We’ve seen some tremendous performances on the defensive side of the football throughout this season in the SEC.

From a team perspective, Alabama is again nothing short of suffocating on defense. No. 1 in the country against the run, which seems to be the case every year, no D is better at making opponents one-dimensional than the Crimson Tide’s.

As far as individuals are concerned, Tenneessee’s Derek Barnett has been a standout despite the fact that his teammates have crumbled around him. Zach Cunningham of Vanderbilt led the league in tackles by a wide margin. Getting back to ‘Bama, it’s safe to say that Jonathan Allen made the right decision by returning to Tuscaloosa.

Be sure to watch the video above for some quick commentary on those three stoppers, as well as my pick for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.