2013 Football Recruiting Rankings: Defensive Backs

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National Signing Day 2013 is right around the corner and Athlon Sports is releasing its position-by-position rankings for the Class of 2013 based on the Athlon Consensus 100. Who is left on the board? Who has the best class at one position? Who had positional needs to fill? And, obviously, who are the stars of tomorrow fans can look forward to at every position?

As passing offenses and the talent that makes those offenses run get more advanced and more talented, the need for elite defensive backs continues to rise. Lockdown cover corners who can play the run or physical high-point safeties who can man-up in coverage have become the norm. Versatility is the name of the game when defending the pass these days. This is why both safeties and corners are listed below in one list.

Florida and USC lead the way in the 2013 secondary class. The Gators claim three of the top 19 DBs in the nation including the top coverman, Vernon Hargreaves III. He is an elite talent who will continue the recent trend of young star corners (Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins). VH-3 will be joined by a pair of big safeties in Marcell Harris (6-1, 210) and Keanu Neal (6-1, 205).

While the Gators have the top prospect in the class, the Trojans have the best overall collection. Su'a Cravens is the top safety in the nation while Jalen Ramsey offers Lane Kiffin tremendous cover-corner skills in the body of a safety. Leon McQuay III and Chris Hawkins give the Trojans four of the top 12 defensive backs. All four are ranked in the top 50 nationally.

UCLA also landed four nationally rated defensive backs with two AC100 talents leading the way, Priest Willis and Tahaan Goodman. Ohio State also landed two AC100 talents in Eli Apple and Cam Burrows, as well as nationally ranked Gareon Conley. Alabama is poised to sign three nationally ranked defensive backs too.

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Georgia and LSU each landed a pair of nationally ranked DBs.

2013 Positional Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB | ATH


	Name	AC100	Hometown	Ht	Wt	Verbal
1.	Vernon Hargreaves III	No. 3	Tampa, FL	5-11	185	Florida
2.	Su'a Cravens	No. 5	Murrieta, CA	6-1	205	USC
3.	Jalen Ramsey	No. 15	Nashville, TN	6-0	190	USC
4.	Kendall Fuller	No. 16	Olney, MD	6-0	175	Virginia Tech
5.	Vonn Bell	No. 26	Rossville, GA	5-11	190	--
6.	Mackensie Alexander	No. 30	Immokalee, FL	5-10	175	--
7.	Leon McQuay III	No. 31	Seffner, FL	6-2	185	USC
8.	Tony Conner	No. 32	Batesville, MS	6-1	205	--
9.	Priest Willis	No. 39	Tempe, AZ	6-2	200	UCLA
10.	Tre'Davious White	No. 45	Shreveport, LA	5-10	170	LSU
11.	Eli Apple	No. 49	Voorhees, NJ	6-1	185	Ohio St
12.	Chris Hawkins	No. 50	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	6-0	175	USC
13.	Cameron Burrows	No. 61	Trotwood, OH	6-0	195	Ohio St
14.	Tahaan Goodman	No. 65	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	6-1	185	UCLA
15.	Marcell Harris	No. 78	Orlando, FL	6-1	210	Florida
16.	Tray Matthews	No. 82	Newnan, GA	6-0	195	Georgia
17.	Maurice Smith	No. 89	Sugar Land, TX	5-11	175	Alabama
18.	Artie Burns	No. 98	Miami, FL	6-0	180	Miami
19.	Keanu Neal	No. 104	Bushnell, FL	6-1	205	Florida
20.	Jourdan Lewis	No. 107	Detroit, MI	5-10	160	Michigan
21.	Gareon Conley	No. 115	Massillon, OH	6-1	165	Ohio St
22.	Shaq Wiggins	No. 124	Tyrone, GA	5-10	170	Georgia
23.	Cole Luke	No. 133	Chandler, AZ	6-0	170	Notre Dame
24.	Johnny Johnson	No. 146	Fresno, CA	5-10	175	UCLA
25.	Antwuan Davis	No. 162	Bastrop, LA	6-0	180	Texas
26.	Hatari Byrd	No. 163	Fresno, CA	6-1	190	Oklahoma
27.	Tyler Foreman	No. 169	Encino, CA	6-2	190	UCLA
28.	Ashton Shumpert	No. 187	Tupelo, MS	6-1	205	Miss. St
29.	Anthony Averett	No. 191	Woodbury, NJ	6-1	175	Alabama
30.	Brian Walker	No. 193	Charlotte, NC	5-10	170	North Carolina
31.	Rashard Robinson	No. 194	Pompano Beach, FL	6-1	170	LSU
32.	Kameron Miles	No. 195	Mesquite, TX	6-2	200	Texas A&M
33.	Tim Harris	No. 225	Richmond, VA	6-2	190	Virginia
34.	Jonathan Cook	No. 229	Spanish Fort, AL	6-0	185	Alabama