COBY BRYANT

Coby Bryant was a three-star prospect while at Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He was named 2016 Associated Press All-Northeast Lakes District Division II honorable mention and a Senate League All-Star. Bryant helped lead Glenville to a 7-0 record in Senate League play and attended the University of Cincinnati (UC) following high school.   

Bryant played in 12 games on special teams and in the defensive backfield as a true freshman. As a sophomore, Bryant played in 13 games, making 12 starts at cornerback. He finished his second year at UC with 33 tackles, 30 solo and set a team-high with 11 passes defended and a forced fumble. Coby established himself as a top defensive back in 2019. He finished fifth on the team with 54 tackles. He had eight pass break ups and an interception while being named to the 2019 AAC All-Academic Team. A 2020 First-Team All-AAC honoree, Bryant tied for the league lead with 11 passes defended, a team-best four interceptions and seven pass break ups. He finished with 35 tackles, and a forced fumble. Bryant also earned his undergraduate degree in 2020.   

The first Cincinnati defensive back to receive the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Coby elected to use his additional year of eligibility and returned to Cincinnati in 2021 as a graduate student. Bryant recorded three interceptions, three forced fumbles, 11 pass breakups, 14 passes defended and 41 tackles in 2021. The Bearcats ranked No. 1 in the American Athletic Conference for interceptions, passes defended, passing yards allowed per game, passer rating against and completion percentage against. His 45 career passes defended is the second most in Cincinnati history, and he was named first team All-AAC for the second straight season.   

Tre'von Moehrig was a standout cornerback and running back at Smithson Valley High School in Spring Branch, Texas. The four-star recruit was the 23 overall rated player in Texas and number 193 nationally. Moehrig committed to playing college football at Texas Christian University prior to his Senior season. 

He was voted special teams Most Valuable Player as a freshman at TCU and finished second on the team with six special teams tackles. Moehrig played in 12 games and started two as a Freshman, finishing the season with 16 tackles and one pass breakup. 

Tre'von shined at safety for the Horned Frogs during his Sophomore season. He finished his second season in Fort Worth with 62 tackles, four interceptions, 11 pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Moehrig allowed just two of 17 contested targets to be caught and was the highest graded safety in the FBS by Pro Football Focus. He also earned first team All-Big 12 honors as a Sophomore. 

Tre'von began his junior season as the nation’s top safety and finished it as the nation’s top defensive back winning the 2020 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. The two-time All-Big 12 performer was named to seven All-America teams. Moehrig served as team captain in every game and finished third on the team with 47 tackles. He had five games with at least six tackles. Tre'von ranked among the national leaders at 1.1 passes defended per game, finishing 2020 with two interceptions and nine pass breakups. He was responsible for nine takeaways over his last two seasons at TCU, which tied for second in the FBS over that time. 

Grant Delpit grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana before his family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Delpits moved to Houston, Texas where Grant attended Lamar High School. Grant was a standout athlete at Lamar and transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida where he excelled on the football field. He finished his senior year at IMG with 47 tackles, five interceptions and six pass breakups. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns and was a consensus four-star prospect. Following high school, Grant attended Louisiana State University, (LSU) on an athletic scholarship. 

As a Freshman at LSU Grant played in all 13 games for the Tigers. He finished fourth on the team with 60 tackles and recorded one interception and nine passes defended. He had at least one tackle in every game during his freshman season. Grant continued his stellar play for the Tigers as a Sophomore, finishing the 2018 season as a consensus All-American and First Team All-SEC and a finalist for the Nagurski Award. He led the SEC in interceptions with five and finished number two in the league in passes defended with 14. Grant wrapped up his sophomore year with 74 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, nine pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery setting up what would become a memorable junior season. 

Grant entered the 2019 season as one of the top defensive backs in the country and would finish it as one of the best DBs to ever play at LSU. A consensus All-American at safety, Grant became the first LSU player named first team Walter Camp All-America in consecutive seasons since running back Charles Alexander in 1977-1978. He also became the third LSU player to win the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, joining Patrick Peterson, 2010 and Morris Claiborne, 2011. Grant recorded 56 tackles, two interceptions and one sack in 2019.  He also added a fumble recovery and eight passes defended. 

He played a key role in LSU’s dominate performance over the University of Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff Semifinal game at the Peach Bowl, recording three tackles while holding Oklahoma to just 225 yards passing. Grant again lead a dominate LSU defensive performance in the National Championship game against Clemson. He finished the game with 6 tackles, a quarterback sack and a forced fumble as LSU won its fourth national title in program history. 

Minkah Fitzpatrick was a standout football player at St. Peters Preparatory School in Jersey City, New Jersey. He finished his high school senior year with 70 tackles and three interceptions on defense and he caught 45 passes for 1,111 yards and 12 touchdowns on offense. Named to the 2015 Parade All-America team, Minkah was selected to participate in the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game and Nike’s 2014 The Opening.  A five-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com, Fitzpatrick was listed as the No. 4 high school cornerback in the nation. 

Following high school, he attended The University of Alabama. As a true freshman in 2015, Fitzpatrick started 10 of 14 games for the Crimson Tide, missing one game due to injury. He recorded 45 total tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions, both returned for scores. He also had 11 pass breakups on his way to being named a Freshman All-American by The Sporting News. Minkah excelled during his sophomore year at Alabama as well. He finished 2016 as a first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC selection. He led the Crimson Tide in interceptions and interception return yards, and had seven pass breakups. Minkah finished his sophomore year with 62 tackles, 41 solo, with five tackles for loss and one sack to go with a forced fumble.

Selected as a first team preseason All-American by six different outlets, and named to preseason watch lists for several college football awards, Minkah entered the 2017 college football season as one of the top defensive backs in the country. His performance on the field cemented him as the best, and earned him the 2017 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. Fitzpatrick finished his junior season with 52 tackles, while recording six tackles for loss and contributing 1.5 sacks to the nation’s second ranked defense. He added seven pass breakups, three quarterback hurries, one interception, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal to his 2017 stats. 

In addition to the Thorpe Award, Minkah won the Chuck Bednarik Award and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award and Lott Impact Trophy. A consensus first team All-American, and first-team All-SEC selection, Minkah’s off-the-field efforts were also recognized in 2017, as he was selected as an AFCA Good Works Team nominee, and added to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list.

Before he was a star at the University of Iowa, Desmond King was a three-star recruit at East English Village Preparatory Academy in Detroit, Michigan. He played defensive back and running back in high school, and earned first team all-state honors his senior season. During his high school career Desmond set a Michigan high school record with 29 interceptions, and a school record for career rushing yards. 

Desmond appeared in all 13 games and made 12 starts as a true freshman at Iowa. He was the first true freshman defensive back to start for Iowa since 2002. He started all 13 games his sophomore year in 2014 and finished with 64 tackles and three interceptions. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten by league media following his sophomore season.

Desmond King returned as a starter in 2015. He tied the Iowa single-season record, and ranked second in the nation with eight interceptions. He finished his junior season as a unanimous Consensus All-American. 

In addition to winning the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, King was one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, and won the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Conference Defensive Back of the Year Award. Desmond finished 2015 as a first team All-Big Ten selection by league coaches and media, and first team All-Big Ten by the Associated Press and Phil Steele. 

He also earned honorable mention honors as a return specialist. He handled the majority of punt and kickoff returns, averaging 14.2 yards on 17 punt returns and 24.4 yards on 29 kickoff returns. Desmond started all 14 games at cornerback for the Hawkeyes in 2015. He recorded 72 tackles, including 46 solo, and had eight interceptions for 118 return yards and one touchdown. He also led the Hawkeyes with 13 pass break-ups. 

King returned for his senior season in 2016 to lead the Hawkeyes’ defense. He then entered the 2017 NFL Draft.

Darqueze Dennard is the first Michigan State Spartan to win the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. Dennard came to East Lansing, Michigan out of Dry Branch, Georgia as a two-way-player and four-year starter at Twiggs County High School. He was a two-time Associated Press All-State selection at wide receiver, and named to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-State Team as a defensive back in 2009. Dennard had 40 catches for 502 yards (12.6 avg.) and 11 touchdowns as a senior while helping the 11-2 Cobras advance to the state quarterfinals. He also recorded 50 tackles and nine interceptions in 2009, returning two for touchdowns.

As a senior at Michigan State, Dennard became the first Spartan cornerback to earn unanimous first-team All-American honors, and finished as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top defensive player. He was a four-year letter winner, and three-year starter at cornerback for the Spartans. He finished his college career with 167 tackles, 30 passes defended, 10 interceptions, and 20 pass break-ups, in 44 career games, including 40 starts. Dennard had three career multi-interception games, and ranks tied for 11th in Michigan State history with 10 interceptions.

Dennard finished the 2013 season as a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection, and was the No. 3 ranked defensive player in the FBS by CBSSports.com. He led the Spartans, and ranked sixth in the Big Ten, with 14 passes defended. He also led the team in both interceptions (4) and pass break-ups (10), and tied for third in the Big Ten with four interceptions. Dennard finished his stellar senior season with a career-high 62 tackles on his way to being named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.

Morris Claiborne was the defensive leader on a Louisiana State University squad that ranked number two nationally in total defense. A consensus first-team All American and All SEC, Claiborne finished the 2011 season with six interceptions and an SEC-best 173 interception return yards. 

In addition to his play on the defensive side of the ball, Claiborne was also a dangerous return man, recording 552 return yards on 22 kickoff returns in 2011, one for a touchdown. He was fourth in the SEC in average return yards with 25.1, and tied for first with the longest return of 99 yards.

Claiborne won the 2011 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. He was the second player from LSU to receive the award, following 2010 winner, Patrick Peterson. In addition to his six interceptions, Claiborne recorded five pass breakups and 51 total tackles, 32 of those solo. In 32 career college games, he notched 90 tackles, 12 pass breakups and 11 interceptions.

Eric Berry was a standout athlete at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia. He played cornerback and quarterback on the football team, and he was the 2005 AAAA State Champion in the 200 meters. Following his stellar high school career Berry was considered the top player in Georgia, and the top cornerback prospect in the nation. He selected the University of Tennessee as the school where he would play college ball.

During his first year at Tennessee, he was named SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year by the Sporting News. He had 222 return yards on five interceptions, and led all SEC freshmen in tackles with 86. He was also named first team Freshman All-American. 

Berry was named a team captain his sophomore season at Tennessee. He finished his sophomore year with 72 tackles, six pass break-ups, three sacks and seven interceptions. He was nominated as a finalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, the Lott Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the year as well as a First-Team All-SEC pick. 

Berry was also a First-team All American. 

As a junior, Berry won the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and was named an All American for the second time in his college career. He left college one year early and entered the NFL Draft.

Antoine Cason was born in Long Beach, California, and attended Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, California, where he excelled on the athletic field. 

Following high school, Cason attended the University of Arizona. He was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2004, and in 2005, he earned Second Team All-Pac-10 honors. In 2006, Cason was a semi-finalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. 

After the 2006 season, Cason was eligible for the 2007 NFL Draft. However, he decided to return for his senior season to finish his college degree. Cason continued his stellar play into his 2007 senior season, and finished the season with 5 interceptions, 2 of which were returned for touchdowns. He also returned 2 punts for touchdowns. On December 6, 2007 he was awarded the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award for best defensive back in the country and was a consensus First-Team All-America choice. 

In the spring of 2007, Cason earned All American honors in Track and Field for his contribution to the Men's 4 x 100 meters relay team, which finished in the top eight at the NCAA Championship.

Michael Huff came out of Nimitz High School in Irving, Texas, as a three-year letterman in football and four-year letterman in track. Following high school, Huff attended the University of Texas in Austin.

As a freshman at Texas, he earned a third-team Freshman All-American selection from the Sporting News. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 2005 and won the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back. Huff was a strong contributor on defensive during the Longhorns 2005 National Championship run, and finished his college career with a school record four career interceptions returned for touchdowns. 

In addition to football, Huff competed in track and field at Texas, and ran the first leg on the team’s 400-meter relay team that qualified for the NCAA outdoor championship.