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Best Defensive Players of the Pac-12 Era
WoolleyDoog
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 3,845 
Best of lists in college football always favor offensive players too much so I thought I'd highlight defensive players in the conference.
- Will Sutton DT Arizona State - I'll admit I don't remember this guy a ton. He won back-to-back Pac-12 Defensive Players of the Year so easy number one.
- Scooby Wright LB Arizona - He gets shit on a lot for being a white try hard who had no NFL career. He was really fucking good in 2014 though. No denying.
- DeForest Buckner DT Oregon - One of the most purely dominant defensive players I can remember watching in recent conference history. Huge score him coming back for a senior season.
- Budda Baker S Washington - Not just a great safety - a huge part of Washington turning things around culturally and becoming a CFP team.
- Trent Murphy LB Stanford - Huge part of Stanford winning the conference in 2012 and breaking through. The best of their long list of great defensive players from that era.
- Devin Lloyd LB Utah - Badass linebacker who was the best player on Utah's team which broke through and won the conference in 2021.
- Vita Vea DT Washington - The only thing sad about Vita is it feels like he didn't get a ton of time in college football. I think he easily gets the top spot here if he comes back in 2018.
- Anthony Barr LB UCLA - He's like Vita to me just an unreal freak who would have been awesome to see get more time.
- Evan Weaver LB Cal - kind of like Wright and I don't like him but have to give him a spot here.
- Greg Gaines DT Washington - Dooging a bit but think he's one of the most underrated players you'd ever see in college football. HE was such a rock for three full years too.
Others considered: Talanoa Hufanga S USC, Leonard Williams DT USC, Jordan Poyer S Oregon State, Adoree' Jackson CB USC, Laiatu Latu DE UCLA
Comments
I don't necessarily agree that hardware means the guy is the best player. Where are the UW DB's outside of Buddha? Murphy and McDuffie were both 1st rounders (Murphy was the 1st pick of Round 2, but still).
Because he redshirted and got injured Murphy actually didn't play very much college football. McDuffie might be the best cornerback to ever play for Washington problem is his career was damaged by the Covid season and then playing on Jimmy's abomination of a team in 2021 that had him playing like prevent. Sidney Jones was the other Husky DB who was closest to make it.
I love me some Greg Gaines, but I'd probably put Danny Shelton ahead of him.
Everyone hates him for the Rose bowl but he was the best safety in his conference except when he was 1b his true freshman year, where he picked Darnold and ended the conference championship game early in the 3rd quarter.
I don't know Gaines was just so consistent and for so long and also played in way more important games. Gaines also got a Morris Trophy.
Super underrated by the Pac-12 and Husky fans after the Rose Bowl debacle. Great against the run and the pass and his blitzing in 2018 was money. Bonus points for being from the Northwest League.