Who will be on the field in CU's 2022 secondary?

BOULDER —Spring is over so it’s time for some rankings.

Colorado released its annual post-spring reps chart ahead of its spring showcase, but it took on a different form; instead of building a more traditional depth chart, the Buffs just created pods of players at each position and ordered them alphabetically.

Here’s what it looked like:

I figured we should make a more traditional depth chart.

I’m going to rank the top of each position in terms of how many snaps I think each player will play (obviously assuming full health). I’ve broken the roster up into four pieces so we can go through this exercise over four stories.

Next up is the secondary:

Cornerbacks: 1. Nigel Bethel, 2. Nikko Reed, 3. Kaylin Moore, 4. Toren Pittman, 5. Josh Wiggins, 6. Jason Oliver

The Buffs lost their top two options at cornerback over the offseason and the competition to take their spots will be deep.

We’re giving the top spot to Nigel Bethel for two reasons. First, he was the number three cornerback last year, making him a piece of a dominant secondary before injuries took hold. He wasn’t the key piece, but he handled his responsibilities game-in and game-out. Second, he’s a redshirt junior and the only player more than one year removed from high school in the cornerbacks room. He’s the favorite to be the No. 1 corner.

The duo of Nikko Reed and Kaylin Moore should probably be second and third in some order. Both were true freshmen last season and played extensive time. Reed got the first chance to play but Moore was on the field more often later in the season. Both are undersized. Both are talented. We’re giving Reed the edge because he may have be the slightly better athlete. The margins are slim.

Choosing a spot for Toren Pittman is a challenge. He could wind up being the No. 1 corner. He could be well outside the rotation. Pittman primarily played safety in his first two seasons but spent the spring at corner. He was a highly-rated recruit and at 6-foot-4 provides the length that nobody else in the room can. When it’s time to lock up a big-bodied receiver, Pittman could be the Buffs’ best bet. While the Texas native has become a crucial special teams player, he’s hardly stepped foot on the field on defense.

The rest of the group, at least as of today, is comprised with freshmen. The coaches raved about Josh Wiggins and Jason Oliver who enrolled early to participate in spring camp. Wiggins made noise with a pair of pass breakups in the spring scrimmage and there’s no reason he can’t be part of the rotation in 2022. Oliver is right there with him. The other young corners, Simeon Harris and Keyshon Mills, won’t get to campus until later this summer but they could factor in as well.

Overall, the Buffs have plenty of depth at cornerback and they should be one of the better groups in the conference in 2023 and 2024. The question is whether they have the top-end juice for the 2022 season.

Slot: 1. Tyrin Taylor, 2. Jaylen Striker

Projecting the nickel job is tough. The Buffs call their nickel the STAR position and it can be played by a number of different players. Davion Taylor, who is now a middle linebacker in the NFL, played the position in 2019. Safeties Isaiah Lewis and Mark Perry split the job in 2020. Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon played STAR when the defense was healthy in 2021.

The Buffs could play a cornerback, a safety or a linebacker there this season. Who they play depends on what sort of scheme CU wants to run. My guess is that they’ll stick with a man coverage system, but it’s tough to say given how many new faces will be on the field.

After the secondary got banged up last season, freshman Tyrin Taylor played star the rest of the way. He was originally listed as a cornerback and is now a safety. He has the skills to play man coverage while also provided a fairly physical presence in the box. He should be the favorite to hold down this position but the competition is wide open.

Our second option here is Jaylen Striker. The redshirt junior came to Colorado from JuCo ahead of the 2020 season but hasn’t seen the field on defense, mostly because of injuries. He was switched from cornerback to safety on the roster this spring, which could be a sign that the Buffs see him as a potential STAR.

The Buffs could go in just about any direction in the slot. They could even take three corners and play one at nickel if the young guys step up.

Safeties: 1. Isaiah Lewis, 2. Trevor Woods, 3. Jeremy Mack, 4. Oakie Salave’a

Isaiah Lewis will start at strong safety. His job is one of the safest on the team. Lewis didn’t see the field much when Mel Tucker was in town but he’s been a starter in Karl Dorrell’s defense since he took over. That will continue in Lewis’ senior year.

The second job is more up in the air, but as of now it’s tough to see anybody taking the free safety role from Trevor Woods. He’s a second-year, ball-hawking safety from Texas and he’s the easy answer to fill in after Mark Perry left for TCU.

Jeremy Mack still isn’t in Boulder but he has a year of JuCo ball under his belt, which gives him more experience than anybody but Lewis and maybe Woods. He was an all-conference performer last year with four interceptions, the fourth-most in all of JuCo.

Our fourth spot here will go to Oakie Salave’a. He’s a true freshman who was sidelined for much of spring camp, but he’s a special athlete who seems to be settling in at safety. He could factor in at STAR as well, given his strength and size.

The Buffs’ top recruit, Dylan Dixon, could fit in as well. So could another freshman Xavier Smith. Don’t be surprised if CU adds another safety from the portal.