The Ultimate Husker Defensive Back Bracket: First Round Voting is Open

It is time for our final bracket! Brew put together the definitive list of the best safeties and cornerbacks Husker football has to offer.

Some of those that didn’t make the bracket but get an honorable mention include (the first three out): Mike Minter, Eric Hagg, and Alfonzo Dennard. Other honorable mentions: Erwin Swinney, Tyrone Byrd, Tim Jackson, Tyrone Legette, Charles Fryar, Sammy Simms, and Stanley Jean-Baptiste.

Some of the abbreviations you will see below:

AA – All-American
cAA – consensus All-American
uAA – unanimous All-American
AC – All conference
PBU – pass break ups
INT – interception

First Round

1) Ralph Brown – cAA, 3X AC. The most PBUs of any Husker in a career (50) and game (7). Was a Blackshirt for his first game of his true freshman year.

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16) Nathan Gerry – Second most tackles and INTs of any Husker DB. No DB had more unassisted tackles.

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2) Prince Amukamara – cuAA, 2X AC. Nebraska’s most recent, great DB. As a Sophomore, Bo considered him as a potential RB, but Prince was a Blackshirt by the start of conference play.

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15) Fabian Washington – Pick-6 on his first play as a Husker. Top ten in career INTs.

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3) Mike Brown – AA, AC, AAA. The most tackles of any Husker DB, 287, good for 3rd all time. NFL All-Pro.

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14) Joe Blahek – 2X AC. Had one hell of a ’71 season: threw an essential block for Johnny Rodgers for his “game of the century” punt return and intercepted Alabama in the end zone in the national championship game

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4) Dana Stephenson – 2X AC. Nebraska’s all time leader in INTs (14). Cocaine? (looks around nervously) What Cocaine?!?

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13) Barron Miles – 2X AC. An injury in the preseason of his first NFL season derailed his NFL career. No biggie, he became a Canadian Football League Hall of Famer.

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5) Dave Butterfield – cAA, 2X AC. Part of a defense that held consecutive Big 8 opponents to 14 and 34 passing yards.

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12) Wonderful Terrific (Wonder) Monds – AA, AC. One of the first big DBs (6-2 & 205 lbs but 6-7 with the fro).

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6) Bret Clark – AA, 2X AC. Collected 8 takeaways in ’84 (5 INT, 3 FR).

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11) Keyuo Craver – AA, AC. Played in every game from true freshman to senior. Second in career PBUs

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7) Bruce Pickens – 2X AC. Juco transfer who did very well for himself. Was drafted #3 overall in the ‘91 draft.

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10) DeJaun Groce – AA, AC. 17 PBUs in a season is a Husker record, followed it up with 14 the next season.

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8) Josh Bullocks – AA, AC. Set a Husker record with 10 INTs in one season

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9) Tyrone Williams – 2X AC. 2X National Champ, Super Bowl Champ. Not bad.