Ranking the Top Five Defensive Backs Who Will Face Oklahoma in 2026

The Sooners will have to go against their fair share of ball hawks in 2026, including Mississippi State star Kelley Jones.

Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Kelley Jones (1) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

NORMAN — Oklahoma has one of the SEC’s most promising secondaries.

Starting at cornerback will be youngsters Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory, while senior Peyton Bowen and junior Michael Boganowski will hold down the safety spots. The Sooners also have new leadership for their cornerback room, as OU hired LaMar Morgan to replace Jay Valai as its cornerbacks coach.

The Sooners, however, aren’t alone in having a strong group of defensive backs. Several of their 2026 foes have future NFL talent in the back end of their defenses.

Here are the five best defensive backs who will battle Oklahoma in the fall:

5. Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia

Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Deuce Alexander (11) attempts to make a catch defended by Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Ellis Robinson IV (1) in the first quarter during the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson IV was a breakout star for the Bulldogs as a redshirt freshman in 2025.

Robinson tied for first in the SEC with four interceptions and was a key piece for a UGA defense that helped the Bulldogs win their second conference title in a row. He also notched 20 total tackles, 13 solo tackles and seven pass breakups.

There’s certainly room for Robinson to grow as a cover corner, as he ended the Bulldogs’ games against Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida, Mississippi State and Texas with Pro Football Focus (PFF) coverage grades below 60. But Robinson is already one of the SEC’s best ball-hawking defensive backs, and he will likely progress in 2026.

4. Jyaire Hill, Michigan

Michigan cornerback Jyaire Hill (0) takes the field for the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan cornerback Jyaire Hill has played more than 1,300 snaps for the Wolverines over the last two seasons, and he now enters 2026 as one of the Big Ten’s most experienced defensive backs.

Hill finished his junior year, 2025, with 36 tackles, six pass breakups, three tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and a sack. He started all 13 of Michigan’s contests and logged 710 snaps, ending the year with a 77.6 PFF defensive grade.

Michigan’s defense will look very different in 2025. The Wolverines lost a handful of standouts to the NFL Draft while others transferred out after Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham to replace former coach Sherrone Moore. Hill is a constant on Michigan’s defense and can help the Wolverines’ secondary reach its potential.

3. Marcus Ratcliffe, Texas A&M

Aug 30, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies safety Marcus Ratcliffe (3) gestures after defeating the UTSA Roadrunners at Kyle Field. | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

Texas A&M will be without several of its key defensive players from 2025, including Cashius Howell, Will Lee III and Taurean York. But Marcus Ratcliffe is back and primed for a huge season.

A safety, Ratcliffe posted 66 total tackles, 33 solo tackles, three tackles for loss and three pass breakups as a junior in 2025, helping the Aggies reach the College Football Playoff for the first time. Ratcliffe ended the season with an 80.3 PFF defensive grade and an 81.7 coverage grade.

As Texas A&M looks to build on its impressive 2025 campaign, it will lean on Ratcliffe to be a veteran defensive leader.

2. KJ Bolden, Georgia

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daylen Everette (6) celebrates an interception with Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Kj Bolden (4) during the second quarter during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The second Georgia player on this list, safety KJ Bolden was a Second Team All-SEC pick in 2025.

Bolden started in all 14 of the Bulldogs' games as they finished the year 12-2 and made the CFP quarterfinals. He finished second on Georgia’s roster with 76 tackles and also recorded five pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions.

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Bolden is one of the nation’s best run-coverage defensive backs. He boasted a stellar 91.3 PFF run-defense grade while also ending 2025 with a 90.6 tackling grade.

Georgia’s defense is widely expected to be one of the nation’s best in the fall, and the junior safety is a key reason why.

1. Kelley Jones, Mississippi State

Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Kelley Jones (1) returns an interception during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

This one might surprise people, as Mississippi State went 5-8 last year and had one of the SEC’s worst defenses. But despite the Bulldogs’ defensive struggles, cornerback Kelley Jones was a star.

Jones registered 34 tackles, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions en route to earning Third Team All-SEC honors. He also logged a career-best 76.8 PFF coverage grade while starting in all 13 of Mississippi State’s games.

Opposing quarterbacks completed only 28.9 percent of their passes when they threw in Jones’ direction last year.

Mississippi State’s defense may not be elite in 2026 — it certainly wasn’t in 2025. But Jones is a star, and offenses will have to game plan around him in the fall.