clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Top 2019 Pac-12 defensive backs: Utah’s Jaylon Johnson and Julian Blackmon the Pac-12’s best

Ranking the Pac-12’s best DBs going into 2019.

NCAA Football: Holiday Bowl-Northwestern vs Utah Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
  1. Jaylon Johnson Jr. CB Utah - I think Johnson wins Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and goes on to be a first round pick. He’s a proven lock down corner with great size, strength, toughness and ball skills.
  2. Julian Blackmon Sr. S Utah - Blackmon moves back to safety and he should be the best in the Pac-12. He has lockdown corner speed with elite safety size and tackling ability. Another candidate for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
  3. Myles Bryant Sr. CB Washington - Bryant has been one of the Pac-12’s best nickel corners the past couple of seasons and now will take the spotlight with both of Washington’s starting corners off the NFL. He’s physical and the most-skilled defensive back in the conference.
  4. Paulson Adebo Jr. CB Stanford - The 6’1 Adebo got thrown into the fire last year as a Stanford redshirt freshman and came out one of the Pac-12’s best defensive backs. He has NFL size and intangibles and could easily be a first-round pick next year.
  5. Camryn Bynum Jr. CB Cal - Bynum could easily be the top DB in the conference on a given year, but this season is stacked. He’s still a lights out cover corner who could sneak his way into the first or second round next year come draft time.
  6. Ashtyn Davis Sr. S Cal - Another underrated Cal DB, Davis is a tough veteran with the athleticism to be a great kick/punt returner. He’s a savvy ballhawk and is stout in the run game, maybe the Pac-12’s most-complete safety.
  7. Jaylinn Hawkins Sr. S Cal - Hawkins is an elite pass defender at safety and racked up interceptions last year. He’s almost like a receiver playing safety and it makes it very, very hard to throw downfield against the Bears.
  8. Traveon Beck Sr. CB Cal - Yes, I love the Cal DBs and think the Bears might have the best secondary in the country. Beck’s an aggressive corner who has made his name known by picking off passes.
  9. Javelin Guidry Jr. S Utah - Guidry is right there with Myles Bryant as an outstanding nickel corner. He should also see more action with both of Utah’s safeties off to the NFL. He’s a big hitter who can also defend the pass.
  10. Chase Lucas Jr. CB Arizona State - Lucas was better as a freshman, but should bounce back this year and become one of the Pac-12’s best corners. He has elite athleticism and the potential to be a first-team All-Pac-12 player.
  11. Jevon Holland So. S Oregon - Holland exploded in 2018 by picking off a ton of passes and rose to the top of Oregon’s talented secondary behind Ugo Amadi, who is now in the NFL. He’s crazy fast and agile and might be the best turnover creator in the Pac-12, already.
  12. Thomas Graham Jr. CB Oregon - The young players in Oregon’s secondary have grown up and are ready to frustrate the rest of the Pac-12. Graham is a shut down corner in the making.