Clemson’s Simmons edges ’Bama’s Moses
1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (Jr.)
Simmons can do it all: rush the passer, run in coverage, stop the run and make splash plays – not to mention shine on special teams, an added bonus from a player destined for every preseason All-American team. He arrived on campus as a safety and has transitioned into a hybrid role.
2. Dylan Moses, Alabama (Jr.)
Moses burst onto the national recruiting scene early in his high school career and has lived up to the billing across his first two seasons. The Crimson Tide’s leading tackler as a sophomore, he enters as perhaps the top defender in the SEC and the program’s latest standout linebacker destined for NFL stardom.
3. Paddy Fisher, Northwestern (Jr.)
An all-conference performer since the first days of his redshirt freshman season, Fisher tackles everything in sight and has a knack for the splash play; he tied for the Big Ten lead in forced fumbles a year ago.
4. Joe Bachie, Michigan State (Sr.)
A former middle-tier recruit from Ohio, Bachie moved into a key role late in his freshman season and has since blossomed into one of the Big Ten’s best. Bachie is just one reason the Spartans are more than capable of upending the perceived pecking order in the East Division to nab a New Year’s Six bowl bid.
5. Anfernee Jennings, Alabama (Sr.)
Jennings is now far removed from the knee injury he suffered at the end of his sophomore season, though he seemed no worse for wear during an impressive 2018 campaign. A strong pass rusher in the vein of several recent Alabama stars coming off the edge, Jennings doubles as one of the leaders for a team again in the mix for the national championship.
6. Troy Dye, Oregon (Sr.)
Justin Herbert grabs headlines on the offensive side of the ball. A new teammate, incoming freshman Kayvon Thibodeaux, has been a primary topic of conversation around the Oregon defense. If overlooked on a national scale, Dye is one of the biggest keys to the Ducks’ quest for a Pac-12 title and potential College Football Playoff berth. The only player in the Power Five to lead his team in tackles in each of the past three seasons, Dye is making a case to be included among the top defenders in program history.
7. Colin Schooler, Arizona (Jr.)
Just take a peek at his sophomore numbers: 119 tackles, 211⁄2 tackles for loss, 31⁄2 sacks and a pair of interceptions. That came on the heels of Schooler’s superb freshman year, an unexpected development given his status as a three-star recruit. Schooler is a primary reason Arizona finished 2018 ranked 71st nationally in yards allowed per play; it would’ve been a horror show without him patrolling the middle.
8. Evan Weaver, California (Sr.)
Between Dye, Schooler and Weaver, the Pac-12’s first-team defense is loaded on the second level. Weaver was credited with 159 stops in 2018, tied for second in the program’s single-season record book, and graded out as one of the top linebackers across the Football Bowl Subdivision. No single defender has taken better to coach Justin Wilcox’s scheme, which places a heavy load on its linebackers.
9. Micah Parsons, Penn State (Soph.)
In terms of pure physical gifts, Parsons is on another level. He flashed this athleticism in spurts as a true freshman; if not quite up to speed from a mental perspective, not surprising nor disappointing given his youth, Parsons made individual plays that speak to a skill set unmatched in the Big Ten. It’s just a matter of time before it all comes together. When it does, Parsons will be borderline unstoppable.
10. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU (Soph.)
Here’s a wild card to end the list. After a productive freshman season in 2017, Chaisson seemed well on his way to stardom during last year’s opener against Miami, making five tackles and a sack before tearing his ACL in the final minutes of a 33-17 win. That’s a temporary hurdle for an edge rusher pegged for greatness: Devin White, the former LSU star, predicated Chaisson will eventually set the program’s record for sacks in a season.
Five just missing the cut
Markus Bailey, Purdue; Jacob Phillips, LSU; Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (Fla.); Merlin Robertson, Arizona State; David Woodward, Utah State.