Over the last two decades, college football has trended toward the offensive side of the field, with potent offenses and high-flying schemes putting up big point and yardage totals. They’re fun to watch, but that only makes elite defenders more important. If you have players that can shut down opposing offenses, it’s a major plus for your team and a huge premium.
Those players are still out there, and they’re vital to sustained success in today’s game. We took a look at the last 17 years and picked out the most unstoppable college football defenders since 2000. Players were judged for the stats that they put up (sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions) as well as their performance in important moments.