College Football Recruiting 2012: Power Ranking the Top 25 Defensive Backs

Defensive backs are in high demand these days due to spread offenses and overall evolution of the passing game. From cover corners to box safeties, the defensive back has to be a versatile player who can play both the run and pass effectively.

We're going to rank the top 25 defensive backs for the 2012 college football recruiting cycle. We have some interesting choices for this list, so take a look.

25. Brandon Beaver, CB

Beaver is a big, athletic corner colleges are going to really covet. He's long at 6'1" and thick at 195 pounds.

I like the fact that he's a solid athlete with good short area quickness. Beaver is also one of those types of corners who wants to be at the position, so he's ultra-competitive which is essential for success at the position.

He has offers from most of the Pac-12, MWC and WAC.

24. Nick Baratti, DS

Baratti plays QB now for his high school team; he's a tough player with a lot of natural play speed, agility and quickness. Many feel he will grow into a solid free safety at the next level.

Baratti plays with excellent speed and short area quickness, which could translate into him having a great amount of range on the back end. If he can hone his cover skills and mirror ability, he could even play some CB.

He is committed to Notre Dame.

23. Deion Bonner, DB

Bonner is listed as a safety by most others, but I think he can actually play CB. He's pretty quick in space, tight quarters and plays loose.

I like his hips and feel he can really come out of his backpedal well. Whether his transition is off the hashes or on the perimeter, look for Bonner to be solid in college.

Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Southern Miss and Florida State have offered.

22. Armani Reeves, CB

Reeves is one of the fastest and quickest players in the country. I think he has a canvas of an excellent corner, as his short area quickness and closing speed are outstanding.

He is rarely sticky out of his backpedal and rolls out of his transition with ease. He doesn't circle to close much and can carry a WR deep.

Michigan and Penn State are leading for Reeves.

21. Reggie Daniels, DS

Daniels is an excellent athlete with a 6'2", 185-pound frame. He can play both CB and DS, and could even grow into a speedy OLB.

Daniels moves around the field well, plays with good range and instincts, and flashes prime time ball skills. There is even solid footage of Daniels attacking the run and playing full tilt as a blitzer.

Most of the Pac-12 and Notre Dame have offered.

20. Jarrod Wilson, DS

You want a rangy, athletic, center fielder-type on the back end?

Wilson is your guy. His ball skills are fantastic, as is evidenced by his 10 interceptions (five of which were returned for TDs).

Tennessee, Stanford, Michigan and Notre Dame are just a few offers to name.

19. Terry Richardson, CB

Richardson is an athletic corner who has a trait I like in DBs: route recognition. It's an instinct some have and some don't, so it shows that he is a student of the game and serious about his craft.

I like his backpedal, although he needs to bulk up to hold his fort down in press man coverage. But Richardson has a skill set that should make him a starter in college—Michigan, that is.

18. Bryson Echols, CB

Echols is a solid prospect who stands at 5'10", 170 pounds. He's versatile enough to play both the field and boundary at CB due to his willingness to support the run, while also being quick and rangy enough to cover.

Echols should develop into a solid player who can also factor on special teams since he has solid speed, toughness and athleticism.

He's Texas-bound.

17. Josh Holsey, CB

There's a lot to like about Holsey's game. First, he's very quick and agile. I also like the fact that he plays with good balance and transition quickness.

He closes downhill on the ball and receiver in a flash. Holsey flashes solid hands to make interceptions and other plays on the ball for his defense as well.

Holsey is headed to Auburn.

16. Marcus Maye, DS

Maye is a 6'1", 195-pound safety prospect who plays to his size. He throws his body around in the run game and knows he is a bigger defensive back.

Maye is physical any chance he gets, even in coverage. He will bump a receiver in and out of his zone, and can press on the line if asked.

Alabama, Florida, Auburn, LSU, Miami and Florida State have offered, among others.

15. Kenneth Marshall, CB

Marshall plays with an extreme amount of passion. He's ferocious and the kind of corner LBs will like because he will help them play the run. Marshall even has good, subtle avoid ability in pursuit.

He's a very good athlete that needs technique work. Marshall tries to take too many chances and is raw in come areas. But watching him, you see the potential and realize the reward could be a huge payoff.

Marshall is a Texas A&M commit.

14. Ishamael Adams, CB

I have Adams as one of the best defensive backs in the country. He won the DB MVP award at the NIKE Camp in L.A. this spring and is a physical perimeter defender at 5'10", 190 pounds.

Adams has solid feet, good quickness, competitiveness, transition quickness, instincts and speed to carry receivers all around the field.

He has offers from schools all over the country as a RB and CB.

13. P.J. Williams, DS

Williams an elite-level defender and one the best defensive backs in the country. He's a 6'1", 170-pound safety prospect with great feet and athleticism.

Williams patrols the deep middle mainly as a free safety type, but can also play the strong role and even some nickel back corner. He should be a top-flight starter for Florida State.

12. Elijah Shumate, DS

Shumate is a player I liken to former Arizona State star Adam Archuleta. At 6'1" and 200 pounds, Shumate has great instincts versus the run and fills alleys quickly.

He can play outside 'backer and strong safety, and he is nasty in the box. Shumate can stand to improve his coverage ability, but he's too good in the box to be asked to play in space often.

11. Kendall Sanders, DB

Sanders is a 6'0", 175-pounder who can play CB, RB and WR. He is an extremely versatile player with great athleticism, as evidenced by him rushing for more than 1,000 yards and chipping in nearly 800 yards receiving.

His length and athleticism project him to CB, but do not be shocked to see Sanders line up on offense in Stillwater, as he is a future Oklahoma State Cowboy.

10. Travis Blanks, CB/DS

Blanks is a big DB who feels he is a true corner, but many say he can play and fits better as a safety. He had more than 100 tackles and four picks last year.

He's physical and long as a press defender, jams well and has good coverage instincts. Blanks can also carry receivers deep and supports the run well.

The Clemson commit is one of my favorites on this list.

9. Yuri Wright, CB

Wright has shot up the board recently, as watching his big 6'2" frame move around with the elite athleticism he shows on film is very impressive. He's a bit thin at only 180 pounds, but he can cover.

He comes out of transition quickly, fluidly and easily, and plays with loose hips. Wright has great length to press at the line and would be an excellent fit in a defense coached by St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Wright has offers from USC, Michigan and Notre Dame, among others.

8. Tracy Howard, CB

At 6'0" and 175 pounds, Howard has the length many teams are looking for in corners these days; receivers are getting bigger, so corners need to be as well.

Yet Howard also has solid coverage skills and can come out of his backpedal easily and fluidly. He can also carry receivers deep and will sniff around in the run game.

Florida, FSU, LSU, Miami and Alabama are in the race for Howard.

7. Geno Smith, CB

Smith is a tall and long corner at 6'0", 165 pounds. He really excels in off-man and zone coverage; this is where he flashes his smooth backpedal, loose hips and transition quickness.

Smith lacks strength to jam effectively at the line, but he is so good in coverage that he can still be thrown on an island and forgotten about. He also shows good hands to make picks on balls outside his frame.

6. Tee Shepard, CB

Shepard is another cover corner who is among the top in the nation.

At 6'0" and over 170 pounds, he can play both free safety and corner. He shows coverage skills of a corner, which is where I think he projects best. Shepard is a great athlete with quick feet and transition ability on the perimeter.

He's headed for Notre Dame. 

5. Brian Poole, CB

At 5'11" and 180 pounds, Poole is a sticky cover man who can carry receivers all around the field. He has great jamming ability when pressing and doesn't back down from anyone.

I have nearly out-of-this-world expectations for Poole because he has a chance to be a complete player.

Florida just got Poole to pledge to covering WRs in Gainesville.

4. LaDarrell McNeil, DS

McNeil is a safety prospect who can play both the free and strong spots in the back end. At 6'2" and 190 pounds, he shows a very good knack to read and react versus the run, and he is dynamic in the box. Yet he also has good enough athletic ability to roam around.

If I had to choose what specific spot I like him at, it would be strong safety. I like him more there just because he's a bit better playing the run than he is playing the pass.

Oklahoma, Tennessee, TCU, Baylor, Texas A&M and Arizona have offered.

3. Eddie Williams, DS

Williams is an elite free safety prospect at 6'4" and 205 pounds. Some list him as an ATH because he is that versatile, and he shows an ability to factor into a plethora of positions.

DS, WR and OLB are all spots you could see Williams play in college, but free safety is his best spot. He's instinctive in coverage, quick to recognize routes and he can pluck interceptions out of the air with ease.

Alabama has him locked up.

2. Landon Collins, DS

Collins is a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the country, as he can play safety and outside linebacker. At 6'0" and 210 pounds, Collins shows to be uber-instinctive in the box, physical versus the run and rangy to chase and pursue.

He's productive in in space and coverage, showing an ability to factor in the zone due to his awareness. Collins always finds a way to the ball and hates getting caught in traffic, so look for him to be one of the best strong safeties to come out of this class.

Alabama, Florida, LSU, Miami and Tennessee are his final five, with LSU and Alabama the favorites.

1. Ronald Darby, CB

Darby is a 5'11", 175-pound corner prospect who could find himself playing running back in college. He's a special athlete who can wow you on tape with good foot quickness, which is why he projects well to corner.

He shows solid instincts in coverage, comes out of his backpedal well and can close in a hurry. Darby can also return punts and kicks very, very well too.

Darby, whose alias is "Nitro," is headed to play for Notre Dame.

1. Shaq Thompson, DS

Thompson is a 6'1", 185-pound safety prospect who can also play running back and a little bit of cornerback as well.

His brother Syd plays for the Denver Broncos, and Shaq was the top player for NorCal powerhouse Grant High School (Calif.) as a junior.

Thompson pledged to California, but a few days later, reopened his recruitment. I still think he ends up at Cal in the end. He is rumored to be waiting until the postseason All-Star games next January to announce.