In the final installment of The Floor Slap’s position unit rankings – part of our 2023 College Football Preview – we dig into the Big Ten’s pass defenses.
Michigan, Penn State, and Iowa will once again boast some of the best secondaries in all of college football. Ohio State and Wisconsin could be right on their heals, but are banking on some players making major strides in their development.
Illinois and Maryland both lose a shocking amount of talent to the NFL but rebound nicely thanks to the depth they established last year. Purdue, on the other hand, leaned heavily on the transfer portal to rebuild their secondary.
Nebraska returns a few talented pieces and should improve upon 2022’s dismal performance. But they still have to master an entirely new defensive scheme. Minnesota also took to the portal to try to piece together a defensive backfield that lost a lot of talent.
After back-to-back years of being one of the country’s worst pass defenses, Michigan State hopes it has enough experience to finally resemble one of the great Michigan State defenses of recent memory. Rutgers returns great talent at cornerback while losing a couple key veterans at safety.
Northwestern and Indiana are looking up at everyone else. They both experienced very different levels of player turnover, but still have a litany of question marks.
1) Michigan
Top cornerbacks: Will Johnson, Mike Sainristil, Josh Wallace, Amorion Walker, Ja’Den McBurrows
Top safeties: Makari Paige, Rod Moore, Zeke Berry, Quinten Johnson
Will Johnson is a potential top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and Mike Sainristil is proven to be one of the best nickelbacks in the country.
Opposite Will Johnson is likely to UMass transfer Josh Wallace. A starter since he was a true freshman in 2019, Wallace earned All-Independent honors last season with 41 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 INTs, and 8 PBUs.
Amorion Walker and Ja’Den McBurrows should see the field too and might even push Wallace for a starting job. McBurrows is most famous for being the player beat up by Michigan State players after last year’s game, but has the size and athleticism to be a real contributor this season. Walker played in six games at wideout as a true freshman last season but has made the full-time change to corner.
A few transfers have thinned out the safety room a bit, but Michigan still boasts plenty of talent and experience. Makari Paige and Rod Moore return as the primary starters after each earning Big Ten Honorable Mention last year.
Zeke Berry and Quinten Johnson are the primary backups at safety. Berry only appeared in two games last year but was a top-100 player from the 2022 class. Johnson enters his sixth season with the Wolverines and provides valuable experience in the case of an injury.
The starting corner spot opposite Will Johnson is still up in the air and could end up being the Achilles heel of what should be another great Michigan defense. But the Wolverine’s track record says someone should emerge as a reliable option there. The other starting spots are more than solidified with good depth behind them. This is one of the best secondaries in college football.
Grade: A
2) Penn State
Top cornerbacks: Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, Daequan Hardy, Audavion Collins
Top safeties: Keaton Ellis, Jaylen Reed, Zakee Wheatley, Kevin Winston Jr
Kalen King will also have a chance at being the first cornerback taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Johnny Dixon will step up as a full-time starter opposite King after earning Big Ten Honorable Mention last season.
Daequan Hardy will return for a third season as Penn State’s primary nickelback. The 5th-year senior doesn’t jump off the tape, but is a seasoned veteran and leader of this defense.
The cornerback room is a little muddied behind King, Dixon, and Hardy – one of James Franklin’s biggest concerns entering fall camp. Mississippi State transfer Audavion Collins is a name to keep an eye on though. After redshirting his freshman season last year, Collins figures to be Kalen King’s primary backup.
Penn State loses a lot of talent at safety but returns Keaton Ellis. The 5th-year senior started every game last season, finishing with 24 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 7 PBUs. Jaylen Reed figures to step up into a starting role after appearing in every game last season, posting 31 tackles.
Zakee Wheatley and Kevin Winston Jr should both see the field plenty in 2023. Wheatley flashed promise last year as a redshirt freshman, finishing with 27 tackles, 2 INTs, and a FF. KJ Winston appeared in every game as a true freshman last season after earning a 4-star grade as a prospect.
Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, and Keaton Ellis are a talented, experienced foundation for this secondary. King is my pick for the best corner in the Big Ten – and probably the country – and Ellis has All-Big Ten potential. However, I don’t think Dixon is on Sainristil’s level at nickel. Depth doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue, but competition for the other starting cornerback and safety position will be key to watch throughout the fall.
Grade: A-
3) Iowa
Top cornerbacks: Cooper DeJean, Jermari Harris, TJ Hall
Top safeties: Sebastian Castro, Quinn Schulte, Xavier Nwankpa, Koen Entringer
Cooper DeJean doesn’t get nearly the respect he deserves on the national level. He has a unique ability to line up all over the field – he can be used at linebacker and safety too. DeJean finished last year with 75 tackles, 5 INTs, 3 TFLs, and 8 PBUs. It’d be a very interesting debate to determine who the best corner is in the Big Ten between him, Will Johnson, and Kalen King.
Jermari Harris, who had four interceptions and four PBUs in 2021, returns after missing the entirety of 2022 due to injury. Harris and DeJean make up one of the most fearsome cornerback duos in the country.
But corner is thin behind DeJean and Harris. TJ Hall is likely to be the Hawkeyes’ top backup. A 3-star prospect in the 2022 class, Hall appeared in every game as a true freshman last year but finished with only four tackles.
Sebastian Castro and Quinn Schulte lead the safeties after earning their first major play time last season. The duo combined for 105 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, a sack, an INT, and 11 PBUs. They should both improve in 2023 and keep the lid on this Iowa pass defense.
Xavier Nwankpa and Koen Entringer, both members of the 2022 recruiting class, are the primary backups but could carve out larger roles as the season progresses. Nwankpa a 5-star prospect and #1 ranked safety while Entringer was a 3-star. Nwankpa appeared in 12 games last year and showed his athleticism with a 52-yard pick six in their bowl game.
Depth at cornerback is a bit of a concern. But I think Xavier Nwankpa will step up in his sophomore season and become a third starter at safety alongside Castro and Schulte. Assuming they can stay healthy, the Iowa secondary should be amongst the nation’s best in 2023.
Grade: A-
4) Wisconsin
Top cornerbacks: Alexander Smith, Ricardo Hallman, Jason Maitre, Amaun Williams
Top safeties: Kamo’i Latu, Hunter Wohler, Travian Blaylock, Austin Brown
The Badgers are counting major strides to be taken by a secondary that finished in the bottom half of the conference in opponent pass yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage.
Alexander Smith, Ricardo Hallman, and Jason Maitre are the clear starting cornerbacks. Smith and Maitre are both 6th-year seniors with a combined 74 career games under their belt. Hallman had an up-and-down season as a redshirt freshman but has gotten great reviews from Fickell so far.
There is a strong nucleus there but, like so many teams in the Big Ten, there is also a question of depth. The Badgers only have Auman Williams – a redshirt junior who’s mainly played on special teams – and a few freshmen behind them.
Wisconsin returns essentially three starters in Kamo’i Latu, Hunter Wohler, and Travian Blaylock. Wohler was a top-300 prospect in 2021 and has flashed his versatility over the past two seasons. Blaylock enters his 6th season after missing all of last year with injury. Wisconsin will have five or six DBs on the field most of the time, so all three of these players should see ample play time.
Austin Brown figures to be first off the bench at safety. He was another top-300 prospect from 2021 and played in every game as a redshirt freshman last year – albeit mostly on special teams.
Fickell’s coaching staff developed great pass defenses at Cincinnati and the Badgers have plenty of returning experience, so I expect a big improvement from this secondary in 2023.
Grade: B+
5) Ohio State
Top cornerbacks: Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Lorenzo Styles, Jordan Hancock, Jyaire Brown
Top safeties: Lathan Ransom, Josh Proctor, Cameron Martinez, Sonny Styles, Ja’Had Carter
Outside of the quarterback battle, cornerback is the Buckeyes’ biggest question mark heading into 2023. Denzel Burke showed flashes of potential as a freshman in 2021, but didn’t meet the hype last season. He may have finally turned a corner after a tremendous spring and is the clear top corner on this team.
The other corner position is up for grabs. Davison Igbinosum was a top-5 corner in the portal after impressing as a freshman at Ole Miss last year. He also had an impressive spring. Lorenzo Styles transfers from Notre Dame but is also making a position switch from wide receiver.
Ohio State also returns Jordan Hancock and Jyaire Brown. Hancock was one of the best corners in the 2021 class but was held out of the first half of 2022 and never quite back to full form. Brown was a 4-star last year and appeared in nine games as a true freshman.
Safety offers a lot more certainty than cornerback does. Lathan Ransom earned Big Ten Honorable Mention last year and spurned the NFL to come back for another year. Josh Proctor enters his sixth season after showing incredible potential throughout his career but struggling to stay on the field. Cameron Martinez is a former 4-star who has appeared in 24 games over the past two seasons.
Sonny Styles was a consensus 5-star and top-25 prospect in last year’s class. He could be on the verge of a breakout after a few exciting plays last year. Ja’Had Carter also transfers from Syracuse after earning ACC Honorable Mention last season.
On paper, Ohio State looks like they should boast one of the best secondaries in the country. But the potential at cornerback is strictly that – potential. We haven’t seen any of these players perform at a consistently high level. However, they do have a ton of depth which is a luxury they didn’t have for most of last year. The safety position has an exciting combination of experience and young talent. They are also very deep which plays to the strength of Knowles’ safety-heavy defense.
This could very well end up being the best pass defense in the Big Ten if the young players continue to develop and Knowles continues to make strides in his second season. But it’s hard to envision all the stars aligning for a secondary that hasn’t had an NFL-caliber corner since 2019.
Grade: B+
6) Illinois
Top cornerbacks: Tyler Strain, Tahveon Nicholson, Kaleb Patterson
Top safeties: Xavier Scott, Nicario Harper, Matthew Bailey, Demetrius Hill
Illinois loses a nearly unprecedented amount of talent from last year’s secondary to the NFL. Tahveon Nicholson is the Illini’s top returner in the secondary. As a redshirt sophomore last year, Nicholson started in the first 10 games before going down with injury. He had 19 tackles, a TFL, an INT, a FF, and 6 PBUs before getting hurt. He should step up into Devon Witherspoon’s vacated role as their lockdown corner.
The other starting corner spot will come down to Tyler Strain and Kaleb Patterson. Patterson was one of the top-rated JUCO prospects this season after earning 1st-team All-MACCC as a true freshman last year. Strain has appeared in 16 games through his first two season with Illinois and earned his first start in the bowl game against Mississippi State.
Nicario Harper is a new addition at safety and a strong contender to take one of the starting spots. He was an All-FCS safety at Jacksonville State before transferring to Louisville last year. But he transferred after just six games.
Xavier Scott is probably the other favorite to earn a starting job. He appeared in 11 games as a true freshman last year and, like Tyler Strain, earned his first start in their bowl game last season.
Matthew Bailey and Demetrius Hill should each see plenty of playing time and will push Scott & Harper for starting positions. Bailey played in every game as a true freshman last season and hauled in three interceptions. Hill was a Freshman All-American and All-Conference USA safety for FIU last year.
We got a sneak peak into this secondary in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Mississippi State. The relatively inexperienced defensive backs played well in that game and should continue to improve as we head into the 2023 season. I really like this safety room and think Tyler Strain, Tahveon Nicholson, & Kaleb Patterson make up a formidable trio at corner. Depth behind those three players is definitely a concern though. And it may take a good chunk of the season for this young group to really click.
Grade: B
7) Maryland
Top cornerbacks: Ja’Quan Sheppard, Tarheeb Still, Corey Coley Jr, Gavin Gibson
Top safeties: Beau Brade, Dante Trader Jr, Glendon Miller, Avantae Williams
Maryland loses a ton of talented defensive backs to the NFL but got a boost with the return of safety Beau Brade. The redshirt junior started every game last year and earned Big Ten Honorable Mention with 85 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 INTs, 2 FFs, and 5 PBUs. Dante Trader also returns as the starter as strong safety after finishing second on the team in tackles last year. Trader and Brade looks like the leaders of the Terp defensive backs in 2023.
Glendon Miller and Avantae Williams provide great depth at safety. Williams was a 4-star prospect in the 2020 class. He played in 17 games with one start at Florida before transferring to Maryland this season. Williams was a top-10 safety in the portal. Miller has appeared in 20 games over the past two seasons for Maryland.
Most of Maryland’s lost talent came at corner but they got a huge addition in Cincinnati tranfser Ja’Quan Sheppard. After mainly playing on special teams through his first three seasons, Sheppard exploded last year and earned 1st-team All-AAC. He is unquestionably Maryland’s top corner in 2023.
Tarheeb Still also returns as Maryland’s primary nickelback after starting all but three games for the Terps over the past three seasons. With 121 tackles, 7 TFLs, 2 sacks, 19 PBUs, and an INT under his belt, Still might earn a role at corner too.
The rest of Maryland’s cornerback room is made up of young, athletic, but inexperienced players. Corey Coley Jr has had a role as a reserve corner over the past two seasons but still has a lot of room to grow. Gavin Gibson showed some flashes last year but is only entering his second season.
Maryland has one of the best and deepest safety rooms in the Big Ten. I love the addition of Ja’Quan Sheppard at cornerback and Tarheeb Still is a known commodity at nickel. But the other cornerback position is completely up in the air. There is a lot of young, athletic talent to pick from but hardly any starring experience. These defensive backs still have a chance to improve from last year despite the losses to the NFL, but this is still a secondary that finished 11th in the Big Ten in interceptions and 10th in opponent pass yards per game.
Grade: B
8) Purdue
Top cornerbacks: Salim Turner-Muhammad, Marquis Wilson, Braxton Myers, Botros Alisandro, Jamari Brown
Top safeties: Cam Allen, Sanoussi Kane, Antonio Stevens, Anthon Brown
Purdue had an interesting 2022 as far as their pass defense goes, finishing in the bottom four of the Big Ten in pass yards and pass touchdowns allowed but finishing in the top five of the Big Ten in interceptions and opponent completion percentage. Ryan Walters is a defensive mastermind and be brought over many of his assistants from Illinois that helped develop one of the nation’s best pass defenses. So improvement is expected. But how quickly they can adjust to a new system is the real question.
There are a lot of new faces at cornerback with a litany of transfer portal additions. 5th-year seniors Salim Turner-Muhammad from Stanford and Marquis Wilson from Penn State looks like the favorites to earn starting roles. Muhammad appeared in every game last season for the Cardinal. Wilson – who just moved from wide receiver last off-season – was a prominent role player in a great Nittany Lion pass defense.
Braxton Myers was a 4-star prospect in the 2022 class and has all the physical tools you want out of a lockdown corner. He has yet to see the field though, so he may be a year way from a breakout. Purdue also added JUCO transfer Botros Alisandro. Although he only saw action in two games as a freshman last year.
Jamari Brown is the only familiar face in Purdue’s cornerback room. The former Kentucky transfer appeared in every game with 13 starts over the past two seasons. Brown is the likeliest candidate to push Muhammad and Wilson for a starting spot.
The safety position endured a little less turnover. 5th-year senior Cam Allen has earned Big Ten Honorable Mention in each of the past three seasons. In his career, Allen has 173 tackles, 7 TFLs, 10 INTs, 12 PBUs, and 4 FRs. Last year’s leading tackler also returns in Sanoussi Kane.
Backup duty will be held by Antonio Stevens and Anthony Brown. Stevens has battled injury so far in his career but emerged as a contributor late last season and could take a big step forward in 2023. Brown transferred from Arkansas after not seeing the field as a true freshman last year.
Cam Allen and Sanoussi Kane are one of the best safety duos in the conference. The lack of depth behind them at safety is made up by ample amounts of talent at corner. However, none of Purdue’s cornerbacks have played a prominent starting role before. The lack of experience there is definitely a concern. I have faith that Ryan Walters can help these young players grow up fast. But even so, this secondary is likely a year away from becoming great.
Grade: B
9) Nebraska
Top cornerbacks: Quinton Newsome, Malcolm Hartzog, Isaac Gifford, Tommi Hill
Top safeties: Marques Buford Jr, Myles Farmer, Omar Brown, Corey Collier
Quinton Newsome enters 2023 having started 24 consecutive games for the Huskers. He earned Big Ten Honorable Mention last season and is the unquestioned leader of this unit as he enters his 5th season.
Malcolm Hartzog earned a starting position as a true freshman last season and had an up-and-down season. He’s likely the favorite to take the other starting position but will be pushed by Isaac Gifford and Tommi Hill. Hill transferred to Nebraska last year after one season at Arizona State. He started off the season as the starter before being replaced by Hartzog. Gifford returns as Nebraska’s primary nickelback but could be used in several different positions.
Marques Buford Jr played well at safety last season, starting the first 11 games before going down with an injury. Myles Farmer enters his fifth season after starting the first 11 games last year and finishing second on the team in tackles. He has All-Big Ten potential but was just suspended indefinitely by Matt Rhule. It’s to be determined how much of the season, if any, he will miss. He was suspended by the previous coaching staff for last year’s finale against Michigan too.
Omar Brown is likely the next man up at safety should Farmer miss time. He was an All-American at UNI where he racked up 140 tackles, 13 PBUs, and 8 INTs over three seasons. But he played only sparingly in his first season with the Huskers last year.
Corey Collier is a darkhorse to earn significant play time. A 4-star prospect in 2021, Collier originally enrolled at Florida but didn’t see the field much over his first two seasons. Despite the inexperience, he has the potential to play at both safety and corner for the Huskers.
How long Myles Farmer is suspended will go a long way in determining how good this Nebraska secondary can be. I think Quinton Newsome & Marques Buford Jr are All-Big Ten caliber players and Malcolm Hartzog could be in store for a big breakout season. But the learning curve of this new defense and the amount of unknowns as you get further down the depth chart puts a ceiling on how good these defensive backs can be in 2023.
Grade: B-
10) Minnesota
Top cornerbacks: Justin Walley, Tre’Von Jones, Jack Henderson, Tyler Bride, Craig McDonald
Top safeties: Tyler Nubin, Darius Green, Coleman Bryson
Minnesota’s defensive backs are headlined by the surprise return of Tyler Nubin. A potential 2024 1st-round pick, Nubin earned 2nd-team All-Big Ten last year. But the safety position is completely up in the air behind the veterans.
Darius Green and Coleman Bryson are likely to compete to start opposite Nubin. Green appeared in every game as a redshirt freshman last year but was limited to mainly special teams. Bryson impressed as a true freshman last year. He played sparingly throughout the regular season but earned his first start in their bowl game against Syracuse. Bryson ended up with Defensive MVP Honors thanks to his 70-yard pick-six.
Justin Walley looks to be Minnesota’s top corner in 2023. He has appeared in every game through his first two seasons with six starts. He’s compiled 68 tackles, 4 INTs, 9 PBUs, 2 FFs, and 3 FRs in his short career.
Outside of Walley, the Gophers will need to rely on heavy contribution from a number of new arrivals. Tre’Von Jones from Elon and Jack Henderson from Southeastern Louisiana transfer with a combined 71 career games. They each earned all-conference honors last season but will have to adjust to stiffer competition in the Big Ten.
Minnesota will also get assistance from Tyler Bride and Craig McDonald. Bride appeared in 30 games with 15 starts over the past three seasons for Georgia Southern. McDonald joins his third team after spending two years at Iowa State and one at Auburn. However, he saw action in only two games for Auburn last year.
The Golden Gopher defensive back room is a tough one to read. Despite the ample experience at cornerback, a lot of it comes from lower levels of college football. Tyler Nubin is one of the best safeties in the country and Coleman Bryson has the potential to be a breakout start in 2023. But there is virtually no depth behind them. Minnesota finished in the top half of the conference in most pass-defense statistics last year. I really like parts of this group, but I don’t think they can replicate last year’s success.
Grade: B-
11) Rutgers
Top cornerbacks: Max Melton, Robert Longerbeam, Kessawn Abraham, Eric Rogers, Charles Amankwaa
Top safeties: Flip Dixon, Desmond Igbinosun, Shaquan Loyal
Rutgers’ cornerbacks are highlighted by three experienced returners and two new additions via the portal. Max Melton is the leader of the group and one of the most underrated corners in the Big Ten. He’s started 28 games over the past three seasons and finished last year with 33 tackles, 10 PBUs, and 2 INTs.
Robert Longerbeam and Kessawn Abraham are likely to compete for the other starting corner spot. Longerbeam carved out a role last year, appearing in 10 games with six starts. He’s a great athlete, sure tackler, and can make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Though he needs to become more disciplined in one-on-one coverage. Abraham enters his sixth season with the team. He blew up in 2021, earning 1st-team All-Big Ten Honors and being named MVP of the Rutgers defense. But injuries derailed Abraham’s 2022 campaign.
Eric Rogers transfers from Northern Illinois and Charles Amankwaa transfers from Akron. They are likely to provide depth for the unit.
The Scarlet Knights will have to replace a couple veterans at safety. They get some help with the arrival of Flip Dixon from Minnesota. Dixon played in 30 games with six starts over the past three seasons. He has great size for a safety and can be played at linebacker to help support the run. Dixon has a good set of hands but hasn’t been trusted to operate a ton in pass coverage.
Desmond Igbinosun and Shaquan Loyal will also compete for starting positions. Both carved out a role as sophomores last year but will need to continue to develop in order to be reliable starts.
I think Max Melton is a bona fide lockdown corner and Rutgers has plenty of depth behind him to keep everyone fresh. However, I am concerned about their ability to replace Christian Izien and Avery Young at safety.
Grade: C+
12) Michigan State
Top cornerbacks: Semar Melvin, Angelo Grose, Charles Brantley, Chester Kimbrough,
Top safeties: Dillon Tatum, Jaden Mangham, Malik Spencer, Justin White
Michigan State’s pass defense was college football’s worst in 2021. There was really nowhere to go but up in 2022. The Spartans finished last year 87th in opponent pass yards, 123rd in opponent completion percentage, and dead last in interceptions. Needless to say, Mel Tucker needs to figure out a solution in 2023.
Semar Melvin was a 4-star prospect in 2019 but played only sparingly over the past four seasons at Wisconsin. But he has played in 23 career games with over 300 snaps played on defense, immediately making him one of Michigan State’s most experienced cornerbacks.
Their most experienced corner would be Angelo Grose with 25 starts over the past three seasons. He primarily plays at nickel but could see an expanded role at either safety or corner this seasons. Michigan State also returns Charles Brantley who led the team with 6 PBUs last year. He was a 4-star in 2021 and started the first 11 games of 2022 before getting hurt.
Chester Kimbrough will likely back up Angelo Grose at nickel again. The former Florida transfer could end up starting there if Grose gets used elsewhere.
Jaden Mangham and Dillon Tatum offer exciting potential as the likely starters at safety. Both were consensus 4-star and top-25 ATHs in the 2022 class. They earned valuable experience last year, combining for almost 350 defensive snaps. Though still in need of technical refinement in pass coverage, Mangham and Tatum are an under-the-radar duo in 2023.
Malik Spencer (also a member of Mangham and Tatum’s class) returns after stepping up late in the season when Magham went down. 5th-year senior provides experience after appearing in 21 games over the past two seasons for the Spartans.
With an additional seven DBs coming from the 2023 class, Michigan State has the depth they so desperately lacked the past couple seasons. There is some exciting young talent that now has a year of experience under their belt. I expect another year of improvement, but it’d still be a leap to believe this can become one of the conference’s best pass defenses with largely the same talent.
Grade: C+
13) Northwestern
Top cornerbacks: Theran Johnson, Garnett Hollis Jr, Ore Adeyi
Top safeties: Coco Azema, Rod Heard II, Devin Turner, Garner Wallace
Northwestern has a quality trio of safeties in Coco Azema, Rod Heard II, and Devin Turner. Azema was one of the Wildcats’ best defenders in 2021 but missed the majority of last year with injury. Rod Heard II elevated his play in his absence, starting every game. Turner emerged as a key contributor in the back half of his true freshman season. All three players also have the versatility to play the nickel.
There isn’t much experience behind Azema, Heard, and Turner. Redshirt sophomore Garner Wallace looks like the next man up, but he was held to mainly special teams last year.
Cornerback will likely use some rotation of Theran Johnson, Garnett Hollis Jr, and Ore Adeyi.
Johnson and Hollis Jr both saw their first major play time as sophomores last year, combining for 19 game appearances with six starts. Adeyi was unranked in the 2021 class but saw the field in 10 games last year.
I really like the versatility and experience of Coco Azema, Rod Heard II, and Devin Turner. But outside of that trio, there is not a whole lot to love about this unit. The loss of Jeremiah Lewis to the transfer portal really stings. Northwestern will continue to run the same defense despite the loss of Pat Fitzgerald so I think you can count on some development from these corners. But they have a long way to develop.
Grade: C-
14) Indiana
Top cornerbacks: Nicholas Toomer, Jamier Johnson, Kobee Minor
Top safeties: Noah Pierre, Louis Moore, Josh Sanguinetti, Bryson Bonds, Tyrik McDaniel
Noah Pierre is the lone returning starter in the defensive back room. He is entering his 6th season with Indiana and has appeared in every game at safety over the past two seasons with 13 starts. He should remain at their Husky position – a hybrid between safety and linebacker.
The other two starting safety spots are completely up in the air. Louis Moore appeared in all 12 games last year after transferring from community college. Josh Sanguinetti was a starter in 2021 before going down with injury. He appeared in 11 games last year and made his first career interception. Bryson Bonds saw his first play time last year.
Tyrik McDaneil is an under-the-radar name that could emerge as an impact player for the Hoosiers. McDaniel played primarily on special teams as a true freshman at Old Dominion. He transferred to Independence Community College in Kansas and made a name for himself last year, emerging as a consensus top-5 JUCO safety in this class.
Corner is not quite as deep as the safety room, with virtually no one with playing experience returning. Instead, the Hoosiers will likely rely on a trio of transfer portal addition.
Nicholas Toomer was at Stanford for the past four years, emerging as a key backup corner in the past two seasons. Jamier Johnson was a 4-star prospect in the 2021 class. He showed a lot of potential while he was at Texas but never secured a starting role. Kobee Minor has been a key backup corner for Texas Tech over the past two seasons.
I think Jamier Johnson will emerge as the Hoosiers’ best corner after an impressive spring. That being said, I don’t have a ton of faith in the guys behind him. The safety room is deep with plenty of experience, but I’m not sure if I see any real playmakers in this group. I like some of the portal moves Tom Allen made to make up for the lost talent from last year. Nonetheless, there are far more question marks than points of confidence throughout this group.
Grade: C-