2025 Defensive Backs

thanks, gentlemen.

to add even more detail to support your efforts, that lone completion he gave up came on a 6-yard hitch route on the first play from scrimmage of the game. he wasn’t even targeted the remainder of the contest. not a single other pass was thrown toward a receiver he was covering.

if that’s not a shutdown corner doing work, then i need an explanation as to what qualifies.
 
Mikey Munn, the young South Dakota cornerback, continues to shine. he picked off 2 more passes yesterday to go along with 2 solo tackles (6 total). this speedster is a legit talent, but “somehow” ended up at South Dakota. “weird,” huh?

i’ve seen no injury report, but cornerback Chance Gamble didn’t play for Georgia Southern against Maine.

John Nestor’s Golden Gophers had a bye week.
 
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it’s my first time watching Utah sophomore cornerback/wide receiver Jackson Bennee, and he’s bringing back memories of former Ute (and one of my all-time favorite players), Eric Weddle.

Bennee started the game at “slot” corner AND slot receiver, and he’s already made an impact on both sides of the ball (i’m still in the first half).

he snagged an interception in the end zone and had a 69-yard touchdown catch-and-run (that was called back due to an offensive lineman downfield). he is third in the nation with 6 total passes defensed (3 interceptions and 3 passes broken up), as well as being a very sure tackler. cat has a BRIGHT future!

also for Utah, strong safety Nate Ritchie will lay a hit on people!

for Texas Tech, safety Cole Wisnewski sure does make a lot of plays for a guy who “wasn’t a D-1 athlete” coming out of high school. look for him to “surprise” the “experts” when it comes to playing at the next level.
 
Wisnewski played really well yesterday. If he were black he would be getting Kam Chancellor comparisons.

Come mid-October I will be going on my annual NFL draft shitposting run on twitter so give me all the ammo you can.


And I also have to say it's great to you have you back posting regularly Mr. Chitwood!
 
And I also have to say it's great to you have you back posting regularly Mr. Chitwood!
thank you, sir. it’s good to be back and contributing.
 
I actually think Wisniewski is better in coverage than Kam Chancellor was. Is probably going to test out as a better athlete as well. Remember when the Seahawks had a 6’4 221lb 4.63 CB in Brandon Browner? Wisniewski has similar physical measurables, will be curious to see what he runs. The NFL will inevitably try to move him to LB rather than DB or even CB
 
it’s my first time watching Utah sophomore cornerback/wide receiver Jackson Bennee, and he’s bringing back memories of former Ute (and one of my all-time favorite players), Eric Weddle.

Bennee started the game at “slot” corner AND slot receiver, and he’s already made an impact on both sides of the ball (i’m still in the first half).

he snagged an interception in the end zone and had a 69-yard touchdown catch-and-run (that was called back due to an offensive lineman downfield). he is third in the nation with 6 total passes defensed (3 interceptions and 3 passes broken up), as well as being a very sure tackler. cat has a BRIGHT future!
the announcers were raving about Bennee throughout the game, with the black announcer (the bombastic Gus Johnson) saying he brought shades of Travis Hunter to mind.

Bennee is an exciting prospect!
 
I actually think Wisniewski is better in coverage than Kam Chancellor was. Is probably going to test out as a better athlete as well. Remember when the Seahawks had a 6’4 221lb 4.63 CB in Brandon Browner? Wisniewski has similar physical measurables, will be curious to see what he runs. The NFL will inevitably try to move him to LB rather than DB or even CB
yes, indeed. his 40 will dictate how the narrative will be played out.

of course, Browner (4.63) and Chancellor (4.69) ran rather pedestrian times, but that didn’t prohibit them from still being lauded. a White defensive back is too slow even if he runs a 4.5 (or faster). just ask Dustin Fox (or Nate Soelberg who reportedly ran a 4.1 while at BYU).
 
the announcers were raving about Bennee throughout the game, with the black announcer (the bombastic Gus Johnson) saying he brought shades of Travis Hunter to mind.

Bennee is an exciting prospect!

Gus Johnson is one of the rare palatable announcers. He doesn't have an agenda and is enthusiastic about whatever game he is broadcasting, no ulterior motives with him.
 
the announcers were raving about Bennee throughout the game, with the black announcer (the bombastic Gus Johnson) saying he brought shades of Travis Hunter to mind.

Bennee is an exciting prospect!
Yes indeed Jimmy C!! Glad to have you back! 2025 Summer DB; WR; RB threads always interesting

Here was my post Saturday during the Game in Week 4 thread

"Yes indeed! #23 White on White crime LOL..(WR Coy Eakin)

Announcers called Jackson Bennee a "Slot Corner"" .....Cooper Dejean has redefined the term in the NFL

6'-2" 189lbs as Hybrid even though he's listed at Safety...YES WR too"



Meant to say thanks for the head's up on Mickey Munn...been a slower start w FCS this season for me

Hope CB Chance Gamble is ok

Need to add more Pics w Heights & Weight just never have
Alex McLaughlin would be next
 
Can't find anything specific around Chance Gamble. In the game notes for Ga Southern's all it says is that Gamble missed the Maine game due to injury.
 
one of you exceptional intrawebs sleuths has probably already caught this (forgive me if i missed the post), but i just learned that Jackson Bennee, possibly the most exciting two-way player in the country, started his career at Utah as a walk-on. you can’t make this stuff up.

seriously, how do “scouts” miss on a player with this kind of talent?

in other Bennee news, his pick-six in Week Two continued a crazy NCAA record: the Utah Utes have had an interception return for a touchdown in every season dating back to 2004. crazy!IMG_5099.jpeg
 
one of you exceptional intrawebs sleuths has probably already caught this (forgive me if i missed the post), but i just learned that Jackson Bennee, possibly the most exciting two-way player in the country, started his career at Utah as a walk-on. you can’t make this stuff up.

seriously, how do “scouts” miss on a player with this kind of talent?

in other Bennee news, his pick-six in Week Two continued a crazy NCAA record: the Utah Utes have had an interception return for a touchdown in every season dating back to 2004. crazy!View attachment 4886
I mentioned it on the game thread, but he was so obscure that he didn't even have any recruiting profiles on any site! Most walk-ons will at least have a profile on a site like 247, but Bennee doesn't even have that. I am worried that it will be even tougher for Whites to play DB in college now with the roster limits coming into place. So many successful White DBs started in a similar position to Bennee, but now they may not even have the opportunity to try out. Just off the top of my head, Hudson Clark, Quinn Schulte, Michael Taafe, Dan Jackson, and I am sure many others all had to walk on.

Fact: There were three SEC teams in the College Football Playoff last year (Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas), and each had a starting White safety. All three of them started out as walk-ons though (Will Brooks, Dan Jackson, and Taaffe).
 
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Love when guys like Bennee come out of nowhere and Star! Both ways! Impressive athlete
 
I was just looking at some depth charts for fun and I saw that Utah has freshman Cole Standage listed as the backup left cornerback. Yet another guy who doesn't have a 247 profile. He has not appeared in any action yet this year, but could be a name to watch for the future.
 
Fact: There were three SEC teams in the College Football Playoff last year (Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas), and each had a starting White safety. All three of them started out as walk-ons though (Will Brooks, Dan Jackson, and Taaffe).
one would think coaches who are looking for athletes with “upside” would notice this pattern and start actively looking for these under-recruited players. of course, since they “don’t fit the profile” that won’t happen, but it would certainly pay immediate dividends for also-ran programs who consistently finish at the bottom of the pack in wins-losses.

if winning were truly what mattered, then these programs who always play with the “best” athletes they can find (read that as the leftover blacks that the powerhouse programs didn’t want) yet consistently field losing teams would change their methods of evaluating prospects. they don’t change, because winning is (at best) secondary to furthering the narrative (and, of course, getting that federal funding for their universities for muh diversity).

recent-but-now-former Arkansas Razorback Hudson Clark is a great example. here was a cornerback with TREMENDOUS high school tape in Texas (a state well known for its high school football) who ran a 4.45 with a 38.5-inch vertical at his pro day at 6-foot-2, yet “somehow” not a single D-1 program thought him worthy of a scholarship offer. “weird,” huh? obviously this follows into pro football, as well, as he was a two-time Jim Thorpe National defensive back of the week in his career and known for being a tremendous cover man but not a big hitter … yet he got moved to safety.

you can’t make this stuff up.
 
Always happy to see guys like jackson bennee appear out of nowhere. I was worried about the OG list, wondering if we have enough guys to make any noise this year, then typically, random guys on nobodies radar appear. Hanafin for Clemson and McLaughlin for the Huskies are two others.
 
Thanks LF for head's up on CB Chance Gamble; hope he's ok

Thanks for all the post ; makes it worth it doing this during the Summer months!

These guys were already mentioned ; some listed 2nd team on the Depth Chart pre season ; now bonafide impact Starters
So they deserve their pic

Sometimes they will try to fool you showing a Black player instead ; like they did last season for WR Efton Chism

Check out Alex McLaughlin for ESPN on Google first pic ...he's not Black!

Strong Safety Alex McLaughlin(Jr) 6'-2" 200 Washington ...transfer from FCS Northern Arizona
2 INTs already in September ; including a Pick Six!
images%2FvoltaxMediaLibrary%2Fmmsport%2Finside_the_huskies%2F01k39v6hgbh0tta652dd.jpg




"Nickle Back" Zach Lutmer (Soph) 6'-0 205 Iowa
Keeps the Starting White DB streak going for the Hawkeyes; Listed 2nd team during Summer Thead
Solid start early this season
aHR0cHM6Ly9zdG9yYWdlLmdvb2dsZWFwaXMuY29tL2hhd2tleWVzcG9ydHMtcHJvZC8yMDI1LzA5LzE2LzRkV0xLeFpEbEJzaXplMWJJSWlDUmppVENlQ2JPMGZydzJWVjFpUzEuanBn.jpg





CORNER BACK John Nestor (Soph) 6'-1" 205 Minnesota
2025: Made his Minnesota debut against Buffalo and totaled two tackles and one pass breakup • broke up one pass and recorded two interceptions against Northwestern State, had a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown six seconds into the game • made four tackles and had one tackle for loss at Cal.
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Strong Safety Ronan Hanifan (Jr) 6-3" 215 Clemson
Hard hitting Stud ..led team in Tackles in opener vs LSU
INT 2nd game ....Former WR

1758682769331.png




Free Safety Ethan Minter (Soph.) 6'-0 201 Virginia ......Former QB..
Only Freshman on the team to play all 12 games as a Freshman
#30 Now a Starter .....Can't locate bigger pic playing ; small pics on Instagram
i





Corner Back Mikey Munn (Soph.) 6'-1" 190 South Dakota
3 INTs already challenging for early season All FCS Honors
1758683018337.jpeg
 
Saw something on Twitter that said Bennee was the 9th best CB per PFF so far this season - impressive if true! I have no way of accessing the actual PFF rankings though. There is a "surprising" lack of media attention or even discussion on Twitter about Bennee considering both his great start to the year and the fact he is a two way player. I saw another post yesterday saying that John Nestor allows the 5th lowest passer rating when targeted by opposing QBs.
 
from an si.com article a week ago on impact transfers at Minnesota:

1. John Nestor, CB (Iowa)

It's hard to argue that a transfer other than Nestory has had more of an impact for the Gophers this season. His 84.3 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade is the highest by a player with more than 20 snaps on Minnesota's defense. He will have one year of eligibility remaining after the 2025 season.
 
I was just looking at some depth charts for fun and I saw that Utah has freshman Cole Standage listed as the backup left cornerback. Yet another guy who doesn't have a 247 profile. He has not appeared in any action yet this year, but could be a name to watch for the future.
Seems the Polys always have recruiting profiles
from an si.com article a week ago on impact transfers at Minnesota:

1. John Nestor, CB (Iowa)

It's hard to argue that a transfer other than Nestory has had more of an impact for the Gophers this season. His 84.3 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade is the highest by a player with more than 20 snaps on Minnesota's defense. He will have one year of eligibility remaining after the 2025 season.
ill go ahead and predict he will have an INT against Wisconsin this season to close out the year! Him and Perich.
 
Seems the Polys always have recruiting profiles
The common response to that always seems to be "he's from a small town...he just slipped through the cracks." In the case of Standage, he went to high school in Mesa, the Phoenix suburb, which is hardly a small town. Would be great to see him get some snaps this season.
 
The common response to that always seems to be "he's from a small town...he just slipped through the cracks." In the case of Standage, he went to high school in Mesa, the Phoenix suburb, which is hardly a small town. Would be great to see him get some snaps this season.
Agreed, just pure negligence from recruiting sites.
 
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