The 25 Strongest College Football Positional Units Heading into 2016 Season
College football teams—and their fans—love taking pride in dominating a respective position. Several teams claim to be "Defensive Back U." Others are known for their seemingly never-ending supply of speedy skill players. Some dominate the trenches year in and year out.
Between recruiting at an elite level at these positions each season and returning a lot of proven talent, a lot of programs across the country can lay claim to a top-notch position group for the 2016 campaign. But which are the best of the best?
As the offseason starts to pick up speed toward fall camp, let's take a look at the 25 strongest ones heading into the 2016 season. These selections are based on amount of returning starters, overall production from 2015 and talented depth in the form of experienced backups and blue-chip newcomers.
A few teams can boast multiple top-25 units for the upcoming fall, which are listed in alphabetical order on the following slides. These programs are the strongest of the strong in what is a talent-laden landscape of college football for 2016.
Honorable Mentions
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Limiting an entire country worth of elite college football positional units to just 25 was a tough challenge. Here are 10 more who were considered for the big countdown but just barely missed the cut.
- Clemson offensive line
- Florida State offensive line
- Missouri defensive line
- Oklahoma defensive backs
- Ole Miss quarterbacks
- Oregon receivers
- Stanford specialists
- Tennessee running backs
- Utah defensive line
- Wisconsin linebackers
Alabama Defensive Backs
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Once the biggest flaw in head coach Nick Saban's vaunted Alabama defenses, the Crimson Tide boast one of the strongest secondaries in the entire country for 2016. Led by All-American safety and interception magnet Eddie Jackson, Alabama arguably has more experienced talent than it has ever had in the defensive backfield under Saban.
Jackson's six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns are back after a fantastic move from cornerback to safety prior to last season. That move opened things up for then-freshman Marlon Humphrey to become an everyday starter at cornerback, and he was one of the nation's best by season's end. Fellow youngster Minkah Fitzpatrick took over the "Star" position and will be a key corner in 2016.
The numbers get even more impressive with the addition of new starting safety Ronnie Harrison. The likes of Tony Brown, Kendall Sheffield and Deionte Thompson will push for playing time, and there might be some room for true freshmen such as Nigel Knott and Shyheim Carter to break through, too.
Alabama Linebackers
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Even with the loss of leading tackler Reggie Ragland to the NFL, Alabama's linebacking corps is downright scary. The Crimson Tide have six of their top seven linebackers coming back for the 2016 season, and they're also adding a pair of 5-stars to their ranks.
Reuben Foster, who had 73 tackles and eight tackles for loss last season, is now the new leader down the middle of the Alabama defense. The Tide moved the speedy Rashaan Evans from the outside to the inside this spring, giving them an extra burst of pass-rushing prowess and sure-tackling ability in the heart of the unit. Shaun Dion Hamilton is a veteran with starting experience on the inside.
On the outside, the Crimson Tide will attack opponents with the combination of Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson, who combined for 24 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks in 2015 as pass-rushing specialists. Now, they'll be every-down players. The depth is incredible as well, with the likes of 5-star true freshmen Ben Davis and Lyndell Wilson joining the ranks of young playmakers such as Anfernee Jennings and Christian Miller for this stacked unit.
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Alabama Receivers
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Under Nick Saban, most of the strongest position groups for Alabama have been on the defensive side of the ball. But this year, the Crimson Tide boast a great amount of experience, skill and depth at wide receiver for whoever wins their third straight offseason quarterback battle.
Calvin Ridley led the Tide in receiving as a true freshman last season with 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns. He's a potential All-American and Heisman candidate in coordinator Lane Kiffin's offense. ArDarius Stewart added 700 yards last season, and former 5-star Robert Foster will be back after his hot start to 2015 was derailed by a season-ending injury against Ole Miss.
Tight end O.J. Howard was the national title game MVP with 206 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and he looks to be an even bigger part of the offense in 2016. Alabama will also replace the efficient Richard Mullaney with another big-bodied FBS transfer—former Bowling Green star Gehrig Dieter, who finished ninth last season in total receptions and scored 10 touchdowns for the Falcons.
Baylor Running Backs
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There are a lot of question marks with Baylor heading into the 2016 season. But, as it stands right now, the Bears have one of the deepest and most talented running back stables in the entire country, led by former freshman All-American and third-year starter Shock Linwood.
Linwood has rushed for 2,581 yards and 26 touchdowns over the last two seasons, providing tremendous burst out of the backfield for Baylor's ridiculous offense. He wasn't the only Bear to crack 1,000 yards last season, though, as backup Johnny Jefferson hit that mark with a 299-yard performance against North Carolina in a record-setting Russell Athletic Bowl win.
Behind Linwood and Jefferson, Baylor has 2015's No. 4 running back Terence Williams, who averaged 6.32 yards per carry. JaMycal Hasty will step in this fall for the dismissed Devin Chafin. Baylor will never miss a beat with its rotation at running back, and that depth will be crucial for the Bears in 2016.
Clemson Receivers
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In his first full season as a starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson led Clemson to the national championship game and made it to the Heisman Trophy ceremony. His supporting cast at wide receiver played a huge part, and now it looks even better for the 2016 season.
Five of Clemson's top seven receivers from last season—Artavis Scott, Deon Cain, tight end Jordan Leggett, Hunter Renfrow and Ray-Ray McCloud—are back. That quintet combined for 2,751 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2016. Trevion Thompson and Seth Ryan impressed in spring practices and will add even more depth for the Tigers at a position of great strength.
But the biggest news for Clemson's receiving group in 2016 is the return of Mike Williams, who led the Tigers in 2014 with 1,030 yards and six touchdowns. The 6'4" Williams has first-round NFL talent and missed almost all of 2015 with a scary neck injury. He'll be back to star for Watson with a receiving corps that got older, stronger and more explosive in his absence.
Florida Defensive Backs
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Florida lost one of its best pairs of defensive backs in recent memory this offseason when Vernon Hargreaves III and Keanu Neal headed to the NFL. However, the duo who started with Hargreaves and Neal last year arguably had better seasons, and they're back to lead the next great unit at one of college football's premier "DBUs."
Jalen Tabor is one of the most talented returning cornerbacks in the entire country, as opposing quarterbacks had the fifth-worst passer rating in college football when throwing at him last season, according to Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus. Marcus Maye, who has started games in all three of his previous seasons at Florida, stuffed the stat sheets last season with 82 tackles, six pass breakups and five forced fumbles.
The new blood in the starting lineup for Florida's secondary won't be so new at all. Quincy Wilson has quality starting experience and will line up across from Tabor in 2016. Nick Washington picked up four starts last season for the Gators. Duke Dawson is a veteran presence at the nickel, and rangy 4-star early enrollee Chauncey Gardner most likely played his way into the rotation with a strong spring camp.
Florida State Running Backs
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Florida State boasts one of the best running backs in the entire country in Dalvin Cook, but the Seminoles' rushing attack is more than just the electrifying junior. The Seminoles have so much depth and speed at the position for what they hope will be a return to title contention in 2016.
Cook's accomplishments last season were a master class in explosive playmaking—an average of 7.38 yards per carry, 19 touchdowns and the national lead in several big-play categories. He did it through nagging injury, too, meaning his numbers could go even higher in 2016 behind a completely intact offensive line.
His backup, Jacques Patrick, looked like a star in his limited work last season. The bruising 6'2" back rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns in a spot start against Syracuse, and he churned out impressive runs later in the season against Chattanooga and NC State. Johnathan Vickers and Ryan Green add more depth and change-of-pace options behind Cook, who will be a surefire Heisman contender this fall.
Georgia Running Backs
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Over the last few seasons, Georgia's running back corps has been defined by its strength in numbers. When a key rusher goes down with an injury, the Bulldogs are ready to fill in with another highly touted back who can keep things rolling on the ground.
Last season, that replacement was Sony Michel, who averaged more than five yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns. He took the reins after Nick Chubb's unreal hot streak of 8.12 yards per touch and 120-plus-yard games came to an end with a devastating knee injury against Tennessee. When he's healthy and getting the majority of UGA's carries, no other running back in college football is as productive as Chubb.
Chubb and Michel are a devastating combo who will make sure defenses won't get a moment of rest when they face the Bulldogs. Georgia is still waiting to see if Chubb and Michel, who fractured his forearm earlier this month, will be ready to go for the start of the season. If they're not, they can plug in senior Brendan Douglas or 4-star freshman Elijah Holyfield.
Louisville Linebackers
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Louisville was already set to have a strong linebacker unit in 2016 with the return of starting inside linebacker Keith Kelsey and pass-rushing menace Devonte Fields. Together, the duo combined for 171 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks a season ago.
But there's a lot more for this Louisville unit than those two stat-sheet stuffers. Stacy Thomas is expected to fill in for James Burgess this fall with his experience. Trevon Young, who was No. 2 behind Fields last season in tackles for loss for Louisville, could be back in time for the 2016 season after suffering a nasty hip injury against Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl.
The Cardinals could also count former Georgia defensive back Josh Harvey-Clemons, who plays a hybrid safety-linebacker role at Louisville, as another key member of this unit. Fields could be an All-American this fall, and he'll be surrounded by several potential All-ACC performers. This is an intimidating group that deserve even more preseason spotlight.
LSU Defensive Backs
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It's no surprise LSU has another fantastic set of defensive backs for 2016—the Bayou Bengals seem to always have elite talent in their secondaries. But what makes LSU's unit even better for the upcoming season is the huge volume of experience to go along with that blue-chip pedigree.
Cornerback Tre'Davious White decided to stay in school for another season, turning down what would have most likely been first-round money in the NFL. Safety Jamal Adams is another All-SEC performer after picking off four passes and pitching in five tackles for loss last season. Sensational sophomore Kevin Toliver is projected to start this fall, along with experienced safety Rickey Jefferson.
The depth continues for new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda with the lightning-fast Donte Jackson, senior safety Dwayne Thomas, junior cornerback Ed Paris, and the true freshman duo of Saivion Smith and Kristian Fulton. LSU will be able to attack offenses in waves in its secondary, which doesn't seem to have a hole anywhere on its depth chart.
LSU Running Backs
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The presence of Leonard Fournette alone makes LSU's running back corps one of the strongest in the country. Fournette could be the best all-around running back in college football since Adrian Peterson, and he led the country in rushing yards per game in a 2015 season in which he looked like he was going to run away with the Heisman Trophy.
But the rich get richer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with Derrius Guice, who averaged 8.55 yards per carry as a freshman last season. Guice would be a clear-cut starter at a large number of FBS programs across the country, as he's a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.
In addition to Fournette and Guice, LSU can keep the hits coming with Darrel Williams—who scored four touchdowns last season and nearly averaged six yards per carry—and Nick Brossette. The Tigers have tremendous size, speed, strength, moves and depth out of their backfield, giving them the top running back room in all of college football for 2016.
Michigan Defensive Backs
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Michigan's secondary was otherworldly last season, leading the nation in opposing yards per attempt, completion percentage and quarterback rating. The unit will lose a star this season with Jabrill Peppers moving to outside linebacker, but he'll look a lot like a safety in certain situations in 2016.
The secondary still has Jourdan Lewis, an All-American cornerback who was the key to Michigan's lockdown status in pass defense last fall. Delano Hill is a returning starter at safety, and 6'4" senior Jeremy Clark has a good amount of starting experience if he lines up opposite Lewis this fall. Channing Stribling will bring even more quality starts to the cornerback spot.
Dymonte Thomas looked like the real deal at Peppers' former safety spot this spring, and players such as Tyree Kinnel, Lavert Hill and David Long will keep the depth coming for new defensive coordinator Don Brown. Even with Peppers' move, don't expect things to get easier for opposing passing attacks. Michigan is loaded once again in the back of its defense.
Michigan Defensive Line
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Michigan's defense has the potential to be the best in the country this fall under Don Brown, and the front is just as tough as the back for the Wolverines. Along the defensive line, the Wolverines have veteran star power and exciting depth from the recent recruiting surge under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The Wolverines lost key starter Willie Henry but returned almost everyone else of note on their line. Returning starters Chris Wormley and Ryan Glasgow combined for nearly 20 tackles for loss last season. Taco Charlton added 8.5 tackles for loss and should be a starter in 2016 alongside Maurice Hurst, who flashed some strong skills at defensive tackle a season ago.
Michigan will also bring back Bryan Mone, who was a starter before an early-season injury, and it will also add the nation's No. 1 recruit from the class of 2016 in Rashan Gary—a true freshman defensive tackle with a college-ready game.
Michigan State Linebackers
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The heart of Michigan State's success under head coach Mark Dantonio has been rock-solid defense, and that starts with an excellent linebacking corps. This season, the Spartans are set to have another one of those, with Riley Bullough, Jon Reschke and potentially Ed Davis leading the way.
Davis missed all of 2015 with a knee injury after recording 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks in the 2014 campaign. If the NCAA grants him a sixth year of eligibility, he'll match up perfectly with Bullough and Reschke, who played extremely well without him in 2015. They combined for 181 tackles, with a dozen of them coming for losses.
As Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports notes, Michigan State's linebackers are extremely versatile, giving the Spartans the ability to mix and match at the position. Projected contributors Chris Frey, Andrew Dowell and Byron Bullough—Riley's younger brother—make this unit that much tougher for the 2016 campaign.
North Carolina Offensive Line
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North Carolina's offense exploded last season with the breakout performances of stars such as Elijah Hood, Mack Hollins and Ryan Switzer. The front five for the Tar Heels played a huge role in making UNC's attack one of the nation's best, and it returns almost completely intact for 2016.
According to Football Outsiders, North Carolina had the No. 3-rated offensive line in the FBS last season, as it blocked for an offense that averaged a national-best 7.28 yards per snap. Even with the loss of right guard Landon Turner, this is still an elite unit led by All-ACC left guard Caleb Peterson and right tackle Jon Heck.
Left tackle Bentley Spain and center Lucas Crowley are also returning starters, meaning North Carolina should be able to continue its offensive excellence in 2016 without much of a hitch. There's great cohesion and experience up front, which is exactly what a team wants to see after putting up huge offensive numbers in the previous season.
Notre Dame Quarterbacks
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Quarterback units aren't usually as strong overall as many of the other positions on this list because only one plays at a time. To make a countdown such as this one with your signal-callers, a team has to have proven talent in more than just its starter.
That's exactly what Notre Dame has in 2016. Malik Zaire was on track to be the Irish's starter in 2015 after winning the job from Everett Golson in the preseason. After a strong opener against Texas, though, Zaire went down with a season-ending injury against Virginia. DeShone Kizer then stepped up and recorded 3,400 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns while completing 63 percent of his passes.
The Irish haven't officially decided if Kizer will retain his starting job in 2016 or if Zaire will reclaim the No. 1 job in time for the season opener against Texas. But with two proven names at quarterback, Notre Dame has a luxury that few in college football can come close to having.
Oklahoma Running Backs
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Even though Oklahoma's offensive scheme under coordinator Lincoln Riley was weighted more toward the pass than it had been in recent years for the Sooners, they still had a ton of talent to work with at running back. That's the case again in 2016, as Samaje Perine is back to lead an Oklahoma rushing attack that is filled with playmakers.
Perine broke an FBS record for most rushing yards in a game as a freshman in 2014 and finished the season with more than 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground. Last season, he had 37 fewer carries but still had 1,349 rushing yards and 16 scores. His backup, Joe Mixon, averaged 6.66 yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns.
Both Perine and Mixon were valuable weapons in the passing game, too, combining for 43 catches, 463 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Rodney Anderson, who was a 4-star all-purpose back out of high school, will provide even more juice behind this dynamic duo in 2016.
Oregon Running Backs
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Skill talent is never a problem at Oregon, which seems to have a constant flow of elite playmakers in its video game-like offense each season. This year, the strength of that attack will be concentrated mostly at running back, where Royce Freeman leads the way for a deep stable of potential stars.
Freeman's incredible 2015 was overshadowed by the likes of Leonard Fournette, Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey. But he averaged more yards per game than Dalvin Cook, scored more touchdowns than McCaffrey and had a better yards per touch mark than Henry. He can do it all for the Ducks and will be relied on to have a huge 2016.
Behind him, the numbers get even more impressive for small sample sizes. Taj Griffin averaged 7.4 yards per carry. Kani Benoit averaged seven yards per carry. Tony Brooks-James averaged an even nine yards per carry, and that trio pitched in three touchdowns apiece to go along with Freeman's 17 last season. All of them are back, giving Oregon a turbo-charged group that few can compete with in the FBS.
Stanford Running Backs
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Also in the Pac-12 North, Christian McCaffrey is back for the 2016 season. He finished runner-up to the Heisman Trophy after breaking the all-time single-season record for all-purpose yardage, and his rushing numbers were impressive on their own merits. He had a 2,000-yard campaign and averaged nearly six yards per touch.
And even with the departures of Barry Sanders Jr. and Remound Wright, the Cardinal are still stacked at running back. As a freshman last season, Bryce Love averaged 7.79 yards per carry and 16.67 yards per reception. He's a true home run threat that makes defenses have to stay strong even when McCaffrey, who is also a fantastic receiver, doesn't have the ball in his hands.
"As a freshman reserve last year, Bryce Love put up stats that were better than McCaffrey's freshman numbers," Bill Connelly of SB Nation wrote. "If both stay healthy, this could end up the best running back duo in the country."
Tennessee Specialists
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From the kicking game to the return game, no one is touching Tennessee when it comes to the overall strength of its special teams. The Volunteers should be able to make momentum-flipping plays all season long with the talent they have coming back in the third phase.
It starts with the return-man combo of Evan Berry and Cameron Sutton, who led the nation's qualified players in kick return and punt return average, respectively. Tennessee scored five special teams touchdowns between those two players in 2015 and should make more happen this fall.
Punter Trevor Daniel ranked eighth nationally last season in average yards per boot, and he'll be a serious contender for the Ray Guy Award. Kicker Aaron Medley might be the weakest link, but he's hit plenty of kicks so far in his career in Knoxville. Tennessee will have the confidence in proven talent all across its special teams unit.
Texas A&M Defensive Line
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The defensive line talent is top-notch in the SEC, and Texas A&M is one of the best anywhere in the trenches. It all starts with defensive end Myles Garrett, who improved on his numbers from a record-breaking freshman season by coming up with 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks last fall.
Garrett is the most productive rush defensive end coming back to the college game in 2016, and he's joined by the talents of the massive Daeshon Hall at the other end of the line. Hall had 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season. He has the ability to take over games, making him the perfect match for Garrett.
Down the middle, Texas A&M has another former 5-star in Daylon Mack, who had 9.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman in 2015. He can open things up for the likes of Garrett, Hall, Zaycoven Henderson, Qualen Cunningham and incoming freshman Justin Madubuike. The Aggies' excellent work on the recruiting trail is paying off in a huge way when it comes to its defensive front.
Texas A&M Receivers
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Texas A&M's offense took a step backward in 2015, and it's looking to get things back on track this fall under new coordinator Noel Mazzone. The former UCLA assistant will inherit a fantastic amount of talent at wide receiver this fall in College Station, Texas, starting with the electrifying talents of sophomore Christian Kirk.
As a true freshman last season, Kirk led the Aggies with 1,009 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He's also a potential difference-maker on sweeps and reverses in Mazzone's offense, along with his work on screen passes and deep balls. In addition to Kirk, the Aggies return their No. 2 through 5 receivers from 2015—senior Josh Reynolds and juniors Ricky Seals-Jones, Speedy Noil and Damion Ratley.
All that returning talent is perfect for the new combination of coordinator Mazzone and starting quarterback Trevor Knight, who transferred to Texas A&M from Oklahoma this offseason. Don't be surprised if the Aggies get their edge back quickly with all these playmakers.
USC Offensive Line
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Although it's been banged-up in the past, USC's offensive line is as strong as they come for college football in 2016. The Trojans return all five starters along their line this fall and have a sixth man with a decent amount of starting experience in Khaliel Rodgers.
Max Tuerk is gone after missing most of 2015 with an injury. Toa Lobendahn moved over from guard to center for two weeks before going down with an injury of his own, and Rodgers finished out the season for the Trojans. In addition to two experienced centers who can replace Tuerk, USC has All-Pac-12 tackles Chad Wheeler and the 6'9" Zach Banner coming back for 2016.
At guard, Damien Mama and Viane Talamaivao look to retain their starting jobs. All that experience is going to be extremely important for USC's offense as it breaks in a new starting quarterback and looks to take advantage of all the returning skill talent at running back and wide receiver.
USC Receivers
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They didn't produce as a whole as much as they would've liked to last season, but USC's receivers are downright stacked for the 2016 campaign. With JuJu Smith-Schuster, the nation's most productive returning wideout, coming back to lead the way, the Trojans' attack should be hard to handle.
Smith-Schuster nearly reached the 1,500-yard mark last season and came down with 10 touchdowns. He's a physical presence who can bully smaller defensive backs and fight for plenty of extra yards. And although No. 2 receiver Adoree' Jackson is going to mostly stick to defense this season, the Trojans are expected to use the elite athlete's abilities in the passing game from time to time in 2016.
But USC has the depth to handle that tweak on the depth chart. Steven Mitchell, Darreus Rogers, De'Quan Hampton and Isaac Whitney are all back, as well as tight ends Taylor McNamara and Tyler Petite. If those aren't enough, USC also added four 4-star wide receivers in its 2016 recruiting class—Tyler Vaughns, Michael Pittman, Josh Imatorbhebhe and Trevon Sidney.
Washington Defensive Backs
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The brightest returning stars of preseason darling Washington's top-ranked Pac-12 defense can be found in the secondary. Juniors Budda Baker and Sidney Jones are potential household names at their respective positions, as they combined for six interceptions and 17 pass breakups a season ago.
"At 5-foot-10, Baker certainly isn't considered big for his position, but he's lightning fast and owns the defensive instincts that NFL teams salivate over," David Lombardi of ESPN.com wrote. "The Washington secondary is stocked with future professional talent. ... [Jones] posted some of the most impressive defensive statistics in the Pac-12 last year."
Senior cornerback Kevin King is back after starting eight games last season and picking off three passes. Darren Gardenhire is a returning starter at nickel back who will fly all over the field to make plays. JoJo McIntosh is a breakout candidate next to Baker at safety, and the Huskies only lost one of their top eight defensive backs from a season ago. This unit is the bite behind all the preseason bark for Washington.
Stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports. Projected depth charts are courtesy of Our Lads.
Justin Ferguson is a national college football analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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