College Football Defensive Players Who Will Break Out in 2024
"Breaking out" comes in all shapes and sizes in college football.
Some of the players on this list are poised to break through the ceiling and into the stratosphere of superstardom. A few others are dudes who are going to be major impact playmakers. One is even an incoming true freshman with a prime opportunity to show out and shine.
All are defenders.
From guys who are going to catapult up NFL draft boards to players who will occupy the headlines in the college football world of today and tomorrow, the sport's defensive group of stars is ready to shine.
Edge-rushers, run-stuffers, linebackers and lockdown defensive backs abound, and players at every defensive position are represented here. Get your telescopes ready because we're going star-gazing for defensive megastars, blossoming on a gridiron near you in '24.
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami Edge-Rusher
1 of 15
Let's just go ahead and start with one of the biggest rising stars in all of college football, shall we?
The size and explosion of Miami rising sophomore edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was on full display a season ago, but the college football world may not know a ton about him because he played for a bad Hurricanes team.
As coach Mario Cristobal tries to build that proud program back to past glory, Bain will provide a cornerstone. A season ago as a true freshman, he was simply too talented to keep off the field, finishing the year with 44 tackles, including 12.5 for loss and 7.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles.
The 6'3", 275-pound Miami Central High School product was a revelation right away, and he wound up starting 11 games. He already has a pair of two-sack games on his resume (against Clemson and Virginia), and he has so much untapped ability.
Can you imagine what he's going to be with a year in the weight room and more of a grasp of the game? It would not be a shock at all to see him on All-America lists and for him to surge up to the top five to seven defensive players in the entire nation.
And the good thing for college football fans is he's going to be around at least two more seasons.
Tackett Curtis, Wisconsin Linebacker
2 of 15
The transfer portal affords players the opportunity to realize pretty quickly when something isn't exactly the best fit, and that obviously was the case with Tackett Curtis at USC.
While he got on the field early and often in '23, playing in 12 games, totaling 40 tackles, four for loss and two sacks, along with one pass defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, he looked for a new home following the season.
The 6'2", 225-pound linebacker from Many, Louisiana, found that in Camp Randall, where he will be a major piece of coach Luke Fickell's rebuilding effort at Wisconsin.
Curtis should be a playmaker immediately, and as a big, athletic second-level defender, he provides an instant upgrade for a Badgers team needing to get back to a rugged style on that side of the ball.
It wasn't that Wisconsin was awful defensively a season ago, but the program dipped to 39th in total defense after being no worse than 11th during the previous four seasons (and leading the nation in 2021).
Curtis is a do-it-all 'backer who can be physical in the run game and even in coverage, and he has the skills to be an All-Conference performer right away. He is a former elite prospect who will make his mark on Wisconsin with a larger sample set. Look for him to be a starter, a leader and a major impact player.
Nyland Green, Purdue Cornerback
3 of 15
With the way rising second-year Purdue head coach Ryan Walters churns out quality defensive backs, you can't blame Nyland Green for transferring to play for the Boilermakers.
It may seem an odd destination for a top-tier cornerback in the transfer portal considering Purdue's struggles during the '23 season, but it was never going to be an easy transition from the Jeff Brohm era to Walters' tenure, and Year 2 could be better.
For that to happen, guys like Green need to show up and show out.
You'd better believe he has the ability. The former 5-star prospect never could see consistent snaps while playing for the Bulldogs, but he finished his career with 12 tackles over two seasons (and a redshirt year). With a pair of years left in West Lafayette, the 6'1", 185-pound defensive back could blossom.
Is he probably the biggest reach on this list? Perhaps so, but if you remember, Walters took some great talents at Illinois and developed them into remarkable NFL prospects. Players like cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon (first round) and Jartavius Martin (second round), as well as safety Sydney Brown (third round) were sprinkled throughout the top of the '23 draft.
Green has that type of elite athleticism and potential, and the bet for his inclusion here is that Walters unlocks that talent and gets him to play up to his potential.
He may wind up being a two-year project for Purdue, but Green still has a wealth of pro ability, and he will get the chance to play every down next year.
.jpg?w=256 "Browns Football")
Mason Graham, Michigan Defensive Tackle
4 of 15
One thing a lot of folks probably don't know about Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham is that he played on the same high school team (Servite in Anaheim, California) with Arizona star quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
Now, they are going to be some of the biggest stars in college football in 2024.
Graham began making a name for himself last year during the Wolverines' national championship run, making his presence felt in wins over Alabama and in the title game over Washington.
He finished the season with 35 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and three sacks during a successful sophomore season in which he made a huge leap. People began taking notice of him and his value in the playoffs.
His strength is what really stands out, and it's what made him perhaps the most dominant defensive lineman in the most recent playoffs. He was constantly double-teamed and still produced, and although his numbers weren't huge, his impact was.
Now, it's just a matter of how many preseason All-America teams he's on, and if he will exhaust his eligibility in Ann Arbor. He's a star waiting to happen, and at 6'3", 318 pounds, he will be on every NFL team's radar. He already is.
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas Linebacker
5 of 15
One of the unsung reasons for Texas' run to the College Football Playoffs was Pete Kwiatkowski's resurgent defense, which improved dramatically in 2023.
The exceptional recruiting the Longhorns have done in the Steve Sarkisian era is a huge reason, and they just continue to bring waves of talent on that side of the ball into Austin.
None of those "wins" was bigger than getting 5-star Lone Star State product Anthony Hill Jr. to stay home, and he immediately made his presence felt in 2023, playing in 14 games (starting six) and finishing with 67 tackles, including eight for loss and five sacks.
Remember he wasn't even a full-time player, and his reps will increase this year. The Denton native is the type of athlete you can line up all over the field, and at 6'3", 234 pounds, he has that Micah Parsons/Harold Perkins Jr. ability that makes him a force no matter where he plays.
Whether he's getting after quarterbacks off the edge, dropping back or racing sideline to sideline to lasso a ball-carrier, Hill is a force who made a difference right away. When the 'Horns add players like transfer Trey Moore and incoming freshman Colin Simmons into the equation, more pressure will be off Hill, too.
He could wind up the top defender in college football in '24.
Patrick Payton, Florida State Defensive End
6 of 15
Georgia transfer Marvin Jones Jr. just needs the opportunity for consistent snaps and to stay healthy, and he could be a star. He's going to get a big chance in Tallahassee.
But it's the guy on the other side of Florida State's defense who likely will benefit the most from Jones' presence, and even though the Seminoles are losing some top-tier talent out of that front seven, they still have a lot of playmakers coming back.
Patrick Payton may wind up the best of all of them.
He's been a little in the shadow of Jared Verse the past couple of seasons, and other great players like Braden Fiske took some of the spotlight off him, too. But Payton thrived despite being a bit undersized.
Entering his redshirt junior season, he wants to show NFL teams what he's capable of. Jones is getting a lot of headlines for being one of the top 20 transfers in the nation and coming in from powerhouse Georgia, but Payton is far more proven.
Thus far in his Seminoles career, the Miami native has accumulated 75 total tackles, including 20.5 for loss and 12 sacks. He also has displayed his athleticism with 13 pass deflections, including 10 a season ago, and at 6'5", 239 pounds, he is big and rangy like a linebacker.
After briefly entering the transfer portal, Payton decided to back out and return to the 'Noles, where he is going to be a big-time piece of the defensive puzzle next year. He could be a mass-producer.
Cormani McClain, Colorado Cornerback
7 of 15
Two-way superstar Travis Hunter gets a lot of the publicity that's left over in Colorado from Deion Sanders and his son, star quarterback Shedeur. But they had better make some room in the future for Cormani McClain.
As a true freshman in 2023, the 5-star recruiting centerpiece of last year's class wasn't ready for "Prime Time," and the inconsistency and lack of physicality really cut into his playing time.
He played in just nine games, registering 13 tackles and defending a pair of passes. He added a tackle for loss.
While those numbers are a far cry from somebody you'd expect "breakout potential" from, remember he is learning at the feet of one of the greatest NFL cornerbacks of all time as his head coach, and he has watched Hunter excel over the past year, as well.
McClain is nowhere near reaching his maximum potential. A season in the weight room, learning the system and honing his skills will help him not only get on the field more in '24 but also to be a major stalwart in the Buffaloes' rebuild.
Stardom will follow.
T.J. Parker, Clemson Defensive End
8 of 15
Throughout the recruiting process, you probably knew T.J. Parker by his first name, "Tomarrion," and he was yet another massive commitment for coach Dabo Swinney from his home state of Alabama.
When he got on the football field right away as a true freshman in 2023, there was just something different about him. His size and athleticism were noticeable, and so was his playmaking ability.
Parker may not quite have Rueben Bain's level of buzz yet, but he had to share time in a deep rotation, so he didn't put up the same difference-making numbers. But he will once he gets inserted into the starting lineup full-time and shows what he can do.
Parker has the potential to be among the great Tigers defensive linemen such as Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, Dexter Lawrence, Da'Quan Bowers, Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Vic Beasley and other standouts from the Swinney era.
During his first season, he was credited with 41 tackles (12.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 13 games, breaking Murphy's freshman school record for tackles for loss despite just three starts.
Now, he could be primed for an All-America campaign in '24, which will put him on the level of guys like Bain and Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. as impact playmakers from his class.
James Pearce Jr., Tennessee Edge-Rusher
9 of 15
If you want a guy who could surge from out of nowhere to be the top defensive player taken in the 2025 NFL draft, look no further than Rocky Top.
That's where James Pearce Jr. is wreaking havoc off the edge for the Tennessee Volunteers, and his sophomore leap last season was meteoric. At times, the second-year player was unblockable, and he will lead coordinator Tim Banks' unit this season.
If he makes as big of a jump in production from his sophomore to junior season, he is going to surge up NFL draft boards. He has the athleticism to be special and to wind up being an All-Pro on the next level for years to come.
Last season, he registered 28 tackles, including 14.5 for loss and 10 sacks. Those numbers really took off at the end of the season when, in his final four games, he had 4.5 of those tackles for loss and three sacks. He was dominant in the Citrus Bowl win over Iowa.
Those around the SEC already know Pearce's immense ability, and the 6'5", 242-pound Charlotte, North Carolina, native earned All-Conference honors. He is even better than that, with All-America plans on the horizon.
Pearce is making a name for himself already, but he's here because he isn't really a national name yet. That will change in 2024.
Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss Linebacker
10 of 15
If you're noticing a trend that has been prevalent over the course of the first few selections, you'll see immensely talented playmakers who got a taste of playing big-time college football in '23 as first-year players and shined.
That's the case with Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins, a 6'3", 205-pound second-level defender who was inserted in Pete Golding's defense last year and made major strides toward being a household name.
While Perkins didn't have much starting experience (just two games), he finished the year with 38 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks. Things came in a whirlwind for Perkins the first year, and he didn't really know what he was doing yet.
Still, Golding knew he had to get his most talented players on the field, so he lined Perkins up as an edge-rusher to get him some vital reps. He showed out.
"Obviously you'll see him at different spots," Golding said at the Peach Bowl, according to the Jackson Clarion Ledger's David Eckert. "Being that athletic, he's very versatile. He'll give us the ability to play him in multiple spots."
With an injection of so much defensive talent, such as former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen Jr. (another candidate who could have made this list) and Florida edge-rusher Princely Umanmielen, Perkins will be needed at linebacker. He should understand things more clearly, and once the game slows down, his talent will take over.
Tony Rojas, Penn State Linebacker
11 of 15
There were times a season ago as a true freshman when Tony Rojas showed glimmers of the superstar he could be.
He wound up playing in 13 games, finishing the year with 22 tackles in a reserve role, but he also added 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception he returned 20 yards. There are a lot of ways coach James Franklin can use a linebacker with Rojas' versatility, and expect it to happen this year.
The Nittany Lions are reportedly moving All-Conference linebacker Abdul Carter to the edge-rushing position after losing Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson to the NFL draft. When you factor in Curtis Jacobs departing for the NFL as well, that leaves a major hole at the linebacker spot, and Rojas the perfect player to star.
Versatile and athletic, Rojas is a 6'2", 225-pound former two-way standout at Fairfax (Virginia) High School who was a 4-star recruit and showed the football acumen to step right onto the field a season ago.
When he did, he made some major plays, and with the Lions needing some defensive difference-makers in 2024, Rojas is going to have his opportunity to showcase his elite skill set.
Keon Sabb, Alabama Safety
12 of 15
The biggest story of college football's offseason so far, of course, is Nick Saban retiring, Kalen DeBoer leaving Washington to replace him and the mass exodus of Crimson Tide players that followed into the portal.
What gets left out a bit, though, is just how great of a job DeBoer has done in restocking the shelves that were anything but bare through recruiting and the transfer portal.
The biggest of those boons came this past week when Michigan transfer Keon Sabb decided to leave Ann Arbor for Tuscaloosa, where he will join USC transfer Domani Jackson to help the Tide fill a defensive backfield that saw Caleb Downs (transfer to Ohio State), and Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold (NFL) leave.
Sabb may be the biggest commitment for DeBoer so far. Not only does he fill a need, but he also has huge upside and was a major impact player last year for the Wolverines during their title run. Once Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL, Sabb departed, too.
The New Jersey native improved throughout the '23 season and finished with six tackles and two pass breakups in the title win over the Huskies. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining and is the perfect player to slot in for Downs.
While he may not match Downs' talent level, he has high-upside potential and a lot of time left to develop. Watch him break out next year.
Zemaiah Vaughn, Utah Cornerback
13 of 15
Zemaiah Vaughn quietly put up some terrific numbers a season ago for a Utah team decimated by injuries in what was a severe down year for coach Kyle Whittingham's program.
They still went 8-5, even with all the guys who were lost to season-ending injuries, and now the program will head into the new-look Big 12 with hopes of winning the league in 2024. If that happens, it will be because of guys like Vaughn and his leadership.
The Utes always seem to have great defensive backs, and Vaughn carried that mantle a season ago as the top playmaker on the back end.
He finished the year with 13 starts, 53 tackles (five for loss), 0.5 sacks, one interception and six pass breakups, and with Miles Battle off to the NFL and JaTravis Broughton transferring to TCU, his veteran presence is going to be needed as Utah moves conferences.
Players such as nickelback Tao Johnson, terrific young players like Smith Snowden and CJ Blocker, along with transfers, will outfit the room. But Vaughn is terrific, and he could wind up being a high-level NFL prospect with a big season.
He needs to force a lot more turnovers, changing the game with interceptions and forced fumbles. Expect him to take that step in '24 and become one of the most impactful defensive backs in the Big 12.
DJ Warner, Kansas Edge-Rusher
14 of 15
One of the biggest wild cards on the list has that status simply because he hasn't played any college football.
But it's always fun to project a true freshman who could be a phenom, and while there are a lot of players who were more highly rated than Deshawn "DJ" Warner, there may not be a player on that side of the ball with as much talent who has as big of an opportunity.
The 6'3", 217-pound edge-rusher from Goodyear, Arizona, became the highest-rated football recruit in Kansas history when he signed with the Jayhawks as the nation's No. 123-ranked overall player, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's even higher (No. 67) on 247Sports.
Coach Lance Leipold has done wonderful things in building that program, and now Lawrence isn't just a basketball town. Getting players such as Warner to buy in is a huge step forward.
So, now, Warner could play a lot as a true freshman, and there is a monumental chance for him to become the centerpiece of a recruiting pitch that Leipold can give future prospects: If you come to the Jayhawks, you can play meaningful downs in meaningful games.
After a huge senior season in which he had 16 sacks, teams like Ohio State and Michigan extended offers, but Warner stayed firm with Kansas. Now, he'll get every opportunity to be a starter and a star.
The gamble putting him here is that it will pay off and he will be one of the top freshmen in the nation.
CJ Allen, Georgia Linebacker
15 of 15
With the way Kirby Smart has recruited at Georgia, stacking No. 1-ranked recruiting classes, you don't just step onto campus and play right away unless you're an elite athlete.
CJ Allen did that in 2023, garnering SEC Defensive Freshman of the Week honors twice and proving he was a star prospect who was going to do big things in Athens right away and even bigger ones in the future.
A season ago, the 6'1", 235-pound Barnesville, Georgia, native played in all 14 games, starting twice and finishing the year with 41 tackles, including a couple for a loss. He is truly the next great inside linebacker at UGA, a list that includes Butkus Award winners Nakobe Dean and Roquan Smith, as well as Quay Walker, Channing Tindall, Smael Mondon Jr. and others.
Allen and fellow '23 freshman Raylen Wilson drew praise from Smart last year for their work, especially before the SEC Championship Game against Alabama.
"They're good athletes and they're well-coached. I'm really proud of what they've been able to do," Smart told DawgNation's Connor Riley. "... When you're playing with freshmen at that position, anyone will tell you it's a little like playing with a quarterback there. You just don't want to have to play with freshmen there, but those are the guys that are up. And they've done a good job."
Allen has three years left to thrive and alongside Mondon this year, he will be an All-Conference-type star.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
.jpg?w=480 "Browns Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Browns Rejected Cowboys Trade Offer")