With national signing day in the rear view mirror, the college football offseason focus now shifts directly to what to expect next season. It won’t be long before the forecasts arrive with evaluations of players, teams and schedules along with predictions for how the season will play out. We decided to break down the rosters and narrow down a list of the top returning talent on the defensive side of the football looking forward to next year. Here is a look at the four best returning defensive players in the country.
Desmond King, Iowa Hawkeyes
Cornerback
King, one of the best defensive players in college football last season returns for one more season at Iowa, so it was easy to put him at the top of this list. King won the Thorpe Award and was a unanimous All-American in 2015 when he tied for the second-most interceptions in the country with eight and had 13 pass breakups. King could have left for the NFL and been one of the top draft picks at his position. However, he decided to play one more year for the Hawkeyes and enters 2016 as the top returning defensive player in the country. The fact that he opted to come back for one more season is a very questionable decision on his part as he has little to gain in terms of his NFL value – he’s already viewed as one of the top defensive players – but he has a lot to lose if he gets injured. At any rate, it’s a big coup for coach Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes that they’ll have their stud cornerback back in the fold.
Myles Garrett, Texas A&M Aggies
Defensive End
Garrett is an absolute freak of an athlete and all eyes will be on him again in 2016 to see what he has in store for an encore. Garrett led the SEC with 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss in 2015, which came one year after he broke Jadeveon Clowney’s freshman SEC sack record in 2014. At 6’2’’ and 262 pounds, Garrett has the size, strength and ridiculous speed to consistently burn blockers off the edge and get after opposing quarterbacks. His elite all-around ability has him primed for another big year. Texas A&M is in flux a little bit right now on both sides of the ball but that hasn’t hurt Garrett’s stock. Keep an eye out for Garrett as one of the top returning defensive players in college football for 2016.
Jabrill Peppers, Michigan Wolverines
Defensive Back
Peppers is the best player on a loaded Michigan defense that has the potential to be even better in year two of the Jim Harbaugh era. Peppers didn’t play in every game last season, yet still finished sixth on the team in tackles while lining up at safety, cornerback and in the box as a linebacker. His versatility, athleticism and football instincts make him an elite weapon that can do anything that the Wolverines’ coaches ask of him. It will be very interesting to see how new defensive coordinator Don Brown uses him next season. This is a team that’s expected to be even stronger next season and even more in the national championship picture. If that’s the case, Peppers is going to get plenty of recognition for all of the major college football awards next season.
Malik McDowell, Michigan State Spartans
Defensive tackle
McDowell was one of the most disruptive linemen in college football last season and there is every reason to expect his progression to continue as the most dominant threat on the Michigan State defensive line. McDowell had 13 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries from the nose tackle position a year ago. He has the potential to top those numbers as the anchor on the Spartans’ defensive line in 2016. Remember that this is a unit that has been among the best in the country in the Mark Dantonio era. McDowell is the gem of the defense but he’ll have plenty of support on the Sparty defense next season.
