Position unit breakdown: All you need to know about the top 12 secondaries in 2022

We continue our position breakdown series today with the secondary.

We came up with the nation’s 12 best secondaries, as well as the top secondary in each league (if it is not mentioned in the top 12) and the top three secondary transfer classes.

This is a mixture of talent, expected production and comfort level. Think of “comfort level” this way: If there are a handful of new starters or the returning guys had issues last season, well, the comfort level can’t be all that high.

We looked at the nation’s top 10 offensive backfields Tuesday, the top 12 receiving corps Wednesday, the top 12 offensive lines Thursday, the top 12 defensive lines Friday and the top 12 linebacker groups Monday.

12. Boise State

The standout: S J.L. Skinner
The buzz: Skinner is a force on the back end, and heads an experienced group. Boise State returns three fulltime starters in the secondary in its 4-2-5 set, and seven DBs who started at least three games last season are back. The safeties are especially good.

11. Oregon

The standout: CB Christian Gonzalez
The buzz: Gonzalez, a transfer from Colorado, helps solidify the group; he should contend for All-Pac-12 honors. The return of S Bennett Williams – who missed the final 10 games last season with a leg injury – is big, too.

10. Minnesota

The standout: S Tyler Nubin
The buzz: The Golden Gophers had one of the nation’s best defenses last season, finishing in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense, pass defense, rush defense and total defense and 12^th in yards-per-play defense. Four starters return, and Minnesota also added CBs Beanie Bishop (an All-Conference USA pick at Western Kentucky) and Ryan Stapp (a standout at FCS Abilene Christian). The cornerback group is especially deep now.

9. Utah

The standout: CB Clark Phillips III
The buzz: Phillips might be the best DB in the Pac-12, and Cole Bishop is one of the league’s best safeties. A key transfer is S Clayton Isbell, who earned some FCS All-America acclaim the past two seasons at Illinois State.

8. Clemson

The standout: S Andrew Mukuba
The buzz: There will be two new starting cornerbacks – and both departed corners were first-team all-league selections. Still, there is talent at cornerback, and the safety duo of Mukuba and Jalyn Phillips is top-notch.

7. Ohio State

The standout: CB Denzel Burke
The buzz: The secondary has been – to be kind – mediocre at times the past two seasons. That should change with new coordinator Jim Knowles. There certainly is talent available with Burke, S Ronnie Hickman and nickel back Tanner McCalister, who came with Knowles from Oklahoma State. Depth is good, and consistency should become a hallmark of the unit with Knowles in charge.

6. NC State

The standout: S Tanner Ingle
The buzz: All five starters return from a unit that held opposing quarterbacks to a 52.5 percent completion rate last season (second nationally). Ingle isn’t that big (5 feet 10, 186 pounds), but he hits a ton. There is a lot of experience (four of the five starters are upperclassmen) and ample depth, too.

5. Iowa

The standout: CB Riley Moss
The buzz: Iowa led the nation with 25 interceptions last season; Moss had four, including two pick-sixes. The Hawkeyes have a well-coached secondary that annually makes life tough for opposing quarterbacks (nine consecutive seasons with opposing quarterbacks completing less than 60 percent of their passes, including six at 56 percent or worse). There is a nice group of corners, though depth at safety seems iffy.

4. Penn State

The standout: CB Joey Porter Jr.
The buzz: Porter and S Ji’Ayir Brown are two of the best DBs in the Big Ten, and each has a legit shot at All-America honors, too. Brown had six picks last season, while Porter broke through with an interception and five pass breakups. Porter and Kalen King should be a dynamic corner duo. There are questions about who lines up at safety next to Brown; Zakee Wheatley had a good spring and might be the guy.

3. Georgia

The standout: CB Kelee Ringo
The buzz: The Bulldogs return just two starters in their five-man secondary, but Ringo is an excellent building block. If he’s not the best corner in the nation, he’s in the top three. The other starting corner will be Kamari Lassiter or Nyland Green. Christopher Smith is a returning starter at safety; former walk-on Dan Jackson might be the other starter. Keep an eye on five-star freshman Malaki Starks at safety.

2. Texas A&M

The standout: S Antonio Johnson
The buzz: The secondary has gone from a weakness to the best position on the team in four years. Johnson and Demani Richardson might be the best safety duo in the nation. That is, if Johnson plays safety; he also could be the nickel. There is good talent and depth at corner with the return of Myles Jones from an injury; Tyreek Chappell and Jaylon Jones are returning starters there. Despite the experienced depth, there are one or two talented true freshman DBs who figure to see the field, too.

1. Alabama

The standout: S Jordan Battle
The buzz: The Tide secondary uncharacteristically struggled at times last season, but this season’s group looks deeper – and more talented. Battle was a first-team All-SEC selection last season, when he had 84 tackles and three interceptions (two were pick-sixes). He heads a good group of safeties. The addition of transfer CB Eli Ricks from LSU gives the Tide a high-level trio at that spot, along with Kool-Aid McKinstry and Khyree Jackson.

Other leagues

AAC
Houston: Both starting corners have to be replaced, but the other three starters return, with S Gervarrius Owens the headliner. There are experienced options at corner.

Big 12
Oklahoma: Baylor and Oklahoma State both lost important DBs, so OU is the call here (by a hair). Transfers C.J. Coldon, a cornerback from Wyoming, and Trey Morrison, a nickel/safety from North Carolina, bring a ton of experience. CB Woodi Washington and S Key Lawrence are the key holdovers; both are from the Nashville area, as is OU starting DE Reggie Grimes.

Conference USA
UAB: Three of the five starters are back, and the Blazers look especially strong at safety with Grayson Cash. There is a lot of experience, as seven of the top 10 DBs are upperclassmen.

Mid-American
Toledo: The Rockets return three of five starters in their secondary. While the two starters who departed were first-team All-MAC picks, ample talent returns, with S Maxen Hook the headliner.

Sun Belt
South Alabama: The Jaguars also return three of their five starters in the secondary. CB Darrell Luter and S Keith Gallmon Jr. are among the best players in the league at their positions, and both new starters are experienced upperclassmen.

The three best secondary transfer classes

3. USC, with CB Mekhi Blackmon (from Colorado), CB Jacobe Covington (Washington), CB Latrell McCutchin (Oklahoma) and S Bryson Shaw (Ohio State). The buzz: Blackmon might be the Trojans’ best DB this season, and McCutchin and Shaw also figure to play a lot, if not start. Covington is a good pickup who likely truly starts to pay off next season.

2. Wisconsin, with CB Justin Clark (Toledo), CB Cedrick Dort (Kentucky), S Kamo’i Latu (Utah) and CB Jay Shaw (UCLA). The buzz: The Badgers needed reinforcements in the secondary, and they got their men. Shaw is the key; he and holdover S Hunter Wohler should be the two best players in the secondary.

1. LSU, with CB Sevyn Banks (Ohio State), CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (Oklahoma State), NB Greg Brooks (Arkansas), S Joe Foucha (Arkansas), CB Mekhi Garner (Louisiana) and CB Colby Richardson (McNeese State). The buzz: “DBU” was not in a good spot with its defensive backs until coach Brian Kelly went to work in the portal. All six are going to play, with Bernard-Converse – a first-team All-Big 12 guy last season – the guy to watch. Brooks and Foucha were multi-year starters at Arkansas, and Richardson has been a surprise during preseason camp.