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Ranking the 2017 Pac-12 secondaries: Stanford and USC have best defensive backs

Ranking the Pac-12 defensive back groups from top to bottom.

The 102nd Rose Bowl Game - Iowa v Stanford Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Backfields WRs/TEs Offensive Lines Offenses Defensive Lines Linebackers

  1. Stanford (CB Quenton Meeks Jr. CB Alijah Holder Sr., S Justin Reid Jr. CB Alameen Murphy Sr., CB Terrance Alexander Sr. S Denzel Franklin Sr.)

This unit was injured a lot of last year, but is without question the best returning in the Pac-12. Meeks, Holder, Reid and Murphy could be the best four DBs in the conference and all of these players seem to have great size and physicality for their position.

2. USC (CB Iman Marshall Jr. S Chris Hawkins Sr. S Marvell Tell III Jr. CB Isaiah Langley Jr. CB Jack Jones So.)

This unit is elite and full of former blue chippers. Marshall has the size and skills to be the first cornerback taken in the 2017 draft and the rest of the group is experienced with former five-stars Tell III and Jones ready to turn into stars.

3. Washington (S Taylor Rapp So. S JoJo McIntosh Jr. CB Jordan Miller Jr. CB Byron Murphy Fr. S Ezekiel Turner Sr.)

So the Huskies just lost three second-round picks from the secondary...well, their back-ups from last year and Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Championship Game MVP Rapp are ready to step in. McIntosh was a standout starter before Rapp pushed him back. Miller and Murphy are talents who have been waiting in the wings.

4. Colorado (S Afolabi Laguda Sr. CB Isaiah Oliver Jr. S Ryan Moeller Sr. CB Anthony Julmisse So. S Nick Fisher Jr.)

The same as Washington, the Buffs lost three players to the NFL in the secondary, but the next players up are legit. Laguda and Oliver are soon to be NFL players. Moeller and Julmisse are nice players as well.

5. UCLA (S Jaleel Wadood Sr. CB Adarius Pickett Jr. CB Nate Meadors Jr. CB Octavius Spencer Jr. CB Will Lockett Jr.)

Wadood is the conference’s best returning defensive back and Pickett, Meadors and Lockett are former blue chippers ready for their chance to step up.

6. Utah (S Chas Hansen Jr. CB Boobie Hobbs Sr. CB Casey Hughes Jr. S Terrell Burgess Sr.)

Hansen is huge and the standout here. The rest of the players have a lot to prove.

7. Oregon State (CB Xavier Crawford So. CB Shawn Wilson So. CB Kyle White Sr. S Brandon Arnold Sr. S Omar Hicks-Onu So.)

Crawford was the conference’s best freshman cornerback last year and an All-Pac-12 player.

8. Arizona State (CB Armand Perry Jr. CB Maurice Chandler Sr. S J’Marcus Rhodes Sr. S Kareem Orr Jr. CB Chad Adams Sr.)

There is talent and experience here, but it got shredded last year.

9. Arizona (CB Dane Cruikshank Sr. CB Jace Whittaker Jr. S Tristan Cooper So. S Isaiah Hayes So. S Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles Jr.)

I like this unit. Don’t be surprised if this unit ends up being in the better half of the Pac-12’s secondaries.

10. Washington State (CB Marcellus Pippins Sr. S Jalen Thompson So. S Robert Taylor Sr. CB Darrien Molton Jr. CB Marcus Strong So.)

Pippins has quietly been a very good corner for years and Thompson is a budding star to replace Shalom Luani.

11. Oregon (CB Arrion Springs Sr. CB Ugo Chukwu Amadi Jr. S Juwaan Williams Sr. CB Tyree Robinson Sr. S Brenden Schooler So.)

This group got absolutely toasted in 2016, but they are talented and should be a bit better with their experience.

12. Cal (CB Darius Allensworth S Jaylinn Hawkins So. CB Marloshawn Franklin Sr. Mailk Psalms So. S Luke Rubenzer Sr.)

They have experience, but they were beyond bad in 2016.