The Spike Club: Texas boasts three defensive backs you might as well not even throw at
If a quarterback spiked the ball every single play, his NFL passer rating would be 39.6.
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There are a number of defensive backs in college football who make throwing the football their way a worst statistical proposition than clocking the football, and three of them play for the Texas Longhorns.
Andrew Mukuba, Jahdae Barron, and Michael Taaffe all boasted a NFL passer rating when targeted of under 39.6, indicative of their efforts with the No. 1 defense in terms of passing yards allowed and the No. 2 unit in terms of team passing efficiency defense.
Using Pro Football Focus data, there are 36 defensive backs — safeties, nickels, and corners — who boast a NFL passer rating against of under 39.6 across at least 150 coverage snaps in the 2024 season. These players, members of the esteemed “Spike Club,” are the bane of quarterback’s existence across the nation.
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Spike Club Defensive Backs (w/ NFL passer rating against)
- Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State – 4.7
- Dillion Williams, S, UTEP – 6.3
- Jacob Thomas, S, James Madison – 10.6
- Charles Brantley, CB, Michigan State – 15.4
- Bray Hubbard, S, Alabama – 19.1
- Ty Bryant, S, Kentucky – 22.7
- Jordan Oladokun, CB, Bowling Green – 23.9
- Koi Perich, S, Minnesota – 25.6
- David Carter Jr., S, Eastern Michigan – 26.7
- Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas – 27.3
- Demarko Williams, DB, Western Kentucky – 27.3
- Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas – 28.0
- Tori Daffin, S, Nevada – 29.8
- Xavier Watts, DB, Notre Dame – 30.4
- Michael Taaffe, S, Texas – 30.5
- Xavion Alford, S, Arizona State – 31.0
- Kerry Brown, S, Minnesota – 31.1
- Jontez Williams, CB, Iowa State – 31.3
- Marcus Ratcliffe, S, Texas A&M – 31.4
- Nick Emmanwori, DB, South Carolina – 31.9
- Caleb Weaver, S, Sam Houston – 33.7
- Kylon Griffin, S, Clemson – 35.1
- Cam Lockridge, CB, Fresno State – 35.3
- Dashaun Peele, CB, Navy – 36.0
- Brian Mayes, NB, Texas A&M – 36.7
- Isaiah Mcelvane, S, Louisiana Tech – 37.4
- Kenyatta Watson II, S, Georgia State – 37.5
- Bud Clark, NB, TCU – 37.7
- Jermari Harris, CB, Iowa – 38.2
- Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA 38.2
- Jalen Harrell, S, UMass – 38.4
- Tao Johnson, S, Utah – 39.3
- Casey Larkin, S, Army – 39.3
- Amare Ferrell, NB, Indiana – 39.4
- Jaylen Jones, DB, Virginia Tech – 39.6
- Rushaun Tongue, S, Wake Forest – 39.6
