2023 Season

2023 NFL Defense Rankings by College

Which colleges Produce the Most NFL Talent?

Season

Stats

Draft Class

Overall Conference

About this leaderboard

This 2023 archive ranks every college by NFL alumni defensive performance that season.

It answers searches for NFL defense rankings by year with a college lens rather than NFL team standings.

Pair it with 2024 and 2025 pages when you want a multi-year read on defensive factories.

Open any school row for the players behind the total.

Fantasy Points Passing Rushing Receiving Kicking Punting Returning Scoring

How we rank · About this data

NFL Regular Season: 2023

Defense Rankings

			Tackles			Sacks			Interceptions
College	FP	TD	SOLO	AST	TOT	SACK	TFL	QB HTS	PD	INT	YDS	TD	FR	Players
1Alabama Crimson Tide	2,716.9	2	1038	587	1625	55.5	129	148	122	20	214	2	16	54
2LSU Tigers	1,981.15	1	796	392	1188	39.5	93	84	86	19	219	1	6	37
3Ohio State Buckeyes	1,963.25	3	756	362	1118	63.5	93	143	70	14	135	2	13	46
4Georgia Bulldogs	1,448.95	3	509	390	899	52	76	108	39	5	67	1	10	33
5Michigan Wolverines	1,586.65	0	587	311	898	52	82	118	64	9	104	0	17	35
6Iowa Hawkeyes	1,174	2	440	295	735	24	44	44	43	14	195	1	7	28
7Notre Dame Fighting Irish	1,216.75	1	494	238	732	21	52	40	51	13	40	1	11	32
8Washington Huskies	1,129.15	2	470	226	696	18	42	36	45	9	184	2	4	25
9Auburn Tigers	990.3	1	417	229	646	5.5	28	27	43	6	53	0	7	26
10Clemson Tigers	1,117.8	1	393	250	643	35	59	109	43	3	88	1	8	30
11Minnesota Golden Gophers	1,018.55	0	401	238	639	20	34	35	55	5	28	0	9	12
12Florida Gators	964.7	1	388	208	596	28	45	61	29	4	37	0	3	23
13Texas Longhorns	870.15	2	338	227	565	14	23	30	33	6	84	0	8	24
14Utah Utes	876.8	1	366	196	562	2.5	21	6	41	11	203	1	5	13
15Wisconsin Badgers	1,020.55	2	346	215	561	37.5	60	88	34	7	113	1	12	16
16Penn State Nittany Lions	940.25	0	346	206	552	34.5	47	82	30	4	0	0	9	31
17South Carolina Gamecocks	913.95	1	332	208	540	30	48	57	49	3	2	0	4	19
18Mississippi State Bulldogs	1,116.3	1	368	167	535	54	66	124	65	9	138	1	6	16
19Miami Hurricanes	908.2	0	345	171	516	19.5	49	49	48	9	97	0	4	19
20Florida State Seminoles	960.05	1	353	149	502	31.5	56	88	44	7	103	1	5	16
20Stanford Cardinal	820	0	326	176	502	18.5	32	30	40	7	105	0	3	19
22Illinois Fighting Illini	873.75	2	347	154	501	11	29	20	46	12	300	2	4	14
23Arkansas Razorbacks	689.6	0	288	191	479	7.5	15	19	24	3	61	0	4	13
24Oregon Ducks	841.4	3	291	184	475	27.5	39	54	37	6	209	2	5	19
25Virginia Tech Hokies	693.25	1	298	151	449	5.5	20	7	22	9	90	1	5	14
26UCLA Bruins	737.3	0	296	152	448	15	33	41	31	4	68	0	3	20
27Wyoming Cowboys	689.05	0	274	170	444	10.5	28	31	23	6	68	0	3	8
28Pittsburgh Panthers	767.9	1	296	132	428	15.5	47	48	29	6	129	1	5	17
29Texas A&M Aggies	776.5	0	290	133	423	32.5	48	78	19	4	50	0	7	18
30Boston College Eagles	718.9	0	261	155	416	17	31	50	34	9	99	0	3	11
31NC State Wolfpack	682.65	0	218	176	394	29	43	82	16	4	9	0	6	17
32USC Trojans	697.15	1	271	117	388	20	34	47	24	6	124	1	5	21
33Kentucky Wildcats	732.15	2	236	147	383	34.5	50	68	30	5	54	1	6	15
34Tennessee Volunteers	631.65	0	241	123	364	18.5	36	43	30	4	39	0	1	21
35West Virginia Mountaineers	568.85	2	207	151	358	8.5	27	16	19	6	56	1	6	8
36Ole Miss Rebels	562.85	0	242	111	353	12.5	33	24	11	2	16	0	4	22
37Maryland Terrapins	549.05	0	230	112	342	10.5	16	21	27	4	33	0	2	14
38Baylor Bears	534.45	0	219	117	336	6.5	21	15	23	4	2	0	6	12
39Nebraska Cornhuskers	578.5	1	215	114	329	16	38	41	22	4	65	1	1	15
40Oklahoma Sooners	600.25	2	231	85	316	20	40	42	20	3	40	1	6	29
41BYU Cougars	533.05	0	215	99	314	13.5	22	19	28	6	63	0	1	10
42Colorado Buffaloes	498.5	0	213	100	313	2	15	8	25	5	45	0	4	7
43Cincinnati Bearcats	469.65	1	203	107	310	2.5	6	13	16	2	9	0	7	19
44Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders	513.55	1	216	92	308	0	4	1	37	9	108	1	2	4
45Syracuse Orange	473.3	0	198	108	306	5	9	11	21	7	103	0	0	9
46Wake Forest Demon Deacons	490.3	1	185	104	289	9	11	19	25	7	103	1	4	10
47California Golden Bears	448.6	0	178	110	288	2.5	10	9	22	5	66	0	5	11
48Washington State Cougars	412.9	0	164	91	255	8.5	17	17	20	4	49	0	0	5
49Purdue Boilermakers	387.75	1	134	120	254	16	17	34	6	0	0	0	3	9
50Vanderbilt Commodores	432.1	0	156	93	249	14	23	31	22	1	11	0	4	8
51Houston Cougars	399.5	1	148	89	237	12.5	28	27	7	1	0	0	5	10
52Kansas State Wildcats	366.25	0	162	74	236	0.5	4	7	23	2	0	0	3	13
53Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	399.8	0	158	74	232	1.5	14	11	28	6	43	0	2	5
54Florida Atlantic Owls	361	0	127	98	225	19.5	25	31	7	0	0	0	1	6
55South Carolina State Bulldogs	326.75	0	123	88	211	8	12	17	19	1	0	0	0	4
56Yale Bulldogs	327.9	1	141	66	207	2.5	8	10	10	3	29	1	3	2
57Oregon State Beavers	319.05	0	137	63	200	1	4	4	20	5	33	0	1	6
58Montana State Bobcats	263.75	0	113	84	197	2.5	7	7	4	0	0	0	2	3
59Utah State Aggies	261.25	0	101	94	195	3.5	11	6	4	0	0	0	3	7
60Missouri Tigers	318.45	0	132	57	189	9	14	21	12	2	2	0	1	8
61Rutgers Scarlet Knights	287.3	0	128	53	181	4	13	14	6	3	18	0	0	10
62UCF Knights	269.15	0	119	61	180	4	6	6	12	2	4	0	0	9
63TCU Horned Frogs	304.35	2	132	47	179	6	7	9	11	3	41	0	1	14
64Texas Tech Red Raiders	302.95	2	100	72	172	11	15	19	4	1	12	1	9	8
65Louisville Cardinals	301	1	120	33	153	13.5	24	19	9	0	0	0	4	10
66Western Michigan Broncos	219.05	0	86	66	152	3.5	7	4	4	3	53	0	1	3
67Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns	220.75	0	97	52	149	1	4	4	15	0	0	0	0	4
68Weber State Wildcats	221.75	1	92	55	147	3	7	6	9	0	0	0	1	3
69Northwestern Wildcats	259.15	1	87	58	145	3	8	8	21	2	34	1	4	12
69Idaho Vandals	213	0	97	48	145	4	13	6	3	0	0	0	0	2
71San Diego State Aztecs	243.05	1	105	37	142	0	3	1	9	5	43	0	4	7
72Murray State Racers	224.85	0	95	44	139	2	15	4	10	1	11	0	1	1
73Buffalo Bulls	306.75	0	106	32	138	25	31	39	12	0	0	0	0	3
74Samford Bulldogs	217.25	0	79	49	128	2	9	4	15	1	5	0	5	3
74Indiana Hoosiers	204.5	0	83	45	128	1	12	6	5	1	5	0	4	6
76Virginia Cavaliers	202.75	1	82	39	121	3	7	8	7	2	5	0	2	7
76Arkansas State Red Wolves	188.75	0	74	47	121	6.5	12	11	4	0	0	0	1	1
76North Carolina Tar Heels	184	0	76	45	121	0	4	2	3	0	0	0	8	13
79UAB Blazers	254.45	1	95	21	116	5	10	5	26	4	72	1	1	3
79Ferris State Bulldogs	206.75	1	63	53	116	10	13	22	5	1	5	1	2	3
81Lenoir-Rhyne Bears	171.5	0	71	39	110	1.5	6	5	7	2	35	0	0	2
81Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors	157.45	0	65	45	110	1	5	4	5	2	2	0	0	1
83Duke Blue Devils	196.25	0	79	29	108	4	6	9	10	0	0	0	6	10
83UT San Antonio Roadrunners	192.5	0	72	36	108	4.5	8	7	12	2	0	0	3	4
85Southern Illinois Salukis	146.5	0	71	36	107	1	6	1	2	0	0	0	0	3
86Fresno State Bulldogs	255.9	5	75	30	105	0	5	1	17	10	239	5	0	5
87Charlotte 49ers	205	1	59	45	104	11	12	27	5	2	30	1	2	3
88Temple Owls	215.65	1	71	31	102	13	14	26	6	1	99	1	0	10
88Tarleton Texans	160	0	78	24	102	1	12	2	4	0	0	0	0	1
90Boise State Broncos	166	1	57	44	101	4	12	9	6	0	0	0	1	7
90Arizona State Sun Devils	164.65	2	57	44	101	0.5	3	2	8	2	49	2	1	8
92Oklahoma State Cowboys	170.75	1	58	42	100	5	5	12	6	1	5	0	3	11
92SMU Mustangs	164.6	0	75	25	100	0	2	0	11	2	56	0	0	7
92Florida A&M Rattlers	134.25	0	62	38	100	1	3	1	4	0	0	0	0	2
95Eastern Michigan Eagles	203.25	0	57	38	95	14.5	25	31	2	0	0	0	3	4
95Greenville Panthers	158.5	0	66	29	95	3	12	5	5	0	0	0	2	1
97Valdosta State Blazers	178.75	2	69	25	94	1.5	8	2	6	3	115	2	0	2
98Tulane Green Wave	135.5	0	62	31	93	1.5	1	10	2	0	0	0	1	8
98South Dakota State Jackrabbits	127.75	0	58	35	93	0	2	2	4	1	0	0	0	3
100Memphis Tigers	206.25	0	67	21	88	13	16	25	8	2	0	0	4	10
100Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	145.75	0	52	36	88	2	6	12	11	0	0	0	0	7
102Missouri Western Griffons	125.25	1	58	26	84	1	2	1	3	0	0	0	1	1
103Brown Bears	123.75	0	45	36	81	6	7	11	2	0	0	0	0	1
104Central Michigan Chippewas	123.95	0	53	22	75	0	3	0	8	2	12	0	1	5
104Sam Houston Bearkats	113.75	0	54	21	75	0	1	0	9	0	0	0	0	3
106Villanova Wildcats	148.05	0	55	18	73	3.5	7	9	12	2	8	0	1	2
107Delaware Blue Hens	99.5	1	36	35	71	1.5	4	2	1	0	0	0	1	2
108Michigan State Spartans	88.5	0	32	38	70	0	2	0	2	1	0	0	1	11
108Western Illinois Leathernecks	85.5	0	30	40	70	0	3	2	1	0	0	0	1	2
110Arizona Wildcats	95.5	0	41	28	69	0	6	2	2	0	0	0	0	4
111East Carolina Pirates	124.65	0	47	20	67	3	8	4	5	2	14	0	2	4
112Texas A&M-Commerce Lions	119	0	52	11	63	1	5	5	10	0	0	0	1	1
113Iowa State Cyclones	112.1	0	47	15	62	3	4	5	3	1	1	0	3	10
114Connecticut Huskies	96	0	37	24	61	1.5	7	7	3	0	0	0	0	3
115Eastern Washington Eagles	119.5	0	41	19	60	9.5	10	17	1	0	0	0	1	3
115Colorado State Rams	104.4	1	39	21	60	4.5	3	9	2	1	4	1	0	5
115Texas State Bobcats	85.75	0	39	21	60	2	6	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
118Georgia Southern Eagles	100.25	0	47	10	57	0	2	1	9	0	0	0	1	5
119Eastern Illinois Panthers	79.35	0	31	25	56	1	2	1	2	1	31	0	0	1
120Tulsa Golden Hurricane	89.35	0	30	20	50	4.5	6	6	3	1	1	0	1	3
120Manitoba Bisons	89	0	25	25	50	4	6	16	3	0	0	0	0	1
120Fort Hays State Tigers	73	0	26	24	50	3	4	8	0	0	0	0	0	1
120Northern Illinois Huskies	70.5	0	33	17	50	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	0	1
124Sioux Falls	99.75	0	37	10	47	6	7	12	4	0	0	0	1	2
124Old Dominion Monarchs	61.5	0	30	17	47	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	4
126James Madison Dukes	62.25	0	34	12	46	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
127William & Mary Tribe	73.55	0	27	17	44	0	1	0	5	2	13	0	1	2
128Washburn Ichabods	68.5	0	28	15	43	0	0	0	7	1	0	0	0	1
128Lindenwood Lions	61.75	0	26	17	43	1	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	1
130UTEP Miners	68.75	0	20	21	41	3.5	3	11	1	0	0	0	1	3
130San Jose State Spartans	63	0	28	13	41	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	2	5
130Albany State Golden Rams	62.75	0	23	18	41	0.5	5	8	0	0	0	0	0	1
130Tusculum Pioneers	62.5	0	25	16	41	0	2	0	6	0	0	0	0	1
134Toledo Rockets	65.75	0	27	13	40	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	3	8
135Appalachian State Mountaineers	56.25	1	20	19	39	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	5
136Kansas Jayhawks	76.5	0	20	18	38	7.5	7	12	1	0	0	0	1	2
137Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks	78.25	1	19	18	37	3.5	6	14	3	0	0	0	0	3
138Charleston (WV) Golden Eagles	51.75	0	14	22	36	2	2	8	1	0	0	0	0	1
139Army Black Knights	39.75	0	16	15	31	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3
140Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles	42	0	17	12	29	0.5	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	5
141West Florida Argonauts	59.55	0	25	3	28	0	4	1	4	2	8	0	0	1
141Illinois State Redbirds	54.5	0	17	11	28	1.5	6	3	5	0	0	0	0	1
141Southeast Missouri State Redhawks	48	0	22	6	28	0	0	0	2	1	10	0	1	1
141South Dakota Coyotes	41	0	21	7	28	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
145Florida Intl Golden Panthers	50.25	0	20	7	27	1	8	4	0	0	0	0	0	2
146Southern Utah Thunderbirds	40.5	0	21	5	26	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	2
147Bowling Green Falcons	58.75	0	13	9	22	4	6	5	4	0	0	0	3	3
147Georgia State Panthers	41.75	0	14	8	22	0	1	0	6	1	0	0	0	1
149Missouri S&T Miners	33.5	0	7	14	21	2	2	5	0	0	0	0	1	1
149Central Arkansas Bears	30	0	15	6	21	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
151Western Kentucky Hilltoppers	32.25	0	15	5	20	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	5
151New Mexico Lobos	26.25	0	15	5	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
153Colorado State-Pueblo Thunderwolves	47	0	13	6	19	5.5	6	10	0	0	0	0	0	2
153Presbyterian College Blue Hose	31.25	0	15	4	19	0.5	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	1
153Miami (OH) RedHawks	28	0	10	9	19	0.5	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	2
153Missouri State Bears	25.5	0	8	11	19	1	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	2
157Fayetteville State Broncos	34	0	14	4	18	0	1	0	5	0	0	0	0	1
157Sacramento State Hornets	29.25	0	12	6	18	0	0	0	1	1	20	0	0	1
159Northern Iowa Panthers	25.75	0	11	6	17	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2
159Southern Jaguars	24.25	0	13	4	17	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
159South Alabama Jaguars	21.75	0	12	5	17	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
159North Dakota State Bison	21.75	0	12	5	17	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
163Pittsburg State Gorillas	26	0	11	4	15	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	1
164Eastern Kentucky Colonels	18	0	6	8	14	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
164Marshall Thundering Herd	16.5	0	8	6	14	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
166Grand Valley State Lakers	36.5	0	10	3	13	4	5	9	0	0	0	0	0	1
166Jacksonville State Gamecocks	16.5	0	9	4	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
168Rice Owls	18	0	5	7	12	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	4
168Wagner Seahawks	14.75	0	5	7	12	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
170South Florida Bulls	17.75	0	7	4	11	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	5
170Ouachita Baptist Tigers	17.75	0	7	4	11	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
170Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	15.25	0	7	4	11	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
170Youngstown State Penguins	12.75	0	6	5	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
174Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks	13.5	0	8	2	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
175Friends University Friends	12.75	0	4	5	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
175Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets	10.5	0	5	4	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
177Bucknell Bison	15.5	0	5	3	8	0.5	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1
177Chattanooga Mocs	11.25	0	3	5	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
177Nevada Wolf Pack	10.5	0	6	2	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
177Princeton Tigers	9	0	4	4	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
181Indiana-Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks	9.75	0	6	1	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
181Stony Brook Seawolves	9.5	0	4	3	7	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
183Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	8.25	0	5	1	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
183Augustana University (SD) Vikings	8.25	0	5	1	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
183Fordham Rams	7.5	0	4	2	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
186Prairie View Panthers	9.75	0	4	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
186West Alabama Tigers	7.5	0	5	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
186Harvard Crimson	6.75	0	4	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
186Houston Baptist Huskies	6.75	0	4	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
186East Central Tigers	6	0	3	2	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
186Northwest Missouri State Bearcats	5.25	0	2	3	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
192Assumption Greyhounds	11.25	1	3	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
192Ball State Cardinals	8.25	0	4	0	4	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
192Norfolk State Spartans	8.25	0	3	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
192California (PA)	6	0	4	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
192San Diego Toreros	5.25	0	3	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
192Wayne State (MI) Warriors	4.5	0	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
192Duquesne Dukes	4.5	0	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
192Kutztown Golden Bears	4.5	0	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
200Lane Dragons	3	0	1	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
200Northern Colorado Bears	3	0	1	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
202Indiana State Sycamores	5.25	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
202Pennsylvania Quakers	3	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
202Kennesaw State Owls	3	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
202UL Monroe Warhawks	2.25	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
202Sacred Heart Pioneers	2.25	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Bemidji State Beavers	7.5	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Holy Cross Crusaders	6.25	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2
207Western Colorado Mountaineers	4.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
207Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks	4.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
207Jackson State Tigers	2.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Stetson Hatters	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Saginaw Valley Cardinals	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Bloomsburg Huskies	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Bowie State Bulldogs	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Liberty Flames	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Navy Midshipmen	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Southern Arkansas Muleriders	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Saint John's (MN) Johnnies	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207West Georgia Wolves	1.5	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Montana Grizzlies	0.75	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
207Grambling State Tigers	0.75	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
223UMass Minutemen	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
223North Texas Mean Green	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
223Alabama State Hornets	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1