ESPN crowns Ohio State in contested ‘DBU’ rankings

James Fletcher IIIby:James Fletcher III•08/04/21•

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Fanbases argue each season over where their favorite players stack all-time and which school claims the best talent at each position. ESPN puts math into the discussion with a formula that backs up the title of Position U. In a tight race for first, ESPN named Ohio State Defensive Back U over LSU, Alabama, Florida and others.

The title of DBU has been the most contested in college football and ESPN lists Ohio State on top. Every season, the school with the first defensive back drafted or the most interceptions attempts to stake claim to the honor. This formula lists LSU second and Alabama third with Florida just behind in fourth.

How it works

The ESPN formula for determining each Position U school combines each players college success, NFL Draft stock and NFL success. Points are awarded for all-conference and All-American selections during college with a sliding scale based on draft position and NFL success. The formula only considers the first five years of each player’s professional career, giving credit to the trainers and coaches beyond that point.

ESPN’s solution to the transfer portal problem is simple. Any award won by the player goes toward the school where he was playing that season. Any professional achievements by that player are credited to the last school he attended before entering the draft.

Defensive Back U’s Mount Rushmore

Ohio State edges out the rest of the field to claim the DBU title, but who is the best of the best in Buckeye history?

As part of the Position U series, ESPN created a Mount Rushmore of the top team’s players. Ohio State’s rich history of defensive backs is as evident in the exclusions as it is in the top four.

  • Antoine Winfield (1996-98)

Winfield was a trailblazer on the Ohio State defense. He became the school’s first Thorpe award winner and the first non-linebacker to record 200 career tackles. He was a two-time All-American before going No. 23 overall in the NFL Draft. He was a three-time Pro Bowler in the NFL.

  • Jack Tatum (1968-70)

Tatum won two national championships at Ohio State after initially being recruited as a running back. He was a two-time first-team All-American before being drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders. He is a Super Bowl champion and three-time Pro Bowler.

  • Mike Doss (2000-2002)

Doss recorded eight interceptions in three seasons at Ohio State with four defensive touchdowns in his career. He was voted first-team All-American three times and won a national championship in 2002. Doss went on to play in the NFL and won a Super Bowl.

  • Malcolm Jenkins (2005-08)

Jenkins finished his Ohio State career with 196 tackles and 11 interceptions. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and consensus Al-American in 2008. Jenkins went in the first round by the Saints and has two Super Bowl trophies and three Pro Bowl appearances. He also named first-team All-Pro in 2015.

  • Others

Young cornerbacks Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore and Jeff Okudah all boast impressive resumes so far and could crack this list with sustained success over the next few years.

Image courtesy of Andy Lyons/Getty Images