2020 Unit Rankings – Defensive Backs

So far, here’s where the Vols’ units have ranked in the SEC heading into the 2020 season:

• Quarterbacks, No. 4
• Running backs, No. 4
• Wide receivers, No. 10
• Offensive line, No. 2
• Defensive line, No. 2
• Linebackers, No. 8

Today, we’ll look at the defensive backs.

2020 SEC Defensive Back Rankings

	The Bulldogs defense loses about half of its production in the secondary, but we’ll say this again: They were the nation’s third-best defense and the league’s best last fall. And even though J.R. Reed is gone, Richard LeCounte, Eric Stokes, DJ Daniel, Mark Webb, Divaad Wilson, and Lewis Cine are not. Not satisfied, Georgia went out and landed elite defensive back Kelee Ringo, who ranks first in our GSEC100, and two others also in our GSEC100 in Jalen Kimber and Major Burns.
	2019 Total Defense (in yards per game)	Returning Production			Unit Recruiting Ranking
1		PBUs	INTs	Tackles
	276	35	7	274	1

	2019 Total Defense (in yards per game)	Returning Production			Unit Recruiting Ranking	The Gators will miss NFL-bound CJ Henderson, but they return 59% of their production in the secondary.
		PBUs	INTs	Tackles
2	305	17	15	245	7
	2019 Total Defense (in yards per game)	Returning Production			Unit Recruiting Ranking	The Wildcats were quietly solid on defense last season, and they return 91% of their backfield this fall.
		PBUs	INTs	Tackles
3	322	32	3	224	9
	2019 Total Defense (in yards per game)	Returning Production			Unit Recruiting Ranking	Nigel Warrior and his four interceptions are gone for the Vols, but everybody else is back for another year under Jeremy Pruitt.
		PBUs	INTs	Tackles
4	334	14	9	257	4

Additional comments

A recurring theme for the Vols is that their defense ended up a Top 25 unit in 2019. The DBs were part of that, and although they have to replace Nigel Warrior this fall, he’s the only one. Also, it looks like the Vols better be able to run the ball in the SEC East this year. 🙂

Georgia, again, is at the top, as the Bulldogs return most of their secondary from a stellar defense in 2019. They’re on a level of their own.

The next five — Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU — are all bunched together. LSU may look low, but the Tigers’ defense wasn’t quite as good as some of the others, the pieces they lost are a little more painful (Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton), and their recruiting for the unit was a bit behind the others. But it’s super close among all five of those teams. Tennessee, A&M, and LSU are all only separated by a total of 16 yards of projected defense.

Your thoughts

What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?