Cincinnati Bearcats Football

Cincinnati, Houston and UCF are reportedly in talks with the American Athletic Conference about a settlement that would allow them to leave for the Big 12 in 2023 instead of 2024.

Brett McMurphy of the Action Network reported Tuesday the schools are discussing an agreement worth in the "$17 million to $20 million range" after AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco sought a $35 million early-exit fee.

Sources told McMurphy the three programs are "fully confident" a deal will be finalized this month.

A whirlwind of movement started last July when Oklahoma and Texas accepted offers to join the SEC no later than 2025, which jump-started a battle between the conferences to remain viable once the dust settled from the realignment.

Losing OU and UT, its two most valuable programs, led the Big 12 to seek an expansion to 14 teams that it will achieve with the addition of the three AAC schools and BYU, which will give up its independent status in football.

Now, with most of the conference changes having been agreed to, schools are beginning to seek early departures to avoid the multiyear wait times before the switch.

A fee of up to $20 million is no small thing. In November, Russ Heltman of Sports Illustrated noted Cincinnati spent $74 million on athletics during the 2020-21 school year. So, all other things being equal, adding the settlement on top would represent a 27 percent increase in spending.

The television deal is the equalizer, though. Cincinnati will go from $6 million per year from that revenue stream to $26 million annually following the Big 12 move, per Heltman.

In other words, the early-exit fee could pay for itself in year one and then turn into pure profit from that point forward.

Meanwhile, the timing of the AAC departures is going to have an impact on other changes.

There are six Conference USA programs waiting to join the AAC—Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UT San Antonio—and three other C-USA teams heading to the Sun Belt—Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss.

In turn, C-USA has added Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State and Sam Houston State with discussions to also bring in Eastern Kentucky and Tarleton State, though the latter discussions have been tabled for now, per McMurphy.

So, while the wheeling and dealing continues, college sports fans can expect a lot of new rivalries no later than 2025 and possibly as soon as 2023.

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly showing interest in Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.

According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, the Colts visited with and worked out Ridder and several Bearcats wide receivers Friday.

The Colts do not own a pick in the first round and are not scheduled to select until the No. 42 pick in the second round.

Indianapolis moved up five spots from the 47th pick when it sent quarterback Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders.

The Colts then acquired longtime Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for a third-round pick.

While Ryan is set to start in 2022, he will turn 37 years old May 17 and has only two years left on his contract.

As a result, the Colts need a quarterback of the future, and Ridder could be that player if he is still available in the second round or if Indianapolis can find a way to trade into the bottom portion of the first round.

Having a shot at Ridder may be a pipe dream for the Colts, though, since few prospects have generated as much hype as he has in recent weeks.

Last week, NFL Network's Peter Schrager projected Ridder to the Detroit Lions with the No. 32 pick, noting coaches believe Ridder has an "it" factor.

A day later, ESPN's Matt Miller reported there was "legitimate buzz" for Ridder to become a top-15 pick.

Liberty's Malik Willis seems like a strong bet to be the first quarterback off the board, but Ridder may have surpassed Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett and Ole Miss' Matt Corral for the second spot among signal-callers.

It is difficult to ignore what Ridder accomplished as a four-year starter with the Bearcats. He won the third-most games by a quarterback in FBS history with 44.

Ridder also helped make Cincinnati the first non-Power Five and non-Notre Dame team to reach the College Football Playoff last season.

He put up big numbers in 2021 as well, completing 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns with eight interceptions while also rushing for 355 yards and six scores.

On top of that, Ridder performed well at the NFL Scouting Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds.

The Colts will likely have to beat out several other suitors to land Ridder, but if they do it, they will have a high-upside prospect to develop behind Matty Ice.

The New York Giants and New York Jets both have "strong interest" in Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

Vacchiano reported the Giants and Jets are planning to invite him for a predraft visit as well. The former has the fifth and seventh overall picks in the 2022 NFL draft, with the latter on the clock at Nos. 4 and 10.

Gardner is the 11th-best player on Bleacher Report's 2022 big board. In B/R's most recent mock draft, he went seventh to the Giants.

Gardner would give the Giants youth and consistency in the defensive backfield," B/R NFL scout Cory Giddings said. "As a corner who has the ability to play both man and zone coverage, he does a very good job of attacking the ball through the catch point."

On March 16, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported the Giants aren't planning to release veteran cornerback James Bradberry. Still, many expect Bradberry to move on one way or the other as general manager Joe Schoen overhauls the roster.

Gardner would give the Giants an immediate replacement and a better fit with their overall timeline since Schoen seems to be willing to embark on a transitional year.

The Jets, meanwhile, need to upgrade a secondary that allowed the third-most passing yards per game (259.4) and ranked 31st in opponent passer rating (103.2) last season. 

Signing D.J. Reed to a three-year, $33 million deal won't solve the issue on its own, so the cornerback position is likely near the top of the front office's draft board. The B/R mock pegged Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton (No. 4) and Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning (No. 10) to the Jets, which would at least give them more support against the pass.

In the days and weeks leading up to the draft, which begins this year on April 28 in Las Vegas, teams always do their best to avoid tipping their hands. In the case of Gardner, it's not exactly revelatory to say he could wind up playing on one of New York's two franchises.

While Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett has received plenty of attention leading up to the 2022 NFL draft, two other signal-callers apparently impressed at the combine and got people talking. 

Liberty's Malik Willis and Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder received high praise from insiders after the combine, according to ESPN's Todd McShay: 

With Malik Willis, the one thing that really stood out, almost every single person I talked to in the league, and I asked a lot of them about Malik specifically... they said that his interview was one of the best. Not just the character and the charisma that he has... but also the football intelligence.

... Desmond Ridder was another guy that people were raving about. Talking about his maturity. Talking about his path and what he had gone through as a youngster and overcoming all of that and his football intelligence.

Talking about some of the top QB workouts and some of the buzz heard about their interviews with NFL teams at the Combine. pic.twitter.com/Cm8RbCUREW

— Todd McShay (@McShay13) March 7, 2022

NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter listed Willis as one of the winners from the combine, saying he "consistently made things look easy on Thursday night." Reuter added that Willis did well with his deep throws and slants. 

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department also says Willis is a great athlete, has good arm strength, good build and is a tough, competitive quarterback. 

The 22-year-old had an impressive four-year collegiate career. He played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Auburn before transferring to Liberty ahead of the 2020 season.

Willis had arguably the best season of his collegiate career in 2021, completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also ran for 878 yards and 13 scores. 

Ridder was also considered one of the winners of the combine after he showed off his incredible arm strength during on-field testing. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department also lauds Ridder for being a good athlete and having good arm strength and movement in the pocket. 

Like Willis, Ridder also had the best season of his collegiate career in 2021. He completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns against eight interceptions to lead the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff. He also ran for 355 yards and six scores. 

Post-combine NFL mock drafts have yet to come out. However, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Pickett being the first quarterback off the board (No. 11 to Washington Commanders) in his latest mock draft, which came out before the combine.

That could change in his post-combine mock draft, especially based on the performances of Willis and Ridder. 

Kiper currently has Willis going 20th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he isn't projecting Ridder to be selected in the first round. Ole Miss signal-caller Matt Corral is the only other quarterback whom Kiper has being picked on the first day, at 32nd overall to the Detroit Lions. 

In addition to Washington, Pittsburgh and Detroit, the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be in the market for a quarterback this offseason. And seeing as there's no clear-cut No. 1 quarterback option in this year's draft, these teams could end up selecting a player whom they believe is best for their system overall.

HEIGHT: 5'10 1/2"

WEIGHT: 210

HAND: 9 1/8"

ARM: 30 5/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'1 1/4"

40-YARD DASH: 4.46

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 31"

BROAD: 9'10"

POSITIVES

— Above-average build for the position. Runs with good power and play strength to run through arm and side tackles.

— Understands how to tempo his pace on run plays. Will press the hole to set up blocks and get second-level defenders to commit. Has more than enough burst to accelerate through holes.

— Runs with a good, wide base, which allows him to stay consistently balanced when cutting. Keeps shoulders square to the line of scrimmage.

— Has quick feet and tight footwork when jump-cutting to find a hole.

— Good long speed. Can pull away from defenders and create explosive plays when he gets a runway.

—.Good hands in the passing game.

— Willing blocker in pass protection.

NEGATIVES

— Route running has consisted mostly of checkdowns.

— Not overly shifty making defenders miss in tight spaces.

2021 STATISTICS

215 ATT, 1,319 YDS (6.1 AVG), 19 TD, 21 REC, 220 YDS, 1 TD

NOTES

— 2021 first-team All-AAC.

— Transferred in 2020 from Alabama.

OVERALL

Jerome Ford has the overall talent and skill set to be a three-down running back in the NFL. He plays with proper tempo on various run concepts and knows how to help out his blockers by pressing the hole and making defenders commit downhill. But he doesn’t get caught up in the wash when pressing, showing vision and knowing when to put his head down and get forward.

Ford shows the burst and long speed to take advantage of the holes created. He is able to quickly get to the next level when he decides to get north. He consistently runs with good balance, footwork and a strong base. That allows him to quickly get in and out of his cuts when he decides to plant his foot, and he also has enough strength to run through arm and side tackles and create more yards after contact.

Ford has legitimate home run speed to take runs the distance when he's given a crease, but he also has enough awareness to take advantage of the singles and doubles that are blocked for him. He shows natural hands when serving as a receiver out of the backfield as well, looking comfortable when the ball does come his way. He is also a willing blocker when asked to work in pass protection.

Ford doesn’t have overwhelming size and is more solidly built. He will have to be paired with another back to help with the touches to maximize his skill set. He also has limited experience working from the backfield. While he has good hands, he was asked to run a simplistic route tree mostly consisting of checkdowns with the occasional wheel route.

Ford will also have to continue to hone in on the mental side of pass protection. He brings good physicality when blocking, but he can be a step slow in recognizing his assignment.

Overall, Ford is a balanced runner who can be effective in any type of run scheme. He understands how to take advantage of his blockers but also brings juice to the position to create explosive plays. He will need to continue to refine his route running and pass protection to become a true three-down back, but he has flashes already of being able to contribute on passing downs.

Ford would be best paired with another back to split touches and ease some of his workload due to his lack of overwhelming size. But he has the athleticism and skill set to be a starting back for most NFL teams, one who can be an effective, explosive featured player in the run game.

GRADE: 7.4 (High-level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 67

POSITION RANK: RB4

PRO COMPARISON: Kareem Hunt

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

Helping the Cincinnati Bearcats become the first-ever Group of Five conference team to make the College Football Playoff was quite lucrative for head coach Luke Fickell.

Fickell told Justin Williams of The Athletic he and Cincinnati agreed to a contract extension that sources said will pay him $5 million annually and run through 2028. The deal still needs to be approved by the Board of Trustees, which will meet on Feb. 22.

In addition to the pay raise, Williams reported the contract "includes a significant bump in the staff's salary pool and comes with further assurances on a new permanent indoor practice facility."

If nothing else, this further signals Fickell's commitment to the Cincinnati program. That is significant because he was connected to the Michigan State job and the Notre Dame job the past two years and seemed like a logical candidate to continue being included in speculation whenever a Power Five conference job opened.

The Bearcats are poised to become a Power Five program soon with a move to the Big 12, and they apparently have their coach for the foreseeable future.

An extension comes as no surprise seeing as how Fickell is 48-15 in five years at the helm for Cincinnati. While last year's undefeated run to the CFP stands out even with a loss to Alabama in the semifinals, it was a continuation of the progress he has quickly made with the program.

The Bearcats went 4-8 in his first season in 2017 before making a head-turning jump to 11-2 in 2018, 11-3 in 2019 and 9-1 in 2020. That 9-1 effort in 2020 included an undefeated regular season with the only blemish coming in a three-point loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

Fickell only figures to continue building momentum for the Bearcats with more recruiting pitches.

With the extension as further proof of his commitment to the program, he can highlight the improved competition the team will face when it joins the Big 12 and likely be able to show off a path to the NFL when players like cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and quarterback Desmond Ridder are drafted in April.

Throw in the improved facilities that will also apparently come with this extension, and Cincinnati is trending upward.                  

After helping lead Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff, cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is turning pro. 

Gardner told Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports in a phone interview that he is declaring for the 2022 NFL draft. 

“I talked things over with my family,” Gardner said Tuesday. “My work at Cincinnati is done. I came in and did everything I was supposed to do. I listened to everything the coaches were telling me to do to get in a better position to take care of my family.”

Thamel noted Gardner is projected as a first-rounder, with some scouts believing he could go off the board within the top 15 picks. 

Per B/R's NFL Scouting Department, Gardner is the No. 5 cornerback and the No. 26 player overall in the 2022 draft class.   

ESPN's Todd McShay wrote that Gardner is "tall and long, and he smothers coverage underneath," as well as having "strong recognition ability in zone" and "is an adequate wrap-up tackler and flashes playmaking skill."

Gardner was a key player for the Bearcats during their run to the College Football Playoff this season. He started 13 games, setting career highs with five tackles for loss, three sacks and tying his career high with three interceptions. 

A native of Detroit, Gardner was a 3-star recruit coming out of Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School in 2019. He was named to the All-AAC first team in each of his three seasons at Cincinnati. 

As a junior in 2021, Gardner was named AAC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. He recorded five total tackles and one tackle for loss in a 27-6 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Dec. 31. 

Gardner can become the third player in Bearcats history selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Quarterback Greg Cook (No. 5 overall in 1969) and defensive tackle Bob Bell (No. 21 overall in 1971) are the only Cincinnati alums drafted in the first round.    

Cincinnati proved its worth even in a 27-6 loss to Alabama in Friday's Cotton Bowl.

"There’s no doubt in my mind they belonged in the playoff," Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters after the game. "They gave us all we could handle."

Even with a 13-0 record entering the day, many questioned Cincinnati's spot in the College Football Playoff based on the strength of schedule. The American Athletic Conference champion was the first Group of Five team to earn a spot in the national semifinals.

The Bearcats lost by three touchdowns, but they earned the respect of the opposing coach.

Alabama has dominated opponents regardless of conference over the past decade, reaching the national title game in six of the last seven years. The team often cruises to victory in the semifinal: 

Alabama in CFP Semis
2014: L by 7
2015: W by 38
2016: W by 17
2017: W by 18
2018: W by 11
2020: W by 17
2021: W by 21

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) December 31, 2021

Even last year's national championship game was decided by 28 points as the Crimson Tide beat Ohio State.

Cincinnati struggled offensively, but the defense held Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young to his lowest passing output of the season (181 yards). The 27 points were also well below Alabama's 42.5 scoring average this year.

Even in defeat, the Bearcats showed they were one of the top teams in college football this season.    

Alabama will play for its second straight national championship after earning a 27-6 win over Cincinnati in the 2021 Cotton Bowl on Friday.

Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes in the College Football Playoff national semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while Brian Robinson Jr. stole the show with a career-high 204 rushing yards.

The Crimson Tide controlled the game everywhere but the scoreboard early on, holding just a 17-6 lead through three quarters. The Bearcats limited the damage with a bend-don't-break defense and kept the favorites scoreless in the third quarter.

Cincinnati simply couldn't get in the end zone.

Alabama (13-1) will compete in the CFP title game for the sixth time in the last seven years, facing the winner of Michigan and Georgia in Friday night's Orange Bowl. The Crimson Tide are one game away from becoming the first team to win back-to-back championships since they accomplished the feat after the 2011 and '12 seasons.

Déjà Vu 🔮#CFBPlayoff #RollTide pic.twitter.com/Yy3fLYUygy

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) January 1, 2022

Cincinnati was the first Group of Five team to earn a spot in the CFP, but it couldn't keep its dream season alive.

Desmond Ridder was held without a touchdown for the first time all year as the Bearcats suffered their first loss of the season after reeling off 13 victories.

---

Notable Performances

Bryce Young, QB, ALA: 17-28, 181 passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Brian Robinson Jr., RB, ALA: 26 carries, 204 rushing yards

Ja'Corey Brooks, WR, ALA: 4 catches, 66 receiving yards, 1 TD

Desmond Ridder, QB, CIN: 17-32, 144 passing yards

Jerome Ford, RB, CIN: 15 carries, 77 rushing yards

Michael Young Jr., WR, CIN: 4 catches, 55 receiving yards

---

Brian Robinson Powers Alabama Offense in Win

The passing attack has gained more headlines for Alabama this season, but the team went old school with its approach in the Cotton Bowl. 

Alabama showed its game plan early with its willingness to run the ball and win in the trenches.

Alabama’s opening drive:

Run
Run
Run
Run
Run
Run
Run
Run
Run
Run
Pass

11 plays, 75 yards, TD

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 31, 2021

18 of Alabama’s 23 plays were run plays in the first quarter.#CFBPlayoff

— Carl Prather (@CarlPratherWAFF) December 31, 2021

Alabama with 140 rushing yards midway through the 2nd quarter, including 102 from Brian Robinson Jr. #Bearcats defense had allowed 137.5 rushing yards per game entering today.

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) December 31, 2021

This strategy led to 301 rushing yards and an average of 6.4 per attempt. Robinson reached 100 yards in just four of 12 games this season, but he was unstoppable against Cincinnati.

It still took the passing game to get into the end zone, as Bryce Young connected with wideouts Slade Bolden and Ja'Corey Brooks and tight end Cameron Latu.

ALABAMA STRIKES FIRST 🐘

Bryce Young ➡️ Slade Bolden#CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/3mp9FSb4YE

— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2021

A 44-YARD TOUCHDOWN DIME FROM BRYCE YOUNG 🎯 pic.twitter.com/QQAEnF0898

— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2021

Bryce Young to Cameron Latu for another Bama TD! pic.twitter.com/RcaAg47P65

— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2021

The star quarterback wasn't as productive as we've seen him in the past and threw a rare interception, which initially kept the game close. He was still a difference-maker with his ability to elude defenders and find teammates down the field.

The Crimson Tide fell short of their 42.5 points per game average, but the offense did enough to come away with the win.

---

Upset Bid Falls Flat for Cincinnati

Cincinnati needed a monumental performance from Desmond Ridder to pull off the upset, but the quarterback wasn't at his best Friday.

The Bearcats scored just three points in the first half, which came from a field goal on the opening drive.

Dismal first half for Desmond Ridder. 8 for 17. Only 59 passing yards. Sacked three times. Cincy had 60 yards on its opening drive, and managed just 16 total yards on the next four series. Ouch.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 31, 2021

That felt like a draft stock damaging first half for Desmond Ridder.

— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) December 31, 2021

Desmond Ridder's gonna have to turn into Vince Young at halftime or this thing is gonna get ugly.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 31, 2021

Ridder had some better throws in the second half, but it wasn't enough to catch up on the scoreboard.

The main difference was the Will Anderson Jr.-led Crimson Tide front seven, which created a dangerous pass rush throughout the game. 

THE TERMINATOR 😤

Will Anderson gets the sack to close the half 💪 @AlabamaFTBL #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/yc7RJTDaLF

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 31, 2021

Christian Harris 💥
Will Anderson 💥

This @AlabamaFTBL defense 😤 #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/8mhC3yR1pn

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 31, 2021

https://twitter.com/TomFornelli/status/1477055000467714051

Will Anderson Jr IS the best defensive player in college football. …. PERIOD

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 31, 2021

This is Will Anderson’s eighth straight game with a sack and the fifth time in the last eight games that he’s posted more than one sack.

In Alabama’s last eight games — EIGHT — he has 59 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks.

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 31, 2021

Between the sacks and the passes deflected at the line of scrimmage, Cincinnati couldn't run its normal passing offense.

The battle in the trenches was the story on the other side of the ball as well, as Alabama's offensive line dominated.

Alabama offensive line is blowing things up, room to run is ample.

— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) December 31, 2021

Alabama offensive line having its way with Cincinnati’s 3-3-5 defense early. Hammering B-Rob at them.

— Clint Lamb (@ClintRLamb) December 31, 2021

A coach once told me the difference between power 5 schools and others are the size of the lines on both sides, and roster depth. Alabama’s O line is case in point.

— stan verrett (@stanverrett) December 31, 2021

This created a one-sided battle as Alabama outgained Cincinnati 482-218 in the game.

There were some positive signs for the Bearcats, especially defensively, where the individual talent was on display.

Cincy pass rush disruptive early, clearly affecting Tide pass game.

A lot like Auburn in Iron Bowl.

— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) December 31, 2021

PICKED‼️@GoBearcatsFB intercepts Bryce Young to get the ball back 😤#CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/wtnj9wF5bh

— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2021

It was simply too difficult to hold down the Crimson Tide the whole game.

Cincinnati certainly held its own against a bigger, stronger, deeper opponent, but an upset bid wasn't in the cards.    

Cincinnati cornerback Coby Bryant has won the Jim Thorpe Award, which the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame presents to the nation's top collegiate defensive back.

The winner was announced at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday.

Oregon safety Verone McKinley III and Baylor safety Jalen Pitre were also finalists for the award.

The award has been given out since 1986, and previous winners include football luminaries such as Deion Sanders, Charles Woodson and Patrick Peterson.  

The last five winners of the award have all ended up being selected in the first or second round of the NFL draft. Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre'von Moehrig won the trophy in 2020 when he suited up for TCU.

Here's a brief look at each finalist's resumes, starting with the winner.

     

Cincinnati CB Coby Bryant

The undefeated Bearcats earned their first-ever College Football Playoff berth in part because of players like Bryant, who helps form a rock-solid defense that has helped propel the team to great heights.

He had 40 tackles (32 solo), two interceptions and 11 passes defended for the undefeated Bearcats. He's a shutdown corner whose work has been recognized nationwide. Of note, Pro Football Focus thinks highly of the fifth-year senior's efforts:

Highest-graded CBs in College Football 🔒 pic.twitter.com/TFm6uGdFwe

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 24, 2021

Bryant's resume includes many highlights, but his 74-yard pick six in a 56-21 win over UCF serves as one of his best:

PICK-SIX 👀

Coby Bryant finds the end zone after a 74-yard return. pic.twitter.com/GEIUixCRe5

— ESPN (@espn) October 16, 2021

His best game was at No. 6 Notre Dame, when Bryant had seven tackles and three passes defended in a 24-13 win.

Cincinnati's defense was exceptional that day, as it has been all season, with the Bearcats allowing the fourth-fewest points in Division I FCS (16.1 PPG). 

     

Baylor S Jalen Pitre

Pitre will forever be a Waco legend. He was the only member of the 2017 Bears class who stayed with the program after head coach Art Briles was fired, per John Werner of the Waco Tribune-Herald.

In 2021, he had 70 tackles (54 solo), 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defended and three forced fumbles. The fifth-year senior helped Baylor earn a No. 7 College Football Playoff ranking, a Big 12 Championship and an 11-2 record.

Pitre's best game, which occurred during a 38-24 win over BYU, ended with him earning the Senior Bowl's Defensive Player of the Week honors:

.@JalenPitre1 is our Defensive Player of the Week for the @BUFootball win over BYU, 38-24. Pitre had 10 total tackles, 9 solo, 2.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and a QBH. #SicEm #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/jzzMDPBWxh

— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) October 18, 2021

He routinely made game-changing plays, such as this interception versus West Virginia in a 45-20 win:

PICKED OFF 🤚

Jalen Pitre comes up with his second interception of the season for @BUFootball pic.twitter.com/pAICHf7yT4

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 9, 2021

Baylor responded to that pick by going 48 yards in five plays for a touchdown and 20-7 lead.

Pitre added seven more tackles (two for a loss) and two pass breakups in the Bears' 21-16 Big 12 Championship Game win versus Oklahoma State.

    

Oregon S Verone McKinley III

You can't find many defensive backs more productive than McKinley, who is equally adept at delivering big hits as he is at making huge interceptions and pass breakups.

Oregon was in the College Football Playoff picture midseason in part because of a strong running game and a playmaking defense featuring a superstar on each level (edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, linebacker Noah Sewell and McKinley on the back line).

In conjunction, those three did excellent work for the Ducks, which won 10 games and finished as the Pac-12 runner-up.

As far as McKinley went, the third-year sophomore starred with 71 tackles and six interceptions.

His best game came in Oregon's 42-35 win at Ohio State on Sept. 11, when he had six tackles, two passes defended, one forced fumble and one huge interception to kill off a late OSU drive with the Buckeyes down seven with under three minutes remaining:

"And that may do it!"

Oregon's Verone McKinley III with a huge INT late in the fourth quarter vs. Ohio State 😱

(via @CFBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/dMFBkRdaoM

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 11, 2021

That ended up being one of the most impressive wins of the season from any team. McKinley played a big role in that effort, which is part of the reason why he was acknowledged as one of college football's top three defensive backs.