2025 College Football's Best Defensive Duos
Elite defenses are not built solely on a couple of stars, but having multiple players with All-American potential sure is a helpful asset.
Unsurprisingly, several of the highest-ranked teams in college football also boast a pair of elite standouts. In fact, all five programs in the Top 5 of the preseason AP poll demand a place in this conversation.
But so do Baylor and Duke.
The choices are subjective but largely based on previous impact and production, along with projection for the 2025 campaign.
Keaton Thomas and Travion Barnes, Baylor
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Last season, Baylor had a couple of first-team All-Big 12 selections at linebacker with Matt Jones and Keaton Thomas.
Jones is gone, but Travion Barnes has arrived.
While at Florida International in 2024, he racked up 129 tackles with 10.5 for loss (three sacks) and two interceptions. Barnes also secured Defensive Player of the Year honors in Conference USA.
Barnes figures to slot in nicely alongside Thomas, who tallied a team-leading 114 stops for Baylor's defense last year.
T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, Clemson
2 of 7
Thanks to quarterback Cade Klubnik, a deep receiving corps and seasoned blocking unit, the Clemson offense has attracted plenty of attention.
But two of the Tigers' biggest stars are on defense.
Edge-rusher T.J. Parker has collected 32 tackles for loss (16.5 sacks) over the last two seasons. He received second-team All-ACC recognition last year.
Peter Woods has provided some versatility for the Tigers, shifting from D-tackle in 2023 to playing snaps on the edge in 2024. The 20-year-old, who's returning to an interior role, has produced 54 stops with 11 for loss so far.
This powerful duo on the D-line is the foundation of what should be a considerably improved defense at Clemson.
Chandler Rivers and Terry Moore, Duke
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Don't sleep on the Duke secondary.
Chandler Rivers has notched 50-plus tackles in all three seasons with the Blue Devils. Most memorably, he received a third-team AP All-American nod in 2024 after snagging three interceptions and breaking up nine more.
Meanwhile, safety Terry Moore has been a key defender for two years. He recorded 71 tackles and four picks in 2024, earning second-team All-ACC honors.
Thanks to the return of a couple more top defensive backs, Duke's secondary may be one of the nation's stronger units.
Daylen Everette and KJ Bolden, Georgia
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Perhaps you would prefer to highlight D-tackle Christen Miller and linebacker CJ Allen. They're a solid duo up the middle of the defense. My preference, though, is a couple of defensive backs.
What a good problem for Georgia to have.
Daylen Everette landed third-team All-SEC honors last season as safety KJ Bolden made a splash in his true freshman year. The former made 58 tackles and grabbed three interceptions, and the latter gathered 59 stops with a pick.
Bolden's role is only expected to expand after the departures of veteran safeties Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson, as well.
Georgia has routinely had a high-end secondary in Kirby Smart's tenure, but the 2025 unit is capable of attaining "elite" status.
Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs, Ohio State
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Although the Buckeyes are replacing a ton of production on defense, their two most-used players from 2024 both return.
Caleb Downs, a two-time AP All-American, is the headliner. The safety rapidly established himself as a true freshman at Alabama, transferred to Ohio State for his sophomore year and made an all-around impact. He logged 82 tackles (7.5 for loss), intercepted two passes and broke up six.
One level in front of Downs, linebacker Sonny Styles was constantly around the ball. He made exactly 100 stops, including 10.5 in the backfield with six sacks.
Talent is never in short supply at OSU, but this defense will be leaning heavily on Styles and Downs for leadership.
Zane Durant and Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
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Gone is Abdul Carter, a line-wrecking, pass-rushing menace.
No worries for Penn State, though, since defensive tackle Zane Durant and edge Dani Dennis-Sutton both registered 11-plus tackles for loss last season.
Yeah, the Nittany Lions are spoiled.
Carter's presence undoubtedly aided Durant and Dennis-Sutton, so they'll be the focuses on blocking schemes more often in 2025. Still, you really don't stumble into double-digit TFLs.
Durant and Dennis-Sutton seem well-prepared for increased expectations as Penn State chases an elusive national championship.
Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
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The wildest part of this particular duo is I willingly did not pick safety Michael Taaffe, a second-team AP All-American last season.
That is how talented this Texas defense can be.
While star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. joined Taaffe on that prestigious list, edge-rusher Colin Simmons did not. He merely collected 14 tackles for loss, a team-leading nine sacks and forced three fumbles as a true freshman.
Hill, a do-everything ballhawk in the middle, had 113 stops with 16.5 for loss (eight sacks) last season. Plus, he forced four more fumbles.
Simmons and Hill are absolute playmakers for this year's preseason No. 1 team.
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