2013 NCAA Football Expert Picks: Top 5 Safeties – Stanford’s Ed Reynolds Tops List

2013 NCAA Football Expert Picks: Top 5 Safeties – Stanford’s Ed Reynolds Tops List: The Jim Thorpe Award is given annually to the top defensive back in college football, but in recent years, the honor has been given exclusively to cornerbacks while overlooking the safety position. In fact, Oklahoma’s Roy Williams is the last true safety to take home the honor back in 2001. That being said, safeties have a ton of responsibility in this era of high-powered offenses. Players at the position have to have the speed and technique to cover in the secondary and the strength to bring down ball carriers. Throw in the occasional blitz package, and the top safeties in the country do it all. Whether or not there is a player at the position that is capable of ending the drought when it comes to the Jim Thorpe Award remains to be seen, but in the meantime, here is a closer look at the best safeties heading into the 2013 college football season.

1.      Ed Reynolds, Stanford Cardinal

Plain and simple, the guy is a ball hawk and a playmaker. Last season, Reynolds picked off six pass and defended nine more. More importantly, he led the country with three interceptions returned for scores. Reynolds is great at reading quarterbacks, and he might be even better at jumping routes. As a result, he makes it tough for opponents to throw the ball deep down the field and makes it easier for Stanford’s stout defensive front to bring the heat on opposing QBs.

2.      Alden Darby, Arizona State Sun Devils

Darby blossomed into one of the most complete safeties in the country last season. He finished the year with 80 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3 interceptions and 5.5 tackles for loss. His ability to help stop the run, rush the passer and provide quality coverage in the secondary sets him apart from a lot of other players at the position. Darby is the type of player that can be on the field regardless of the situation, and he has the versatile skill set to make a positive impact for Arizona State’s defense on every snap.

3.      Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama Crimson Tide

He was thrust into a starting role last season as a sophomore, and Clinton-Dix responded by emerging as one of the top playmakers at the safety position. He finished the year with a team-high five interceptions to go along with 9 passes defensed. The fact that he was able to jump into action for the two-time defending champs and excel speaks volume for his natural talent. With a year of experience under his belt, Clinton-Dix should only be better in 2013.

4.      Deone Bucannon, Washington State Cougars

Washington State’s struggles as a team have had Bucannon flying under the radar, but his numbers speak for themselves. He has been starting since his freshman year and has recorded three straight seasons of at least 80 tackles, including a career-high 106 stops last year. Bucannon has also averaged 3.0 sacks and three interceptions per year so he is much more than just a run stuffer in the secondary. Heading into the senior season of what has been an excellent college career, Bucannon should go out with a bang.

5.      Dion Bailey, USC Trojans

He has been a starter since arriving at USC, and he has notched at least 80 tackles in both of his seasons with the Trojans. Meanwhile, Bailey made major strides in both his coverage skills and playmaking ability as a sophomore. He finished last season with four interceptions, nine passes defensed an 8.0 tackles for loss. If Bailey’s progress this season is anywhere close to the improvements he made between his freshman and sophomore campaigns, he is going to be an absolute monster. Heck, just a repeat of his production from last year would still put him among the elite players at the position.

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