In a conference with so much talent at receiver and tight end, the Big Ten needed to field elite secondaries. Over the years, the Big Ten’s defensive backs have been among the best in the country, as evidenced by the conference’s nine Jim Thorpe Award winners (as currently aligned). Each year, some of the top defensive backs come from the Big Ten. One program hails itself as the “Best in America” with 68 defensive backs selected in the NFL Draft. Right behind the Buckeyes is USC with 63 and Nebraska with 50.
As we continue our look at the top players at each position, Last Word on College Football ranks the five best defensive backs returning to the Big Ten in 2025.
The Best Defensive Backs Returning to the Big Ten in 2025
Honorable Mentions
The safety position in the Big Ten is loaded. USC’s Kamari Ramsey looks to be a premium pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After defecting from hated rival UCLA, Ramsey accounted for 60 tackles, one interception, and two forced fumbles. Meanwhile, Michigan will get Rod Moore back from injury. The redshirt senior enters 2025 with three years of significant playing time and will be a leader of what projects to be another elite defense.
Alongside Moore in that defense is Jyaire Hill. The true junior corner is a little Jekyll and Hyde. On the field, he’s an elite athlete who has track speed and NFL-ready ball skills. Off the field, however, there were concerns last year. He was benched and stripped of a number for an undisclosed reason.
Ohio State’s defense has to be rebuilt, and it has a few players who could break out, but Davison Igbinosun is the most well-known defensive back (other than the obvious). Igbinosun has first-round talent…if he could cut down on the penalties. The senior cornerback racked up 16 defensive penalties, five more than the next player. He’s a physical defender and can haul in the most impressive interceptions when he gets his head around.
AJ Harris is set to lead what is projected to be the top defense in the Big Ten. In his first season since transferring from Georgia, Harris amassed 48 tackles, an interception, and five pass breakups.
5) Xavier Scott, Illinois
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After a breakout campaign in 2023 that saw Xavier Scott lead the Big Ten in pass breakups, the Illinois defensive back backed it up with another great year in 2024. He recorded 49 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, six pass breakups, and four interceptions. One of those interceptions resulted in a pick-six in the win over Kansas. In that game, Scott hauled in two interceptions.
Last year, he was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist. He expects to be right there in the conversation again in 2025. Scott is a versatile defensive back who excels in zone coverage. He elected to return to Illinois over the NFL or the transfer portal. The Fighting Illini got a handful of stars back for 2025, led by Scott. If Illinois is going to continue to build, Scott will be a cornerstone.
4) Koi Perich, Minnesota
In the days leading up to Early Signing Day in December 2023, Minnesota had to fend off a fierce push by Ohio State for a three-star safety out of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. That underrated safety was Koi Perich, and in his first season of college football, he showed just why the eventual national champions were pushing so hard.
The true freshman broke out to the tune of 46 tackles, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, three pass breakups, and a Big Ten-leading five interceptions. He was also the go-to returner for the Golden Gophers. In the kick return game, Perich fielded 16 kicks and averaged 19.6 yards per return. As a punt returner, he returned 20 punts for an average of 9.4 yards per.
Perich earned first-team All-Big Ten honors last year alongside two others on this list. He was named a freshman All-American by the FWAA and a second-team All-American by The Sporting News. Heading into 2025, he’s appearing on all kinds of preseason All-American lists like Phil Steele.
3) D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
One of the many James Madison-to-Indiana transfers, D’Angelo Ponds, now has two full seasons of impressive play heading into 2025. As a freshman with the Dukes, Ponds totalled 51 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions, 13 pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries. After transferring to play for the Hoosiers, Ponds backed it up. In 13 games, he tallied 57 tackles, five for loss, nine pass breakups, and three interceptions. Two of those interceptions came in the win over Washington, and one of which was returned 67 yards for a touchdown.
Ponds also stepped up with an interception on the second defensive play in Indiana’s loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff.
Currently rated as a top-10 corner in next year’s NFL Draft class, Ponds is looking to improve on an already impressive career. What sets him apart is his physicality and ball skills. In the biggest game of the year at Ohio State, Ponds was targeted seven times. He allowed just three catches for 24 yards with two pass breakups. He disrupted a pass to a Buckeye tight end that resulted in a critical interception in the red zone.
2) Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
The Big Ten is loaded at the safety position, and the worst-kept secret was at Purdue. Now, after hopping in the transfer portal, Dillon Thieneman is suiting up for Oregon, set to become a household name.
With the Boilermakers, Thieneman was an instant star. As a true freshman, he earned a handful of honors like Big Ten Freshman of the Year, third-team All-American (via the AP), first-team Freshman All-American (The Athletic and 247Sports), and second-team All-Big Ten. Considering he ended his first season in college football with 106 tackles, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two forced fumbles, and six interceptions, those accolades were well earned.
Last year, he backed it up with 104 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, and seven pass breakups. He was snubbed with just an honorable mention in last year’s All-Big Ten selections.
He’s an elite athlete and will likely end up drafted in the first round if he comes out next spring. Thieneman has incredible range and football instincts. Now that he’s with Oregon, more college football fans will get eyes on him and realize just how good this young safety is.
1) Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Quite possibly the best defender in all of college football, Caleb Downs has his eyes set on more than being the top Big Ten defensive back. Downs burst onto the scene with a truly historic true freshman season at Alabama. He shattered Crimson Tide program records with 107 tackles with four tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four pass breakups, and two interceptions. Then, he transferred to Ohio State after Nick Saban retired.
With the Buckeyes, Downs recorded 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and two interceptions. He was one of eight unanimous All-Americans and was a finalist for the Nagurski, Thorpe, and Lott IMPACT Awards.
Heading into 2025, Downs will likely be among the favorites for every defensive award on the books, not to mention overall awards like the Maxwell or Heisman. As of now, Downs looks like he could be the first non-quarterback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. If things so a certain way and the top overall pick goes to a team who already has a quarterback, Downs could be that pick.
His unique blend of instincts, physical traits, and leadership qualities will make conversations in NFL war rooms incredibly interesting.
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