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Creating the All-Duane Akina secondary from the best Longhorns defensive backs

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•about 9 hours•

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Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas (Tim Heitman-Imagn Images)

Duane Akina‘s first tenure at Texas helped the Longhorns become Defensive Back University, with double-digit NFL Draft picks, numerous All-Big 12 and All-America players, and two Thorpe Award winners. It wasn’t at just one position, either. Akina’s charges at corner, safety, and nickel created a standard of play in the Longhorn defensive secondary that helped Texas become worthy of the letters DBU.

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RT Young’s Longhorn Alphabet chronicles Texas’ exploits in the defensive backfield, with Akina products like Michael Huff, Michael Griffin, Aaron Williams, and Quandre Diggs used as examples of Texas’ secondary prowess.

But between players like the Brothers Jammer, Quentin Jammer and Quandre Diggs, there were plenty of great defensive backs. Which five-man combination would make up the All-Akina team?

Justin Wells offered this fivesome on the Wednesday nITe Live show on the Inside Texas Football YouTube channel:

CB: Nathan Vasher
CB: Aaron Ross
NB: Michael Huff
S: Earl Thomas
S: Michael Griffin

Young put this group together:

CB: Aaron Williams
CB: Nathan Vasher
NB: Michael Griffin
S: Earl Thomas
S: Michael Huff

Finally, Ian Boyd offered this group

CB: Quentin Jammer
CB: Nathan Vasher
NB: Michael Huff
S: Earl Thomas
S: Kenny Vaccaro

Here was my five-man selection

Cornerback: Quentin Jammer

Honors: 2001 unanimous All-American, 2000 and 2001 first-team All-Big 12, 2001 team co-MVP, 2001 Jim Thorpe Award finalist

Drafted: 5th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2002 NFL Draft

Texas’ first Thorpe Award finalist and the highest drafted defensive back out of Austin, Jammer was Akina’s first major success story. Jammer finished his career with 57 pass breakups and seven interceptions.

Cornerback: Aaron Ross

Honors: 2006 Jim Thorpe Award, 2006 first-team All-American, 2006 Big 12 co-defensive player of the year, 2006 first-team All-Big 12, 2006 team co-MVP, 2005 All-Big 12 honorable mention

Draft: 20th overall by the New York Giants in the 2007 NFL Draft

Ross became Texas’ second Thorpe winner and Akina’s third along with Huff and Arizona’s Darryll Lewis. A key part of Texas’ national championship efforts in 2005, Ross stuck around for his senior year and became a first-team All-American in 2006 before a decorated pro career.

Safety: Earl Thomas

Honors: 2009 consensus All-American, 2009 first-team All-Big 12, 2009 Jim Thorpe Award finalist, 2008 All-Big 12 honorable mention

Draft: 14th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2010 NFL Draft

Eric Berry still has Thomas’ Thorpe Award. Though No. 12 is retired in honor of Colt McCoy at Texas, Thomas made a lot of standout players during his brief time in Austin. Thomas is comfortably in the conversation when talking about the best safeties in football history.

Safety: Michael Huff

Honors: 2005 Jim Thorpe Award, 2005 unanimous All-American, 2004 and 2005 first-team All-Big 12, College Football Hall of Fame inductee

Draft: 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2006 NFL Draft

The College Football Hall of Famer is known for numerous stats, accolades, and honors. But his 4th down stop of LenDale White in the 2006 Rose Bowl may go down as the biggest play of his career. Huff is part of the Longhorn program currently as an assistant director of player development.

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Nickel: Kenny Vaccaro

Honors: 2012 team MVP, 2011 and 2012 first-team All-Big 12

Draft: 15th overall by the New Orleans Saints

Other Akina products could be pigeon-holed into the nickel position, but Vaccaro is one of the few who stand as a perfect fit for the spot in modern college football. He may not have some of the similar accolades as others in this starting five, but it’d be hard to leave sidelined the player who hurdled Isi Sofele on the way to sacking Zach Maynard in the 2011 Holiday Bowl.

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