Heading into the 2026 college football season, some secondary units are generating some buzz. ESPN\u2019s Greg McElroy ranked the Top 10 groups at the position as summer workouts continue.<\/p>\n
Two teams appear on the list despite changes at defensive coordinator, which McElroy said is a testament to the talent on the roster and the quality of coaches hired. But the No. 1 team has someone the former Alabama<\/a> quarterback views is the best cornerback in college football this season.<\/p>\n [ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]<\/a><\/p>\n All told, the group of secondaries are sure to be worth watching throughout the 2026 season. Here is McElroy\u2019s full Top 10 rankings, as he broke down on Always College Football<\/a>.<\/p>\n 10. Penn State<\/p>\n With new head coach Matt Campbell<\/a> coming in, Penn State<\/a> retained players such as Audavion Collins<\/a> and Daryus Dixson<\/a> as part of its secondary. The Nittany Lions also got Marcus Neal<\/a> out of the transfer portal after he re-joined Campbell from Iowa State<\/a>. Given that blend of talent, along with the new staff, Greg McElroy views Penn State as one of the Top 10 secondary units in college football.<\/p>\n \u201cThe question mark, yeah, a little bit different with the head coaching staff and where they\u2019re at \u2013 the new coach, new culture, new everything,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to kind of earn your way onto the list right now. But I think 10 is about right with what they have coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n 9. Texas A&M<\/p>\n Dezz Ricks<\/a> anchored the Texas A&M<\/a> secondary last year and is back in the fold to lead the group in 2026. Add in Tennessee<\/a> transfer Rickey Gibson<\/a> and former Colorado<\/a> defender Tawfiq Byard<\/a>, and Greg McElroy thinks the Aggies\u2019 secondary unit can flourish once again under Mike Elko<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cA&M, they sit at No. 9 because they\u2019re an SEC program with a legitimate lockdown program and, I think, third-year continuity in Elko\u2019s system is going to help,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cYou earn that ranking, right? But this is a little bit on the upside buy with what Elko\u2019s proven over the last couple years.\u201d<\/p>\n 8. Michigan<\/p>\n As Kyle Whittingham<\/a> takes over at Michigan<\/a>, Jay Hill<\/a> is also in as defensive coordinator after working at BYU<\/a>. He will also have some continuity from last year\u2019s Wolverines team with Jyaire Hill<\/a> and Zeke Berry<\/a> returning. But Greg McElroy thinks Hill\u2019s scheme could even help them take a step forward in 2026.<\/p>\n \u201c[Jay] Hill won\u2019t necessarily be asking these corners to survive in coverage,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cThese corners might be asked to do a little bit more. But they\u2019re not going to give up big plays, they\u2019re going to be very sound and I like this group kind of across the board. They check in at No. 8 and the experience is a big reason why.\u201d<\/p>\n 7. Oregon<\/p>\n Despite losing Dillon Thieneman<\/a> and Jadon Canady<\/a> to the NFL, Oregon<\/a> reloaded with Koi Perich<\/a> and Carl Williams<\/a> out of the transfer portal. Although that\u2019s quite a bit of turnover with fresh faces coming in, Greg McElroy argued the Ducks\u2019 track record of development speaks for itself.<\/p>\n \u201cThe argument for Oregon is not the names on the depth chart,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of the track record of the program and the way they assemble this talent together. \u2026 That\u2019s what Lanning\u2019s staff does for defensive backs. It\u2019s the system that kind of earns the benefit of the doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n 6. Ohio State<\/p>\n After the 2025 season, Ohio State<\/a> lost a number of players from its secondary, most notably Caleb Downs<\/a> and Davison Igbinosun<\/a>. But with players such as Jaylen McClain<\/a> and Jermaine Mathews<\/a> back, as well as Earl Little Jr.<\/a> arriving from Florida State<\/a>, Greg McElory doesn\u2019t think the Buckeyes will miss a beat as a Top-10 unit.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat Ohio State has coming back is still worthy of being top-six, which is remarkable,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cBecause Ohio State\u2019s secondary infrastructure is a separate thing from Ohio State\u2019s individual players. \u2026 The Buckeyes reload \u2013 they do not rebuild\u00a0\u2013 and that\u2019s why even with the absences of top-tier players from a year ago, Ohio State starts out the 2026 season as our top-six secondary.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. LSU<\/p>\n When Lane Kiffin<\/a> took over at LSU<\/a>, he prioritized retaining Blake Baker<\/a> as defensive coordinator. He has built a track record of developing defensive backs, including Mansoor Delane<\/a> just last year, which is why Greg McElroy said the Tigers enter 2026 as a Top-5 secondary with new additions such as Ty Benefield<\/a> leading the charge.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pitch that LSU made [to Benefield] is the same pitch that they made to every elite defensive back that has walked through the door in Baton Rouge the last few years: \u2018Come here, play for Blake Baker,’\u201d McElroy said. \u201cBlake Baker, a lot of people believe that this is DBU. \u2026 This is a room with immediate production plus massive developmental upside.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Georgia<\/p>\n KJ Bolden<\/a> is back at Georgia<\/a> after leading the secondary last season, and Greg McElroy said the Bulldogs will still be strong in the back end. But there are still some questions about who will play at the opposite safety spot, which is why UGA is at No. 4 in McElroy\u2019s rankings heading into the 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cThe question for Georgia is at the second safety spot opposite Bolden,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cThat competition\u2019s not settled just yet coming out of spring. \u2026 One of those guys has to step up, and if that happens at fall camp, then Georgia has a legitimate argument to be in the top two on this list, potentially.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Texas Tech<\/p>\n Following a breakout year at Texas Tech<\/a>, Brice Pollock<\/a> is back in 2026, as is Amier Boyd-Matthews<\/a>. The Red Raiders\u2019 secondary was one of the best in college football a season ago, and because they were able to further bolster the pass rush, Greg McElroy said the secondary is one of the top three units in the sport.<\/p>\n \u201cTexas Tech returns three of their top four defensive backs on the best secondary in the Big 12 in a league with games and quality competition at quarterback,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cJoey McGuire\u2019s<\/a> defense, they\u2019re kind of built around the defensive secondary, but it will be aided naturally by the presence that they have on the defensive line. \u2026 They\u2019re naturally going to play at a pretty high level with returning production, with continuity.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Alabama<\/p>\n Despite NFL Draft buzz, Bray Hubbard<\/a> chose to return to Alabama<\/a> in 2026. He will pair once again with Keon Sabb<\/a>, who is also running it back, and Zabien Brown<\/a> is also staying in T-Town in hopes of taking the secondary to a new level. That combination, along with continuity under Kane Wommack<\/a>, is why Greg McElroy had the Crimson Tide at No. 2 in his secondary unit rankings.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you listen to Kane Wommack and what he told reporters this spring, he feels that they are in a really good place in the back end entering the summer,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cAs a man who knows that last year\u2019s defense gave up 19 points a game \u2013 which is really good\u00a0\u2013 returns a lot of pieces in the secondary and won\u2019t stop emphasizing the word \u2018violence\u2019 in practice. I think him saying things are pretty good, I think he feels pretty good about that group in general. That\u2019s a frightening thought for those that have to go against this secondary on a week-in, week-out basis.\u201d<\/p>\n 1. Notre Dame<\/p>\n In Year 1 under defensive coordinator Chris Ash<\/a>, the Notre Dame<\/a> secondary emerged as one of the best in college football, led by Leonard Moore<\/a> \u2013 the top cornerback in college football, according to Greg McElroy. Marcus Freeman<\/a> and the Irish also added pieces around him while also keeping Christian Gray<\/a> and Adon Shuler<\/a> in tow. That\u2019s why Notre Dame tops McElroy\u2019s secondary rankings.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a 2026 unit that is built around the best corner in the sport, and that\u2019s a different conversation,\u201d McElroy said. \u201cHere\u2019s the thing about Leonard Moore that the numbers do not fully capture: He plays bigger than what you realize. \u2026 Notre Dame has six defensive backs with starting-level experience before fall camp even opens. There is no other program in the country that can say that. That\u2019s why there is not currently an argument that holds up against this unit.\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, the 2026 college football season is still a few months away. But the buzz is already building with training camp on the horizon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Heading into the 2026 college football season, some secondary units are generating some buzz. 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