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The SEC reloaded at the defensive back positions this offseason, helping compensate for the loss of stars like Landon Collins, Jalen Collins, Senquez Golson and Cody Prewitt.
In the SEC West, which serves as the home to some of college football’s most potent passing attacks, those new defensive back signees could pay major dividends in their first years on campus this fall.
Get acquainted with all 27 defensive back signees in the West, many of which were regarded among the best at their positions during the past recruiting cycle:
Editor’s note: Recruiting ranking references are to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
ALABAMA
CB Kendall Sheffield (5-star): Sheffield has ideal cornerback size at 6-feet and 180 pounds, but more importantly he has speed to burn on the outside. He’s a better tackler than most at his position, and his speed allows him the versatility to play press coverage at the line or to give a receiver a pre-snap cushion. He’s a supreme athlete who can also make an impact in the return game, and a talented corner still learning the subtleties of the position.
CB Minkah Fitzpatrick (5-star): Fitzpatrick doesn’t possess quite the same speed as Sheffield, but he’s quick in short distances and can change directions quickly, which is critical to success at the cornerback position. Few corners from the 2015 class play balls in the air better than Fitzpatrick, which could allow him to see playing time in a reserve role right away on Kirby Smart’s defense.
S Deionte Thompson (4-star): Standing 6-foot-2 with long arms, Thompson has the size and length most want out of a safety, although at 180 pounds he’ll need to bulk up to last at the position in the SEC. He’s quick and explosive, which allows him to make sudden breaks on a ball in the air or a ball-carrier in his vicinity. He’s a supreme athlete who can use his length to knock down passes, and he’s phenomenal at reading plays as they develop from the back of the defense, allowing him to get to the right spot to make a play.
S Ronnie Harrison (4-star): Harrison’s defining quality is his size. At 6-foot-3 and as lean a 205 pounds as you’ll find on a college athlete, Harrison is big and strong with long limbs and great speed. He’s a physical player who can play both cornerback and safety. His size allows him to match up with bigger, physical receivers, which will come in handy at the college level, especially in the red zone. He’s also a great tackler for a defensive back and can use his size to bully opposing wideouts on the outside.
ARKANSAS
S Dre Greenlaw (3-star): At 210 pounds, Greenlaw is one of the heavier safeties in the 2015 class, leaving open the possibility he moves to linebacker at some point during his Arkansas career. He lacks tremendous speed and as a result is better in zone coverage than man to man, but his instincts are superb and often make up for his lack of speed. He’s a sure tackler and a great fit in the box when aiming to stop the run, which adds value to his play as well.
CB Nate Dalton (3-star): Some recruiting services list Dalton as a cornerback, while others list him as a safety. He can play either position thanks to great field awareness and an ability to change directions quickly. He’s not the fastest recruit in the class but has great straight line speed when closing on balls in the air or nearby ball-carriers. He plays balls well and is great at defending 50-50 balls and jump balls, which, again, allows him to play both cornerback and safety at the next level.
CB Ryan Pulley (3-star): Pulley isn’t the fastest member of the class either, but he’s pretty fast compared to some of his fellow Arkansas defensive back signees. He was recruited as an athlete but according to 247Sports has already been moved to cornerback, or is at least expected to move to corner before the start of his freshman season. He’s a good tackler and runs well, and his instincts should aid his transition to playing in the secondary full-time at the college level. There’s a chance he could play some safety at Arkansas as well.
CB Willie Sykes (3-star): Sykes’ game is predicated on speed (he ran a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash in high school before signing with Arkansas), which allows him to make plays in coverage against the most explosive opposing wideouts. He has great closing speed, which allows him to take chances in coverage knowing he can make up ground in a hurry, and he plays balls in the air well despite his 3-star rating.
AUBURN
S Jordan Colbert (4-star): Colbert is a linebacker/safety hybrid who played linebacker in high school but possesses the speed and athleticism to play safety when necessary. He’s far from being a physically overpowering player who makes plays near the line of scrimmage or behind it, but he’s a great open-field tackler and more than capable playing in coverage, especially against opposing tailbacks and tight ends. His versatility should allow him to find a role in Will Muschamp’s defense right away.
S Carlton Davis (4-star): Davis is a physical safety prospect who can defend against the run and the pass thanks to a 6-foot-1 frame with room to bulk up. His instincts and football IQ allow him to read plays pre-snap from the back of the defense, which is vital to his success at the safety position. Davis doesn’t shy away from contact and he’s still improving as a tackler, which will likely help him earn playing time in some capacity this fall for a team that was the worst in the SEC in touchdown passes allowed in 2014 (allowed 22 in 13 games).
CB Jeremiah Dinson (3-star): Dinson is not only fast, but he possesses great instincts in coverage that allow him to read how a play is developing and ensure he’s in the right position to make a stop, be it on a ball in the air or a ball-carrier in his vicinity. He has great speed and can play from sideline to sideline, and while he regularly has himself in great position to make plays on the ball, his ball skills in particular are a bit flawed. Still, he possesses all the raw tools to be molded into an above-average cornerback by the time he leaves Auburn.
LSU
CB Kevin Toliver (5-star): Widely considered the best cornerback prospect in the 2015 class, Toliver will continue the legacy of touted cornerback prospects signing with and starring for the Bayou Bengals. His 6-foot-2 frame allows him to use his length to deter opposing wideouts at the line of scrimmage, where he excels in press coverage, and to bat down passes in the air. He’s aggressive and hungry for good competition, and is sure to take part in some battles on the outside during his LSU career.
CB Xavier Lewis (4-star): Lewis is another supreme athlete at the cornerback position sure to shine for the Tigers in the coming years. Like Toliver he excels in press coverage, and his athleticism allows him to hang with any wideout with which he’s matched up throughout a game. The former high school cornerback also understands the Xs and Os of a passing game from an offense’s perspective, which should help him transition his game to the college level.
S Jeremy Cutrer (3-star): As a 3-star signee joining a class of primarily 4- and 5-star prospects, Cutrer gives the impression of a merely average player if you’ve never heard his name before. However, this kid is the real deal, and like his more touted counterparts in the LSU class he has a chance to continue LSU’s legacy as “Defensive Back U.” At 6-foot-2 he has ideal size and length for a safety, and he moves extremely in that frame. He’s fast and physical, and is poised to one day become a playmaker for the Tigers.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
S Jamal Peters (4-star): Peters is one of the top safeties in the 2015 class, and he’ll be expected to contribute right away to a secondary that allowed the SEC’s most completions of 30 yards or more in 2014. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Peters is a large physical specimen for the safety position, but with impressive speed he’s slated to eventually become one of the best in the nation when his MSU career comes to an end. He’s a hard hitter and an aggressive player as a blitzer and in coverage, which should create opportunities for his teammates on the Bulldogs defense.
CB Maurice Smitherman (3-star): Smitherman is one of the more intelligent defensive back prospects in the 2015 class, and many scouts have been impressed with his ability to react quickly as a play is developing. He has above-average speed coming out of high school and can change directions on a dime, which is a valuable trait for any touted cornerback recruit. Smitherman isn’t the kind of talent who’s likely to contribute right away in Starkville, but he has the physical tools to blossom into a productive player as an upperclassman, especially considering Dan Mullen and Manny Diaz’s histories of developing players.
CB Chris Stamps (3-star): Stamps was a two-way player in high school (cornerback and wideout) who will move to the defense full-time beginning this season in Starkville. He’s fast and runs well in open space, and while he’s great in man to man coverage (perhaps due to his days as a receiver) he’s still growing more comfortable playing in zone coverages. He has great hands and can make plays on the ball like someone who once shined as a receiver. Stamps never shies from contact, but he could improve his tacking now that he’ll play full-time on the defense.
S Mark McLaurin (3-star): At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, McLaurin is not the kind of safety with speed to burn. Instead, he possesses great size and average speed, but it’s his incredible football instincts that allow him to be in the right position at the right time despite lacking the superhuman speed that’s become the standard in the SEC. McLaurin is a great tackler who will also contribute to stopping the run and who will patrol the middle of the field prepared to separate opponents from the ball if and when necessary.
OLE MISS
CB Tony Bridges (4-star): Bridges is regarded as the top junior college cornerback transfer in the 2015 class, and he’ll be expected to compete for the Rebels’ vacant starting cornerback job this spring and summer as Senquez Golson heads for the NFL. At 6-foot-2, he’ll bring length to the position that Golson could not, and that length is a major asset when it comes to making plays on balls in the air. However, Bridges is also excellent at reacting to plays as they’re developing and using his supreme speed to put himself in the right position on any play. That combination of speed and length, with two years of junior college seasoning, makes Bridges the kind of corner who can star in the SEC on Day 1, and as an early enrollee at Ole Miss he may do just that.
S Armani Linton (4-star): At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Linton has ideal length at the safety position and should he bulk up upon arriving in Oxford he’d fill out a fantastic frame for a safety. He’s fast for his size and uses his instincts to ensure he’s in the right position on a given play. He’s also astute at playing balls in the air, thanks in large part to his length, which should allow him to find playing time at a thin safety position on the Ole Miss roster.
CB Cameron Ordway (3-star): Ordway, a 6-foot-tall corner, is long and lanky, but he uses that length to his advantage in coverage like many of the other taller, longer prospects on this list. He changes directions well in space, which is also vital to excelling in coverage, and although he’s more of a raw talent he should be able to develop into a productive corner while playing behind savvy veterans like Bridges and Mike Hilton.
CB Jalen Julius (3-star): Julius was recruited as an athlete, and his versatility and incredible athletic qualities should make him one of the more appealing three-star signees in the West division this offseason. He’s fast in quick bursts and long distances alike, and plays fluid on the outside to indicate his comfort in going through the motions of a cornerback engaged in coverage (backpedaling, turning hips, etc.). He’s an exciting player who can also shine as a returner, but until he adds some size to his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame he may lack durability or an ability to bring down larger targets in space on the outside.
CB Montrell Custis (3-star): Custis possesses supreme speed, and that alone gives him a huge advantage as a defensive back prospect. He chose Ole Miss over a number of other SEC programs, and should be able to work his way onto the field early in his career thanks to that impressive speed. He’s an instinctive player as well, and those instincts, when working in tandem with his speed, make it difficult for wideouts to gain separation, especially down the field. Custis can help limit big plays over the top, and even when he makes a mistake his speed allows him to regain ground in a hurry to make a play and/or limit damage.
TEXAS A&M
S Justin Dunning (4-star): Like Peters, Dunning stands 6-f00t-3 and uses his impressive size to his advantage at the safety position. He has enormous hands and long arms, allowing him to make plays on balls in the air most others couldn’t make even if they wanted to. His makeup speed in coverage is impressive considering his size, and he often takes great angles to close distances between he and an opposing ball-carrier/pass-catcher. He is also a physical run stopper who some thing may eventually move to linebacker depending on how much weight he puts on at A&M.
S Larry Pryor (4-star): The Aggies were in great need of safety talents like Dunning and Pryor upon losing both of last year’s starting safeties, and like Dunning, Pryor is the kind of player that could earn himself playing time as a freshman if he buys into John Chavis’ coaching. He’s not the biggest safety in the class, standing just below 6-feet, but he has great speed and athleticism and plays balls in the air like a natural. He’s a good tackler for a safety and despite his size is as complete a football player as any in the Aggies’ 2015 class.
CB Roney Elam (4-star): Elam’s length as a 6-foot-2 prospect makes him appealing at the cornerback position. His lack of true SEC speed is a drawback, but he’s fundamentally sound and thus is capable of compensating for his lack of athleticism. Elam is a true four-year program player who is good at a number of things but not great at any one thing, and the more he’s developed the more likely it is he’ll become a major contributor for A&M down the line.
S Justin Evans (3-star): A junior college transfer, Evans is a versatile safety capable of making an immediate impact at the position for an A&M team in need of more productive safeties. He’s an instinctive player in the back-end of the defense, and he reads quarterbacks better than many of the high school signees in the class who lack Evans’ junior college seasoning. He plays downhill from the safety position, wreaking havoc underneath and across the middle of the field, and he has good ball skills in coverage. He’s an explosive blitzer, but can be vulnerable if ever matched up one on one with an athletic tailback or tight end.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
