Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Hoosier Huddle is breaking down each position group prior to opening of 2021 spring practice. Today, we look at one of the deepest and most talented groups on the roster: the defensive backs. We’ve lumped cornerbacks, safeties and the Husky position together so this preview is lengthy and there is a whole lot to cover.

Cornerback

The top three cornerbacks for Indiana could play at any school in the Big Ten. Tiawan Mullen, Jaylin Williams and Reece Taylor are back and are the undoubted leaders of this group. The coaches know exactly who these guys are and what they are capable so there’s not much need for them to showcase themselves this spring. Barring injury, they will be the first three cornerbacks on the field in the 2021 campaign.

-#3 – Tiawan Mullen

Mullen was a first-team All-American in 2020, just the second cornerback in school history to achieve that status. He has eight career takeaways and added 3.5 sacks to his arsenal last season. Mullen is a shutdown corner in every sense of the word.

-#2 – Reese Taylor

The standout from Indianapolis really came into his own in the 2020 season and established himself as a high-quality cover man. He was fourth in the Big Ten in pass break ups and had 29 tackles. Taylor is a physical corner that will look to increase his ball skills this offseason as he eyes a future in the NFL.

-#23 – Jaylin Williams

Occasionally overlooked by some, Williams earned his way onto the second-team All-Big Ten squad and had four interceptions, placing him third in the Big Ten in 2020. He started five games and appeared in all eight contests. The playmaker from Florida is a perfect fit in this defense.

There will be a lot of jockeying for position after those top three as the Hoosiers have a lot of talented individuals vying to prove themselves. The spring is crucial for this next group of individuals.

-#13 – Larry Tracy

Entering his third year in the program, Tracy appeared in all eight games in 2020 but did not record any meaningful statistics.

#19 – Josh Sanguinetti – Redshirt Freshman –

The redshirt freshman from Florida was a late addition to the 2019 recruiting class. He appeared in the wins over Eastern Illinois and Connecticut and then redshirted last season. Sanguinetti has good length and athleticism and was a first-team all-state selection in Florida. He recovered from an injury during the offseason and has made the switch from safety to cornerback, something I think suits his frame very well and his length could make him a dynamic addition to this unit. How quickly he adapts to the position will determine how much time he sees in 2020.

#7 – Christopher Keys

Keys is a freshman with the frame you really want in a corner. He has good length and impressed Tom Allen last fall camp. “Chris Keys is another one that has caught my eye,” Allen told the media. “From a small town in Mississippi, so it was kind of a major culture change coming up to Indiana. I think he’s got a chance to be really special. He’s lean but he’s got a good frame and good muscular structure to gain good weight. He is extremely talented athletically and I think he’s got a huge ceiling to get to.” He eventually made his way onto the field against Ohio State, Maryland and Ole Miss and the future appears to be bright.

#12 – Lem Watley-Neely –

The speedster from Michigan was a big get for the Hoosiers and I think he could see a spot on special teams sooner than later. He appeared in two games in 2020 at both special teams and cornerback. He’ll battle Keys and Tracy for time.

Safety

Indiana will spend the spring looking for the replacement of Jamar Johnson. The playmaking safety from Florida is off to the NFL and the Hoosiers will need to find a player or two capable of filling his shoes. The sure thing is Devon Matthews at one safety position while guys like Bryson Bonds and potentially a couple of freshmen will vie for Johnson’s open spot.

-#27 – Devon Matthews

“Monster” Matthews had a breakout campaign in 2020, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors and starting all eight games at strong safety. He returns as the anchor of the safety position and another All-Big Ten season will be the expectation.

-#5 – Juwan Burgess

After a strong 2019, it is fair to say that Burgess regressed in 2020. He only appeared in six games and had only eight tackles. He’ll need to bounce back with a strong spring season if he is going to contend for playing time and hold off the younger players behind him.

#19 – Josh Sanguinetti

Sanguinetti played in six games at safety in 2020 with eight tackles. His physical profile and his 2020 season really mirror Juwan Burgess and he’s another player that absolutely needs a big spring to establish himself as a contender for extensive playing time in 2021.

-#21 – Noah Pierre

The safety from Florida established himself as a useful special teams player but her has yet to breakthrough for meaningful defensive snaps. Pierre is entering his fourth season in the program so this is an important spring for him to prove he can be in the rotation.

-#30 – Jordan Jusevitch

A native of Lowell, Indiana, Jusevitch was a finalist for the 2017 Indiana Mr. Football award but he has played very sparingly thus far in his IU career. Much like Pierre, he is entering his fourth season in the program and it’s time to show he can threaten to break into the rotation.

#0 – Raheem Layne

Layne was a cornerback for three seasons and he posted 30 tackles as a junior in 2019. The staff knew they had some gems at corner so they moved Layne to safety prior to the 2020 season. However, he suffered an injury and missed the entirety of the campaign. He is back for his final season and is a bit of a wildcard in the safety mix.

#24 – Bryson Bonds

A true freshman from Crowley, Texas, Bonds was a top target at safety for the IU coaching staff for much of the 2019 recruiting cycle. He was an incredibly productive high school player, amassing 300 tackles during his prep career. Bonds is viewed as a physical in-the-box safety and he impressed enough to appear in all eight games. I think he’s the odds-on favorite to win the starting job opposite of Matthews.

Maurice Freeman is a true freshman from Norfolk, Virginia and he could be in the mix very early for playing time. Freeman is a physical player and an incredible athlete. He is enrolled early and coaches think he could challenge for a spot in the rotation with a good showing this spring.

Husky

#9 – Marcelino Ball

A torn ACL cost Ball all of last season but he decided to come back for the 2021 campaign. Ball has a ton of experience and could be used a lot of different ways by this staff. He is one of the more interesting chess pieces that new defensive coordinator Charlton Warren has to figure out.

-#31 – Bryant Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald started all eight games at husky, notching 17 tackles and two pass breakups. This will be his second season at the position so expecting some growth seems reasonable.

Walk-Ons

The walk-ons are difficult to place into position groups but I am going to mention each of them here. Joseph Daniels received a bit of playing time as a redshirt freshman and has a chance to earn some special teams snaps moving forward. Gabe Cohen, Dekaleb Thomas, Nicholas Grieser, Liam Zaccheo, Jeremy Boyd and Samuel Slusher round out the walk-ons.

The Huddle

2021 Indiana Hoosiers Defensive Backs Spring Practice Preview

Hoosier Huddle