On the surface, the answer to this question seems easy. Bryce Thompson was a freshman All-American for Tennessee football last year at cornerback, playing every game and starting 10 en route to three interceptions, four tackles for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble, four passes defended and 32 total tackles.
However, Alontae Taylor’s season was nothing to sniff at for a freshman. He played in all 12 games with nine starts While he had only two passes defended, only one tackle for a loss and no interceptions, he did have more tackles overall than Thompson with 40, and he had two forced fumbles, not just one.