Illinois Football: Projected Defensive Depth Chart
SS Taylor Barton
Next: FS Caleb Day
A player that I think is the best defensive back on the team and a quiet candidate to be drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft is strong safety Taylor Barton.
Barton is a senior this season and should be a dangerous man when wide receivers come over the middle. I look for him to become a great player in the history of Illinois football.
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The recruiting process was a little heavier for Barton than most of the defenders on this team. He was a 3-star recruit that committed to play for Illinois over teams like Syracuse, Temple and Ball State.
Barton has played significant minutes in all three years he has been in Champaign.
The freshman season for Barton was fairly successful. He played in 9 games and had 34 tackles and an interception.
The following year Barton was one of the best on the team as a sophomore. He started in 12 games and accumulated 100 tackles and an interception.
This past season was again another successful campaign for Barton. He came in as one of the best players on the team and finished as arguably our best defender.
In his senior campaign Barton had 56 tackles and 4 interceptions. His production increased and I expect it to this season as well.
Barton could be an NFL Draft pick in my opinion. He has great ball hawking skills and is a great overall defender. I expect him to continue to blossom and become one of the best in the country.