2009 CFN Preview - Unit Rankings ... DBs

CFN 2009 Preview Unit Rankings - Linebackers Ranked 1 to 120

Preview 2009 ... Unit Rankings

Secondaries

- CFN Preview 2009
- CFN's Top 200 Players of 2009

CFN 2009 Unit Rankings
- Offenses | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Receivers | Offensive Lines
- Defenses | Defensive Lines | Linebackers | Secondaries  | Special Teams

1. USC
 
USC will have no problem maintaining its title as college football’s best defensive backfield of the 21st century. The Trojans boast the best safety tandem in America in Taylor Mays and Josh Pinkard, and they have an embarrassment of riches at cornerback. Unless opposing quarterbacks have all day to throw, they’ll again have one of the stingiest and feistiest pass defenses this side of Gainesville.

2. Florida
 
The secondary took its lumps in a big way two years ago getting ripped apart by just about everyone who could throw a forward pass. Last year, Florida was third in the nation in pass efficiency defense and gave up 180 yards per game mostly because teams had to bomb away to try to keep up the pace. This year's secondary is loaded and should be among the strongest in America, if not the best, with a great safety tandem in Ahmad Black and Major Wright along with shutdown corner Joe Haden.

3. Virginia Tech
 
Regardless of the holes that need to be filled, Virginia Tech always seems to have the answer in the secondary. There’s enough depth and talent everywhere to fill out one of the league’s most impressive two-deeps. If there’s an issue, it’s at field corner, where Rashad Carmichael and Cris Hill must make quarterbacks pay for picking on them.

4. Tennessee
 
This might be the team’s biggest strength with speed, options, and a whole bunch up upside to work around Eric Berry, who might be the best player in college football. The key will be to find the right combination at safety to work the Tampa Cover 2 formation, which relies on zones and a whole bunch of speed. Considering this might be the fastest secondary in college football, or at least in the top ten, there’s a chance this could be a brick wall against the mediocre SEC passing teams.

5. Boston College
 
An area of concern last summer, BC heads into 2009 with a potentially killer group of defensive backs. There might not be any All-America candidates, although Wes Davis is a good one, but the group plays very well together and makes opposing receivers earn every single catch. Beyond an October stretch of games against Russell Wilson, Jimmy Clausen, and Dan LeFevour, no one will have much success against this unit.

6. Arizona
 
Last season was pegged as the rebuilding year, yet Arizona had one of the best pass defenses in the country. With many of the key parts of that group returning, led by CB Devin Ross, the Cats should be even better and more consistent. On speed and athleticism alone, they match up well against the average Pac 10 passing games.

7. Boise State
 
A case could be made that Boise State's highly-rated secondary didn't exactly face a who's who of passing teams, with the WAC passing games getting by more on reputation than production, but New Mexico State and Hawaii combined for just 344 yards with no touchdowns and six interceptions. Whatever. The Broncos allowed just eight touchdown passes with 22 interceptions, and now all the key parts are back.

8. Clemson
 
For the third year in-a-row, Clemson will have a dynamite defensive backfield and one of the best collections of talent in the ACC. It’s become a trend in these parts. Yeah, there's a safety issue that needs to be addressed, but the way the program has recruited in this area, it’s a hurdle it can clear. Against a schedule that’s short on potent passing games, the Tigers. led by CB Chris Chancellor, will again have one of the nation’s best pass defenses.

9. TCU
 
Helped by one of the nation's best pass rushes, the secondary came through with a big season allowing few big plays deep and picking off 15 passes. How good was this group? Oklahoma threw for 411 yards and four touchdowns in its win over the Horned Frogs. TCU allowed just four touchdown passes to everyone else, gave up two scoring passes over the last eight games, and didn't give up a 300-yard day to anyone other than Sam Bradford. The corner combination of Rafael Priest and Nick Sanders returns intact, and Tejay Johnson is the lone returning starter among the three safety spots. The other two spots are fine, there are exciting backups, and another year of a pass rush to help the cause.

10. Pitt
 
If they can avoid some of the breakdowns that plagued them last year, the Panthers are in nice shape in the defensive backfield. There’s a good mix of athletes, with corners Aaron Berry and Jovani Chappel, to go along with the thumpers, Dom DeCicco and Elijah Fields. Throw in the rush that’ll be generated up front, and it’ll be very tough throwing on Pitt this year.
 

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