Is Alabama or LSU the Modern Defensive Back U?
Sports Illustrated wrapped up its eight-part Position U series that named Alabama not only Running Back U, but Linebacker U and Defensive Line U as well this past week.
But it won't be DBU, at least not yet.
SI crunched a decade’s worth of data, based mostly on the draft and performance in the NFL, to find out which school has the right to brand itself the modern DBU, LSU edged Alabama for the top spot, with Florida a solid third.
However, it was close.
One of the deciding factors was number of All-Pro honors. Both Alabama and LSU have had four four All-Pro players since 2010: Landon Collins, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Marlon Humphrey and Eddie Jackson for the Crimson Tide; Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, Adams and Tre’Davious White for the Tigers.
However, the LSU players have a combined seven All-Pro honors between them. Each Crimson Tide player has been named only once.
Also, LSU had only five first-round picks in the past decade, fewer than Alabama (seven) and Ohio State (six).
And while, if you split DBU into cornerbacks and safeties, LSU would be Cornerback U., Alabama would be Safety U.
Mark Barron (2012 7th overall, 102 starts)
Landon Collins (2015 second round, 74 starts, All-Pro)
Minkah Fitzpatrick (2018 first round, 27 starts, All-Pro)
Marlon Humphrey (2017 first round, 28 starts, All-Pro)
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (2014 first round, 90 starts)
Kareem Jackson (2010 first round, 137 starts)
Eddie Jackson (2017 fourth round, 46 starts, All-Pro)
Dre Kirkpatrick (2012 first round, 67 starts)
Dee Milliner (2013 first round, 14 starts)
Ronnie Harrison (2018 third round, 22 starts)
Javier Arenas (2010 second round, 12 starts)
Cyrus Jones (2016 second round, 2 starts)
Levi Wallace (2018 undrafted, 23 starts)
Anthony Averett (2018 fourth round, 3 starts)
Deionte Thompson (2019 fifth round, 2 starts)
Tony Brown (2018 undrafted, 3 starts)
Marquis Johnson (2010 seventh round)
Robert Lester (2013 undrafted, 4 starts)
DeQuan Menzie (2012 fifth round)
Vinnie Sunseri (2014 fifth round)
