Ranking our DB's

[FireSomebody]

IMHO, here is where they stack up in the Ferentz Era:

1) Bob
2) Desmond King
3) Jovon Johnson
4) Sean Considine
5) Micah Hyde
6) Tyler Sash
7) Amari Spievey
8) Brett Greenwood
9) Sean Prater
10) Charles Godfrey

Others Receiving Votes (In my Head): Antwan Allen, Benny Sapp, Matt Bowen, Jordan Bernstein

 

[NileKinnicksGhost]

I would move Spievey higher. People forget, but he literally shut down his half of the field. I love Tyler Sash and Micah Hyde due to their ball hawk ability, but Spievey was a lock down corner.

 

[theVoicefromtheTomb]

IMHO, here is where they stack up in the Ferentz Era:

1) Bob
2) Desmond King
3) Jovon Johnson
4) Sean Considine
5) Micah Hyde
6) Tyler Sash
7) Amari Spievey
8) Brett Greenwood
9) Sean Prater
10) Charles Godfrey

Others Receiving Votes (In my Head): Antwan Allen, Benny Sapp, Matt Bowen, Jordan Bernstein

Kind of a current list isn't it? I mean we did have people like Merton Hanks in the 80's?

Sorry, just saw the Ferentz qualifier

 

[FranklinHawk]

#1 is probably whatever handle DaCoach is currently using.

Wait, you meant Defensive Backs. Never mind.

 

[iowabucfan]

Great list. I would suggest that King is not only the best DB in Ferentz's era, but top 5 best players all positions of KF's time. He may or may not win any hardware, but he is a game changer as we have all witnessed.

 

[MauiHawk]

I remember back when the boards hated Jovon Johnson....

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

No Adam Shada?

 

[FranklinHawk]

I would move Spievey higher. People forget, but he literally shut down his half of the field. I love Tyler Sash and Micah Hyde due to their ball hawk ability, but Spievey was a lock down corner.

I agree. King is much like Hyde and Sash in that he's a ball hawk and has the ability to make you pay after the pick as well with his running skills. Spievey and Godfrey were probably the best examples of "lockdown corners". Not much more to say with Bob, he simply put fear in the hearts of opponents.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I remember back when the boards hated Jovon Johnson....

Folks on the board just thought that he was too short and too slow. LOL! Never mind the fact that he's gone on to have an exceptionally successful career in the CFL (IIRC).

 

[bagdropper]

Folks on the board just thought that he was too short and too slow. LOL! Never mind the fact that he's gone on to have an exceptionally successful career in the CFL (IIRC).

Pretty sure he's still playing up there. Tate too...

 

[at4iowa]

Bradley Fletcher anyone? I'm pretty sure he should be in the top 10

 

[cleotishaywood]

Greg Castillo?

 

[FranklinHawk]

Bradley Fletcher anyone? I'm pretty sure he should be in the top 10

Good call.

 

[Clifford C. Clavin]

Derek Pagel

 

[broth87]

#1 is probably whatever handle DaCoach is currently using.

Wait, you meant Defensive Backs. Never mind.

Jordan Lomax definitely under valued. He's a huge part of our defense. Collectively, this secondary is very very good. Taylor and Lomax are a gifted, dynamic pair of safeties and Dez is the best corner at Iowa since Merton Hanks.

 

[DutchyFunStar]

CFL 2011 Defensive Player of the Year
Jovon Johnson

 

[hurlhawk]

IMHO, here is where they stack up in the Ferentz Era:

1) Bob
2) Desmond King
3) Jovon Johnson
4) Sean Considine
5) Micah Hyde
6) Tyler Sash
7) Amari Spievey
8) Brett Greenwood
9) Sean Prater
10) Charles Godfrey

Others Receiving Votes (In my Head): Antwan Allen, Benny Sapp, Matt Bowen, Jordan Bernstein

DB is not generally the #1 position that comes to mind, in terms of studs that we've had. Seeing this list actually gives you a greater appreciation for corners & safeties that Ferentz & staff have recruited/developed. Some pretty dang solid players here.

Desmond is a stud, but Bob was on another level - a real game changer. Ferentz once said "Having him on your team is like getting in a street fight & having your big brother show up." He PUNISHED receivers, tight ends, return men, running backs & QB's. He didn't care who you were or how big you were. He was going to lay-the-wood! His aggressiveness & toughness rubbed off on all of his teammates. He made everyone around him better, period.

One other player that I would add to the list is Derek Pagel. I can still see him laying Brooks Bollinger out. Man, that season was fun!

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I would probably bump Godfrey and Spievey up.
Also agree with Bowen and Allen getting votes. Maybe in the list, but hard to say who'd I'd move off.

Sanders is the guy that stands out most. He was like a heat seeking missile on the field. It's what made him so great for a guy his size. And what led to his relatively short, but outstanding when healthy, career in the NFL.

 

[HawkeyeDenny]

Jordan Lomax definitely under valued. He's a huge part of our defense. Collectively, this secondary is very very good. Taylor and Lomax are a gifted, dynamic pair of safeties and Dez is the best corner at Iowa since Merton Hanks.

Not a Lomax and Taylor fan, what am I missing besides bad pursuit angles and stone hands..?? I think Safety play will be the Achilles heel of this team if there is one...

 

[FireSomebody]

Agree on Fletch and Pagel deserving consideration. Fletch never "wow'd" you with this skills, but he was solid and was great at passes defended, not as much INT's. Pagel was really our first Ferentz DB that started this awesome lineage. I think he was a senior in 2002 and was a great 1-2 punch with Bob for a few years.

Pretty amazing to name all of these great DB's over the years. I wonder if we have had at least one future NFLer starting for the Hawks ever since 2002 (actually played in the NFL, not just preseason or practice squads).

Kudos to Phil Parker. He will likely be forever overshadowed by Norm, but he was part of the reason that Norm was so successful.

 

[broth87]

Not a Lomax and Taylor fan, what am I missing besides bad pursuit angles and stone hands..?? I think Safety play will be the Achilles heel of this team if there is one...

For starters you're missing that their starting safety tandem for a 9-0. They're excellent in run support, and solid in pass coverage. If you really think they're not talented, you're not paying attention.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Here's what I can remember for starters. My memory on 1999, 2011, and 2012 is a little shaky.
Looks like we've had an NFLer every year and multiples in several years..

1999 - Matt Bowen, Shane Hall, Tariq Holman, Joe Slattery
2000 - Tim Dodge, Benny Sapp, Ryan Hansen, Bob Sanders
2001 - Benny Sapp, Matt Stockdale, Derek Pagel, Bob Sanders
2002 - DJ Johnson(Jovon Johnson after DJ's injury), Antwan Allen, Bob Sanders, Derek Pagel
2003 - Jovon Johnson, Antwan Allen, Bob Sanders, Sean Considine
2004 - Jovon Johnson, Antwan Allen, Marcus Paschal, Sean Considine
2005 - Jovon Johnson, Antwan Allen, Marcus Paschal, Miguel Merrick
2006 - Charles Godfrey, Adam Shada, Marcus Paschal, Miguel Merrick
2007 - Charles Godfrey, Adam Shada, Harold Dalton, Brett Greenwood
2008 - Bradley Fletcher, Amari Spievey, Brett Greenwood, Tyler Sash
2009 - Amari Spievey, Shaun Prater, Brett Greenwood, Tyler Sash
2010 - Shaun Prater, Micah Hyde, Brett Greenwood, Tyler Sash
2011 - Shaun Prater, Greg Castillo, Micah Hyde, Jordan Bernstein
2012 - Micah Hyde, BJ Lowery, Nico Law, Tanner Miller
2013 - BJ Lowery, Desmond King, John Lowdermilk, Tanner Miller
2014 - Greg Mabin, Desmond King, John Lowdermilk, Jordan Lomax

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

During the Ferentz era - in no particular order, the top in my book would be Bob, Jovon, Spievey, Sash, and King. King, Jovon, and Sash are/were ridiculous ball-hawks. It took Bob a little while to be decent defending the pass ... but he was insane against the run, he scared the crap out of receivers catching the ball in front of him, he was an incredible athlete, and a wonderful leader. Spievey turned out to arguably be the best "cover-corner" during Ferentz's tenure. During Spievey's last season as a Hawk - teams simply wouldn't pass the ball his way.

 

[FireSomebody]

Here's what I can remember for starters. My memory on 1999, 2011, and 2012 is a little shaky.
Looks like we've had an NFLer every year and multiples in several years..

1999 - Matt Bowen, Shane Hall, Tariq Holman, Joe Slattery
2000 - Tim Dodge, Benny Sapp, Ryan Hansen, Bob Sanders
2001 - Benny Sapp, Matt Stockdale, Derek Pagel, Bob Sanders
2002 - DJ Johnson(Jovon Johnson after DJ's injury), Antwan Allen, Bob Sanders, Derek Pagel
2003 - Jovon Johnson, Antwan Allen, Bob Sanders, Sean Considine
2004 - Jovon Johnson, Antwan Allen, Marcus Paschal, Sean Considine
2005 - Jovon Johnson, Antwan Allen, Marcus Paschal, Miguel Merrick
2006 - Charles Godfrey, Adam Shada, Marcus Paschal, Miguel Merrick
2007 - Charles Godfrey, Adam Shada, Harold Dalton, Brett Greenwood
2008 - Bradley Fletcher, Amari Spievey, Brett Greenwood, Tyler Sash
2009 - Amari Spievey, Shaun Prater, Brett Greenwood, Tyler Sash
2010 - Shaun Prater, Micah Hyde, Brett Greenwood, Tyler Sash
2011 - Shaun Prater, Greg Castillo, Micah Hyde, Jordan Bernstein
2012 - Micah Hyde, BJ Lowery, Nico Law, Tanner Miller
2013 - BJ Lowery, Desmond King, John Lowdermilk, Tanner Miller
2014 - Greg Mabin, Desmond King, John Lowdermilk, Jordan Lomax

You either have the memory of an elephant or some great Googles skills.

Thank you my friend, it was great to think back on those position groups over the years.

Outside of Pagel and Fletch, I think Marcus Paschal also deserves some props. Did a nice job filling in for Bob.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I corrected 2011 and 2012 for you. Just minor corrections. Hyde was set to move over to free-safety in an experiment that simply didn't last that long.

My memory on 1999, 2011, and 2012 is a little shaky.

2011 - Shaun Prater, Micah Hyde, Jordan Bernstein, Tanner Miller
2012 - Micah Hyde, BJ Lowery, Tom Donatell/Nico Law, Tanner Miller

 

[milehighhawkeye24]

I think Bob and King are Tier 1, I really think Bob was a huge reason Iowa ascended to greatness in the early 2000's and because of that (and the fact he is the hardest hitting DB in Iowa history and arguably in CFB history) I do not think King could ever take that #1 spot from Bob. I think Spievey would be #1 on tier 2.....

 

[MadDogC]

heatdawg
soybean
EvilMonkey
swag
Lute

Lmbo...

 

[StormHawk42]

Man hard to believe how many good/great names there are on that list.

 

[thejazzcat]

I think Bob and King are Tier 1, I really think Bob was a huge reason Iowa ascended to greatness in the early 2000's and because of that (and the fact he is the hardest hitting DB in Iowa history and arguably in CFB history) I do not think King could ever take that #1 spot from Bob. I think Spievey would be #1 on tier 2.....

Agree. Bob has legendary status. He had so many highlight reel moments its hard to count them all. But at the moment I'm remembering the ASU game at Kinnick.....by the 4th qtr their receivers were practically batting balls down, volley ball style - don't throw that frickin' ball to me!!! I know there's no stat for the creation of alligator arms, but no one created fear like Bob.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

I don't see Desmond as having the talent to be a future NFL defensive player of the year. So I think he will rank below Bob. But, I think this season that he's putting together may be better than any one of Bob's seasons.

So, best career goes to Bob, but best individual season may go to Desmond depending on how it finishes. The thing with Bob was that he didn't miss large stretches of time, but he missed a game or at least parts of games here and there throughout his last three seasons. That kept him from putting together a full 12 game season like Desmond is on track to do.

 

[milehighhawkeye24]

Agree. Bob has legendary status. He had so many highlight reel moments its hard to count them all. But at the moment I'm remembering the ASU game at Kinnick.....by the 4th qtr their receivers were practically batting balls down, volley ball style - don't throw that frickin' ball to me!!! I know there's no stat for the creation of alligator arms, but no one created fear like Bob.

I remember the Indiana game when Bob had like a million tackles when Randle-El was their QB.....Bob is and will always be a fan favorite. He and Greenway are two of the main cogs to putting Iowa into the national spotlight....

 

[bman546]

Fletcher should be on any list.

 

[milehighhawkeye24]

heatdawg
soybean
EvilMonkey
swag
Lute

LOL....swag for sure and do not forget about SP....not sure about the rest on your list and I can think of a few more

 

[Zmanbhg]

1. Colin Cowherd
2. Paul Finebaum
3. David Pollack
4. Jason Sehorn
5. Matt Hayes
6. Brent Blum