokie D will once again be phenomenal.

4. South Florida
Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams are pro-caliber cover men playing against college receivers, but the good news doesn’t end there.  The reserves are also solid, giving the program one of the best collections of corners in America. After Louisville’s Brian Brohm, the Big East has no truly top-notch passers.  That reality combined with this secondary will land the Bulls among the nation’s top 10 or 12 teams this year in pass efficiency defense.

5. Florida State
This is the strength of the Noles. Myron Rolle is an All-American, Tony Carter will be All-ACC, and Myron Robinson and Michael Ray Garvin will get long looks from the NFL. As Rolle gets more experienced, the more he'll dominate and the more the rest of the secondary can focus on just doing their jobs. It'll be a shock if this isn't among the nation's best secondaries.

6. LSU
While Craig Steltz and Curtis Taylor will be more than fine, there's going to be a drop-off when you lose players like LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels. Even so, with the help provided from the pass rush up front, it'll be a shock if, statistically, this wasn't one of the five best pass defenses in America.

7. UCLA
Although big, physical receivers could present a problem against the undersized corners, UCLA should still be home to one of the nation’s best secondaries west of the Mississippi.  Chris Horton, in particular, could attract honors beyond just the Pac-10.

8. Wisconsin
Yeah, UW was second behind Virginia Tech in pass defense and first in the nation in pass efficiency defense, but it didn't exactly face a who's who of top quarterbacks. Even so, there was one 200-yard passing game allowed, and it happened to come in the one loss of the season (Michigan). The corners will be excellent, Shane Carter will grow into the job at free safety, and eventually, the strong safety spot will end up being fine. It just might take a while to find the right player.

9. Arizona
While USC is in a league of its own, Arizona has the depth and talent to challenge UCLA as the next best thing in the Pac-10. The Wildcat secondary loses just one starter and returns its most crucial entity, senior Antoine Cason, a bona fide lock-down corner and one of the premier defensive backs in the country. From the top of the depth chart to the bottom, the Wildcat defensive backs have terrific closing speed, great ups to combat taller receivers and, with the exception of Fontenot, the size needed to support in run defense

10. Miami
The secondary will be fantastic, as always, but to get to another level and be among the ten best in the country, the corners have to be better, Kenny Phillips has to be Kenny Phillips, and there can't be any major injuries early on. At the moment, it's Phillips and a bunch of relatively strong players.

11	Rutgers
12	Clemson
13	Virginia
14	TCU
15	Texas Tech
16	Penn State
17	Ohio State
18	Nebraska
19	Auburn
20	Florida
21	South Carolina
22	Kansas State
23	Missouri
24	Alabama
25	Boise State
26	Oregon
27	Texas
28	Tennessee
29	Georgia Tech
30	Michigan
31	Colorado
32	Illinois
33	Arkansas
34	BYU
35	New Mexico
36	Georgia
37	Maryland
38	Notre Dame
39	Texas A&M
40	West Virginia
41	Cincinnati
42	Pitt
43	Oregon State
44	Boston College
45	Oklahoma State
46	California
47	Wake Forest
48	Michigan State
49	Mississippi State
50	Connecticut
51	NC State
52	Arizona State
53	Syracuse
54	Colorado State
55	Indiana
56	Western Michigan
57	Nevada
58	Wyoming
59	Iowa
60	Louisville
61	Southern Miss
62	Vanderbilt
63	Baylor
64	Washington
65	Washington State
66	Kansas
67	Stanford
68	Central Michigan
69	San Jose State
70	Mississippi
71	Utah
72	Minnesota
73	Akron
74	Kent State
75	Northwestern
76	North Carolina
77	Purdue
78	Bowling Green
79	Miami Univ.
80	Troy
81	FIU
82	Arkansas State
83	Kentucky
84	Tulsa
85	Houston
86	Hawaii
87	Iowa State
88	SMU
89	Fresno State
90	Northern Illinois
91	Air Force
92	Duke
93	Toledo
94	Florida Atlantic
95	UAB
96	Ohio
97	UCF
98	UL Monroe
99	Memphis
100	UTEP
101	Marshall
102	Louisiana Tech
103	Idaho
104	UNLV
105	Rice
106	San Diego State
107	Eastern Michigan
108	New Mexico State
109	Army
110	East Carolina
111	Ball State
112	Tulane
113	North Texas
114	Middle Tennessee
115	Navy
116	Utah State
117	UL Lafayette
118	Buffalo
119	Temple