Year after year, the SEC is loaded with some of the best defensive backs in all of college football. The 2026 season is no different, as several players will be in contention for All-American honors once the season concludes.
On paper, the talent pool of the defensive backfield in the SEC may be the strongest in all of college football this season. Let’s take a look at some of the best returning SEC defensive backs heading into fall camp.
Best Returning SEC Defensive Backs
Honorable Mentions
We’re ranking the top four returning defensive backs in the SEC here at Last Word on College Football, and this league makes it tough to narrow it down to just four players. We’ll use the honorable mention section to bend the rules a bit here.
Mississippi State redshirt junior cornerback Kelley Jones has the NFL in his future, as the 6′-4″, 195 lbs. Clarksdale, Miss. product has his best football ahead of him. He’s improved every year, with the 2025 season being his best yet. Jones tallied 20 solo tackles, two interceptions and 11 passes defended a year ago. He’ll anchor the Bulldogs’ secondary once again in 2026, which could be his final season of college football.
Georgia redshirt sophomore cornerback Ellis Robinson IV exploded onto the scene in his first season with significant snaps in 2025, recording 13 solo tackles, an SEC-high four interceptions and seven passes defended. Georgia’s defense had a down year by its lofty standards last season, but Robinson’s production was a bright spot. The Bulldogs’ defense is expected to bounce back this fall, and Robinson will be a big part of it.
DJ Pickett was one of a handful of true freshmen to burst onto the scene in the SEC’s defensive backfield last season. The rising sophomore was a key retention in the secondary for first-year coach Lane Kiffin, and Pickett will certainly be looking to replicate his strong freshman campaign from a year ago. Pickett showed plenty of versatility, recording 29 solo tackles, two sacks, three interceptions and three passes defended. He played all over the field for the Tigers in 2025, and for only being a rising sophomore, is one of the most gifted athletes in the SEC.
4. CB Ty Redmond – Tennessee
Tennessee sophomore cornerback Ty Redmond earned significant playing time as a true freshman last season, and made the most of his opportunity. Redmond played 13 games for the Volunteers, recording 25 tackles, three interceptions and 12 passes defended. Tennessee’s offense always garners plenty of hype under Josh Heupel, but Redmond will have plenty of eyes on him when the Volunteers are on defense this Fall.
3. S Bray Hubbard – Alabama
Alabama senior safety Bray Hubbard has a case for being one of the best safeties in the sport in 2026. He’ll look to prove that out on the field. Hubbard has played 37 games over his first three seasons with the Crimson Tide, but 2025 was his best year yet. He notched 50 solo tackles, including 4.5 for loss, to go along with two sacks, four interceptions, six passes defended and three forced fumbles. He was first-team All-SEC last season, a preseason first-team selection this season, and will be in the mix to be one of the conference’s best all-around defensive players if he stays healthy this fall.
2. CB Zabien Brown – Alabama
Hubbard’s teammate, Zabien Brown, also deserves every bit of the hype at cornerback heading into the fall. Brown played in all 15 games for the Crimson Tide last season, recording 26 solo tackles, six passes defended and two interceptions. Brown took both of his picks back to the house, and led the SEC with 149 interception yards. Like Hubbard, he is a preseason first-team selection.
1. S KJ Bolden – Georgia
The list of top returning SEC defensive backs isn’t complete without Georgia’s KJ Bolden, who is the best safety in all of college football. The junior has played in 28 games over his first two seasons with the Bulldogs, amassing 72 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and five passes defended. He’s the most important player on the Bulldogs’ defense and will be relied upon heavily as the unit looks to bounce back to being one of the sport’s best in 2026.
