As 2019 comes to an end, we are about to embark upon a new decade of college football.
The University of Alabama was the powerhouse institution, in terms of championships, of all five major athletic venues with four national titles. Nick Saban looks to continue this run at head coach, starting with a return to the mountaintop in 2020.
In this installment of “Top Five” at each position, Touchdown Alabama Magazine is doing a series in ranking the five best players of this decade.
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Yours truly will start with cornerbacks first.
5. Cyrus Jones
He enrolled at Alabama in 2012 as a receiver; however, Cyrus Jones would end up playing cornerback from 2013 to 2015. He struggled at first, but became highly successful once he got adjusted to the position. At 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Jones always played bigger than his size.
A native of Baltimore, Md., Jones turned in 106 career tackles, 25 pass breakups and seven interceptions in his three years on defense. While he led the squad in both breakups (13) and picks (three) in 2014, his contributions on punt return paved the way to a national title in 2015.
Along with his two interceptions and seven pass breakups, Jones had four touchdowns on punt returns that season – including one versus Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.
When he was able to find the ball in the air and play it accordingly, Jones proved to be stalwart at corner.
4. Marlon Humphrey
He played just two seasons after redshirting his freshman year (2014), but the production of Marlon Humphrey was second to none.
Like Jones, Humphrey was at his best when he was in phase and had good position in playing the ball.
A native of Hoover, Ala., he was responsible for 81 tackles in two years combined and had 13 breakups with five interceptions in 2015-16.
Humphrey was on two opportunistic defenses, as he helped create 45 turnovers – including 15 for scores in 2015 and 2016.
The group in 2016 forced 24 turnovers (16 interceptions, eight fumble recoveries) and returned 11 for touchdowns.
Humphrey’s most memorable play was recovering an onside kick off Adam Griffith in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game (2015 season) versus Clemson. His efforts on the play led to Alabama scoring a touchdown and securing a 45-40 victory over Deshaun Watson and the Tigers.
3. Levi Wallace
He was the most pleasant surprise of any defensive back in this decade.
Levi Wallace came to Alabama as a walk-on from Arizona in 2014.
He competed against Amari Cooper, DeAndrew White, Christion Jones, Calvin Ridley, Robert Foster and Cam Sims in practice, until earning an athletic scholarship in the summer of 2016. His commitment to being the best and desire to live out his father’s dream pushed him to be a special player in 2017.
In his lone year as a starter, Wallace shocked the college football world.
He carried a team-high and an SEC-leading 15 pass breakups. His three interceptions versus Mississippi led to him earning an SEC weekly honor and his performance throughout the year guided the defense to a CFP national title matchup, where it got a 26-23 win over Georgia.
In a society where instant gratification runs the thought process, Wallace’s blend of hard work and determination made him a fan favorite. He has taken what he learned to the National Football League and has the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs.
2. DeMarcus Milliner
If one was to remove his history of injuries, Dee Milliner was probably Alabama’s best all-around corner.
After a great career at Stanhope Elmore High School, Milliner came to the Crimson Tide as a five-star in 2010. He immediately saw playing time as a freshman and tallied 136 career tackles, 36 pass breakups and six interceptions in three years.
In 2012, Milliner became a ball magnet and assisted the team to its second consecutive national championship.
To pair with his 54 tackles and two interceptions, Milliner challenged every throw – forcing a team-high 20 pass breakups.
With him, Alabama collected 18 interceptions to just eight touchdown passes allowed. The 6-foot, 201-pounder was a first-team All-SEC selection and a unanimous All-American selection in 2012.
Milliner assisted the defense to pitching four shutouts that season, which was the most done by any Saban-coached team in the decade.
1. Dre Kirkpatrick
Coming from Gadsden, Ala., D’Andre “Dre” Kirkpatrick was swagger before it became a term in Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
A five-star in the 2009 recruiting class, was one of nine student-athletes signed from the state of Alabama. Between the years of 2010 and 2011, he was one of the more physical cornerbacks in college football. Kirkpatrick totaled 82 tackles combined in both seasons (eight for loss) and had 16 pass breakups with three interceptions.
He was one of the leaders on a defense that led the nation in all five major categories in 2011 – including scoring defense (8.2 ppg) and total defense (183.6 ypg).
With Kirkpatrick, the Crimson Tide’s secondary allowed a passer rating of 83.69 (lowest of Saban era) and forced 13 interceptions.
While he was part of the 2009 BCS National Championship team, Kirkpatrick’s impact was felt more in 2011.
His nine breakups (tied for second on the roster) helped Alabama win a national title over LSU.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder had range, athleticism, length and ball skills at corner.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
