As the new season approaches and various positions among college football have been ranked, we continue with the top 10 defensive backs for 2024.
With so much up and coming talent in college football it is hard to know who is excelling in the various positions. Here you can find a breakdown of the top 10 elite defensive backs for 2024.
The Top 10 Defensive Backs in College Football in 2024
1. Malaki Starks, Georgia.
His stats speak for themselves with 52 tackles, three interceptions, and seven defended passes. In Starks’s 2022 season, he intercepted a pass from Oregon and high-pointed the ball. He aided tremendously in the 49-3 victory.
His performance, stats, and quickness on the field earned him freshman All-American while being a part of helping lead the Georgia Bulldogs to another CFP National Championship.
According to Gridiron Heroics’ Santiago Lopez, Starks “made his impact felt early”. This speaks to his natural talent, ability to move with ease and make everything look effortless, and his quickness.
With some top Georgia players leaving for the NFL, Starks will be fulfilling a more important role as a defensive back this upcoming season. The only question left is, Will Malaki Starks become the Georgia Bulldogs’ first two-time All-American Safety?.
2. Travis Hunter, Colorado
Travis Hunter also has impressive stats with 31 tackles, three interceptions, and five passes defended. Hunter’s 2023 season best plays stood out to teammates, players, coaches, and fans alike. Specifically, Hunter stunned when he caught an interception in the opening game against TCU.
It is no secret that Hunter knows how to properly use his explosiveness and competitively to drive the team towards victories. Additionally, he achieved honors such as preseason First-Team All-American by Athlon as an all-purpose athlete, consensus First-Team All-American, First-Team All-Purpose, First-Team Athlete, and preseason All-Pac-12 by the league’s media at three positions, First-Team at defensive back and all-purpose and honorable mention at wide receiver, and that is only half the list.
3. Will Johnson, Michigan.
Will Johnson had 27 tackles, four interceptions, and four passes defended.
In the 2023 season, Johnson upped his game with a 42% completion rate and a QBR of 4.3, helping Michigan win a national title along with the No.1 defense per SP+.
Johnson brings a talent and power that should make the 2024 season a successful one and hopefully a title winning one.
The Rest:
4. Caleb Downs, Ohio State
5. Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
6. Denzel Burke, Ohio State
7. Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
8. Sebastian Castro, Iowa
9. Andrew Mukuba, Texas
10. Jabbar Muhammad, Washington
Each of these defensive backs contribute to their team with their ability to cover wide receivers with quickness, power, and field and play readability.
