2019 College Football Preseason Rankings – Top 5 Defensive Players: They say that defense wins championships, and despite all the up-tempo, high-scoring offenses that we see in college football today, perennial national title contenders like Alabama, Clemson and Georgia never seem to have a shortage of talent on the defensive side of the ball. In fact, a great defense is often the difference between winning and losing close games, especially on the road.
A great defense is often a sum of its parts, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have an elite individual playmaker, a player that offenses have to account for on every snap but can still change the game with a big play. Check out a closer look at the top defensive players in the country heading into the 2019 College Football season.
2019 College Football Preseason Rankings: Top 5 Defensive Players
1. Grant Delpit, S, LSU Tigers
He was already one of the most versatile defensive players in the country, and he finished the 2018 campaign with 74 tackles, 5.0 sacks and five interceptions. His performance made him a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award and made him a preseason All-American headed into 2019. The Tigers deploy Delpit in a Swiss Army knife-type role, taking advantage of his ability to make game-changing plays in the backfield and in the secondary. Defensive players just don’t win the Heisman, but Delpit is one of the few players on that side of the ball that could pull it off, especially if he makes a big play that helps push LSU to the top of the SEC.
2. Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama Crimson Tide
Moses led the Crimson Tide with 86 tackles last year, recording 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on his way to second-team All-American honors. This year, he is set to take over as the middle linebacker, so his sideline-to-sideline speed and playmaking ability should be on full display while his stats improve across the board. Alabama is never hurting for defensive talent, but Moses has elite physical traits and star potential. He could end up being the first linebacker taken when he enters the NFL Draft, and in the meantime, Moses will be a big reason why the Crimson Tide field one of the stingiest defensive units in the country.
3. Chase Young, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes
When Nick Bosa went down with an injury last year, Young emerged as a dominant pass-rusher in his own right. He finished the year with 14.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and five passes defensed, proving to be one of the most devastating edge rushers in the country. He improved against the run as the season went on, and with another year of experience under his belt, he’s a prime candidate to lead the country in sacks and tackles for loss. Young’s combination of power and speed is already elite. If he has refined the other aspects of his game, he’s going to take the Ohio State defense to another level.
4. A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa Hawkeyes
Epenesa is a physical monster, and despite being used primarily on passing downs, he still piled up 16.5 tackles for loss at led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks. He is someone who commands double teams on almost all of his snaps, so even when he is making the plays himself, he is freeing things up for his teammates. He should see even more playing time in 2019, and if Epenesa has learned how to use his athletic ability to impact the run game, he could easily vault to the top of the list of best defensive players. At worst, he should finish as one of the best pure pass-rushers in the country. Either way, he is going to make a big impact for the Hawkeyes.
5. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn Tigers
Playing defensive tackle prevents Brown’s numbers from jumping off the page, but even working along the interior of the line, he managed 48 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Most experts expected him to make the jump to the NFL last year as a potential first-round pick, so you already know what type of ceiling he has. His combination of size, power and initial burst makes him an absolute game-wrecker for opponents, and he will be the anchor for the Auburn defense. Don’t be surprised when Brown has solidified himself as the No. 1 defensive tackle prospect for next year’s draft by the time the season wraps up.
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