Ranking College Football's Best Returning Defensive Players for 2016
We've now officially hit the offseason. It's a desolate place, full of wandering college football fans holding onto YouTube highlights—or maybe they're simply trying to forget the pain of 2015.
Either way, everyone is full steam ahead looking toward the '16 season. As part of that, we're ranking the top returning players on defense.
Like every list, it's impossible to narrow this down without leaving off someone worthy. When you look at it through a big-picture lens, there are nearly 130 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams—and only so many spots available. However, we used past production, accolades and position potential to narrow things down to 15 players.
Still don't see your favorite defender on the list? State your case in the comment section below.
15. Ohio State LB Raekwon McMillan
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Ohio State loses a ton of talent from the 2015 team. Only a handful of starters from that group will return, but middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan is among them. According to head coach Urban Meyer, McMillan is already a captain for 2016.
"That's something that, the one thing is we have very good leadership. Pat Elflein is a captain. J.T. Barrett is a captain. Raekwon McMillan is a captain," Meyer said, per Eric Seger, ElevenWarriors.com. "Coach (Mickey Marotti) and I are working on that, we're jumping the gun a little bit. But those are three captains that we're not waiting until August. It's done."
The junior-to-be is responsible for being the quarterback of the defense at inside linebacker. He's also carried himself like a leader with his on-field production. His 119 tackles last year were tops on the team. Defensive end Joey Bosa, linebacker Darron Lee and even corner Eli Apple got a lot of attention, but McMillan was one of the most important pieces of the Buckeyes defense from last year.
Now, he's the unquestioned leader.
14. Washington CB Budda Baker
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The Pac-12 isn't known for defense, but keep an eye on safety Budda Baker out of Washington. He's undersized (just 5'10", 178 lbs), but he is a two-year starter and not afraid to go after anybody.
Baker was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection last year despite missing a game. He's shown great skills in both pass defense (seven passes broken up, two interceptions) and in open-field plays (49 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss).
Washington could be one of the trendy picks for 2016. The focus, as it usually is, will be on the offense with quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin. However, Baker was part of a young defense in 2015 and will be a cornerstone of the 2016 team.
13. Texas LB Malik Jefferson
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Texas' defense was historically bad in 2015. No, really. That's not hyperbole. That actually happened. The Longhorns gave up more yards than in any other season in the history of the program. But don't put that entirely on the shoulders of linebacker Malik Jefferson. This sophomore is an absolute stud and is going to be a superstar in a year or two.
The former No. 1 player in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports, was named to the site's True Freshman All-American team. Though injuries forced him to miss a couple of games, he still finished second on the team with 61 tackles and returns as the Longhorns' leading tackler.
His game is still developing. He played inside linebacker last year, but in high school history he was on the edge, and his knack is getting into the backfield. He's still learning to become a more complete player, but his early returns are promising.
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12. Clemson LB Ben Boulware
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Ben Boulware is simply a machine. This linebacker goes hard on every single play. A backup for a long time, he finally emerged as a starter in 2015 and crushed it with 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles—and an arm injury slowed him over the final couple of games.
With Clemson forced to reload again on defense, Boulware's presence becomes that much more important in 2016. He'll be a senior and one who's played plenty of snaps over the years. In addition to being a leader in on-field production, he'll need to be one vocally and emotionally.
An outspoken player, Boulware is probably up to the challenge.
11. Ole Miss DE Marquis Haynes
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When you hear conversations about the best edge-rushers in the SEC, Myles Garrett and Derek Barnett usually come to mind first. Don't overlook Marquis Haynes from Ole Miss, though. In some categories, he was nearly every bit as productive. Keep in mind, too, he came in immediately and played defensive end while Robert Nkemdiche slid to the interior of the D-line.
He's undersized at 220 pounds, so unless he adds major weight he's destined to be an outside linebacker in the NFL. But goodness, he's quick. Haynes relied on that speed to finish with 16.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and eight quarterback hurries.
His size is a bit of a concern, but he does one thing extraordinarily well. Few offensive tackles have figured out how to handle him.
10. Florida State DB Derwin James
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How can we put this in a way that's safe for kids to read? Derwin James is...a monster. He's going to take your head off if he has the opportunity.
That's probably still too violent, but oh well. That's James for you. After one season, he's already regarded as one of the hardest-hitting safeties in college football. He has an insanely high motor and knows one speed: full speed.
With Jalen Ramsey leaving for the NFL, James can quickly become one of the leaders of this defense. The Seminoles asked him to do a lot as a freshman. He helped in run support, blitzed the quarterback and made big, disruptive hits in pass coverage. And the stats reflect this: 91 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, four passes broken up.
Florida State asks James to do a lot because he can. That versatility goes a long way. James is going to be a nightmare for offensive players for at least the next two years.
9. Pitt DB Jordan Whitehead
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When you take home Defensive Rookie of the Year and Rookie of the Year accolades, you must be doing something right. Pitt safety Jordan Whitehead, for whatever reason, didn't seem to get the same national publicity as other freshmen defenders, but within the ACC, everybody knew who he was.
The freshman defensive back finished tied for sixth in the ACC in tackles (108) and had six tackles for loss, one interception, one fumble return for a touchdown and six pass breakups. Those are only his defensive stats, which alone merit a place on this list, but he also saw time sparingly on offense.
One impressive thing about Whitehead was how much he progressed in pass defense as the season went along. He's on his way to become a well-rounded safety, and he's off to a fantastic start.
8. USC CB Adoree' Jackson
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Like Jabrill Peppers at Michigan (more on him later), USC cornerback Adoree' Jackson is a do-it-all player. However, we're throwing his special teams and offensive skill out the window. This is just an evaluation of him as a cornerback—and he's a darn good one.
Of course, you can't mention Jackson without commenting on his athleticism. He's a fluid athlete with unreal closing speed. That allows him to make plays in the open field and doesn't necessarily force him to stay tight man-to-man.
But he is good in those situations as well. Last year, he led USC with eight pass breakups to go along with a 46-yard pick-six. He's one of those rare athletes who have great straight-line speed and some moves to boot.
7. Tennessee DE Derek Barnett
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Tennessee's defense will be stacked in 2016. There's a case to be made, too, that defensive end Derek Barnett is the best player on that side of the ball for the Vols.
Barnett's raw sack numbers weren't as high as Myles Garrett's, but he still recorded 10 and had another seven quarterback hurries. Against Oklahoma, Barnett had an astounding 15 tackles. For the second year in a row, the league's coaches voted him second-team All-SEC.
There are many reasons to be excited about Tennessee in 2016, but the D-line should be at or near the top of the list. Barnett is productive and smart and knows how to be a disruptive force in a variety of ways—not just swinging around the edge using pure speed.
6. Florida CB Jalen Tabor
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Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III is off to the NFL, but Florida's secondary isn't suddenly devoid of players. Jalen Tabor was a critical part of the pass defense in 2015—which, mind you, finished third in the SEC in yards per attempt—because so much focus was directed toward Hargreaves.
But Tabor finished tied for first in the SEC with 14 pass breakups. In fact, he and nickel corner Brian Poole were responsible for just under half of the team's pass breakups.
“Everybody thinks Vernon is the best,” Tabor said last November, according to Jesse Simonton of the Miami Herald. “But I feel like when I’m on and when I’m doing what I got to do, I feel like I’m the best.”
5. Alabama DE Jonathan Allen
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Alabama's defensive front seven in 2015 was legendary. Numerous starters from that group are gone, but defensive end Jonathan Allen skipped the NFL draft to return. No longer overshadowed by A'Shawn Robinson, Allen could be the SEC's breakout defensive star even though he'll be a senior.
That, and Allen had 12 sacks last year, second in the conference. As Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh tallied, that's second all-time for a Nick Saban-coached player.
"I never get double-teamed. I never have a side slide my way because they have to worry about A’Shawn and J-Reed. It really frees me up a lot," Allen told Walsh about his role last year.
The Tide's defensive front figures to be deep again in 2016. The big difference is Allen will be the veteran presence and leader.
4. Michigan DB Jabrill Peppers
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Entering year two of the Jim Harbaugh era, safety/do-it-all weapon Jabrill Peppers is still the best player on the Wolverines. Though considered a sophomore by Michigan in 2015, he was really more of a redshirt freshman (thanks to a medical redshirt from 2014) and named the Big Ten Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year.
Despite not playing every game last year, Peppers still finished sixth on the team in tackles and played a key role in the Wolverines finishing first nationally with 5.4 yards per passing attempt allowed. He also took snaps on offense.
"The unique thing about Jabrill Peppers is athletic ability and instincts at a very, very high level," Harbaugh said in November, per Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. "He's very intelligent, he memorizes things easily and well."
His versatility doesn't just make him one of the top defenders in college football, but his athleticism and football smarts make him a focal point for any opposing offense.
3. Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett
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Myles Garrett is a freak. Look at him dunking this basketball over a bunch of folks like it's nothing. It's no wonder he is one of the top mismatches in college football.
In 2015, Garrett led the SEC with 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. At 6'5" and 262 pounds, he is insanely quick for someone his size. His speed around the edge is difficult to contain, and he can make a lot of plays based solely on his athleticism.
In 2014, he broke Jadeveon Clowney's freshman sack record in the SEC.
Garrett has received All-American recognition and gets to the quarterback like few others can. Next season, don't be surprised if he takes home individual postseason awards.
2. Michigan State DT Malik McDowell
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Michigan State's defensive line for the past few years has been associated with defensive end Shilique Calhoun. In a conference of great edge-rushers (see: Joey Bosa, Carl Nassib), Calhoun was a steady presence. But Malik McDowell really came into his own last season as a sophomore. With Calhoun gone, this D-line should be anchored by McDowell.
The thing that stands out about the junior-to-be is how disruptive he is from the interior of the line. He had 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries from the nose tackle spot. That ranked near the top of the team in each of those categories.
Without a doubt, McDowell is going to be the focal point of Michigan State's D-line moving forward. At 275 pounds, he's a little small to be a true defensive tackle, but he's going to be moved around a bunch. 2016 feels like a breakout year for him. Maybe this projection is based more on potential, but it's definitely there.
"He will play everywhere, that’s for sure," defensive line coach Ron Burton said, per Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press. “No maybes. He will play everywhere.”
1. Iowa CB Desmond King
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The best defensive back in college football in 2015 opted to skip the NFL draft and come back for another season. That puts Iowa corner Desmond King at the top of our defensive power rankings.
The Thorpe Award winner and unanimous All-American tied for second nationally with eight interceptions and had 13 pass breakups. According to Pro Football Focus, King graded out as one of the top five cornerbacks in college football in 2015.
King could have departed for the NFL and possibly been one of the top draft picks at his position. Instead, he returns as one of the core members of Iowa's Rose Bowl team.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless cited otherwise. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
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