The list of former Auburn Tigers defensive backs to earn All-America honors is longer than most other programs, and cutting that list to just five names was quite a difficult task.

However, we faced the challenge head on and whittled that long list of star players through the decades down to a list of just five names: the truly elite defensive backs in the program’s history.

In honor of Defensive Back Week at SDS, we’ll unveil our list of the top Auburn defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) in history:

5. Larry Willingham (1967-1970): Willingham was Auburn’s second-ever consensus All-American defensive back, earning the honor in 1970, one season after teammate Buddy McClinton earned it. He was also a two-time All-SEC performer and a member of Auburn’s “Team of the Decade” to conclude the 1970s. An incredible athlete, Willingham was an All-State end as a high school senior in Alabama in 1966 before moving to defensive back upon arriving at Auburn the next season.

4. David Langner (1971-73): Langner arrived at Auburn just as Willingham was departing, preventing any regression experienced by the secondary. His 12 career interceptions rank among the five best career totals in Auburn history, and his eight interceptions in 1972 are the second most in a single season in school history. Langner was also a legendary punt returner at Auburn, returning two Alabama punts blocked by teammate Bill Newton for touchdowns in the historic “Punt, Bama, Punt” game  (his 108 interception return yards on two picks in a 1971 win against UT-Chattanooga are also a school record).

3. Brian Robinson (1993-94): Robinson was a stellar cornerback for Auburn in the early 1990s, logging 13 career interceptions (third in school history) in addition to setting a school record with three career interceptions returned for touchdowns. He earned All-America honors in 1994 after logging eight interceptions (he recorded at least five in both of his seasons in the starting lineup), although he went undrafted in the 1995 NFL Draft despite leaving school a year early to begin his pro career. Robinson’s career-defining game was a win over the No. 1-ranked Florida Gators in 1994 in which he intercepted three passes for the game, the last of which set up Auburn’s game-winning drive.

2. Buddy McClinton (1967-69): McClinton played three seasons at Auburn, started every game during those three seasons and earned All-SEC honors to close all three seasons. If that’s not consistency meeting excellence I’m not sure what is. His nine interceptions in a single season in 1969 were a school record at the time, and his 18 career interceptions remain a school record. Keep in mind he posted those numbers during an era in which passing was far less established than it is today. In 1969, he became the first Tiger to earn consensus All-America honors, cementing himself on the list of all-time greats at his position in Auburn history.

1. Carlos Rogers (2001-04): It’s only been a decade since Rogers last suited up for the Tigers, but he’s already entrenched among the legendary program’s all-time great players. For starters, he’s the only Auburn defensive back to ever win the Thorpe Award, signifying the nation’s best defensive back that season. He earned the honor in 2004 in addition to earning consensus All-America honors. He was also a four-year starter at Auburn, and his 40 career pass deflections remain a school record. Rogers even recorded 182 career tackles in his four seasons on the plains, an average of 45.5 tackles per season. Needless to say it’s rare for a true cornerback to log those kinds of tackle numbers, but Rogers was simply a playmaker with a knack for being in the right place at the right time to lead the Auburn defense. He played a massive role as the No. 1 corner on Auburn’s 2004 undefeated season (that went unrewarded when it came time to choosing National Championship Game participants), and that season has helped shape Rogers legacy as one of the best to ever don Auburn’s blue and orange.