DBU? Who's your guy?

[AlexDaGator]

We've always had great talent in the secondary. Who is your favorite?

Some candidates: Louis Oliver, Jarvis Williams, Fred Weary, Lito Sheppard, Lawrence Wright, Tony Lilly, Bruce Bennett, Steve Tannen, Richard Fain, VHIII, Joe Haden, Reggie Nelson, Matt Elam, Ahmad Black, Keiwan Ratliff.

Feel free to add more.

I'm not asking who is the best, I'm asking who is your favorite. With that, I have to go with Reggie Freakin' Nelson. Dude was amazing and super fun to watch. Picks, pick sixes, and brutal, bone crunching hits, plus a National Championship. Loved watching him play.

Alex.

 

[LongTooth]

Lito Sheppard. Deadly on the punt returns and an unreal ball hawk. A real game changer. His pick vs UGA where he read the play, came off the receiver he was covering to pick off a ball thrown down the middle that was being covered by another team mate, and made one of the best run backs i've ever seen down the sideline while dodging multiple tacklers is simply one of the best plays i've ever seen a football player make. Saved our bacon that day.

 

[aka]

I'm gonna have to stick with Jarvis, my hometown guy. Watched him through high school, UF, the pros, and then delivered his mail before he passed too soon.

 

[Gulfstream]

Although a small liability in coverage the intimidating factor Major Wright brought to each game was special.

So I'll break it down like this:

FS - RFN... Unbelievable range
SS - Matt Elam - Uncanny ball skills and a feel for the game
CB - VHIII - The most natural pure cover corner to play at UF
CB - Lito Sheppard - All around special player

 

[hop&skipnorth]

I think for coverage and hitting ability the tandem of Jarvis Williams and Louis Oliver is unbeatable. Both All-Americans. They are my favorites.
Hargreaves read too many of his press clippings and was too much of a show-boater for my taste.

 

[rockinchair]

Hard to pick just one. Depending on the day I would either go Joe Haden or RFN.

We've had some good ones!

 

[CGgater]

Not sure I can pick one. All listed gave us some great memories!

 

[aka]

Ricky Mulberry was a Palatka boy, too.

 

[chferg]

Will Muschamp....

 

[Albert]

Not my favorite db, but my favorite play made by one! Pretty sure Johnson didn't know what planet he was on afterwards. Set the tone for the rest of the game.

 

[GatorBart]

Ahmad Black
An afterthought in the recruiting class from Lakeland that included the Pouncey's, Rainey, and some WR (white guy, I think) that never panned out. The kid was awesome, always around the ball on running plays, sticking his nose in there, had a bunch of INTs, including a spectacular one in the OK game above.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...BB98C643700A58FFCD45BB98C&fsscr=0&FORM=VDFSRV

 

[MertzJay26]

Reggie F Baby, Keiwan, Ahmad and Kyle Jackson.

 

[alcoholica]

Lawrence Wright - he'd talk smack and back it up. Oh and then there is this, start at 2;05

 

[maheo30]

Joseph Frederick Weary. I loved watching him play. Dude could catch the ball. I also enjoyed watching Ryan Smith in his one year (8ints) at UF.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Will Muschamp....

You want a dislike? Cause that's how you get a dislike.



Alex.

 

[EuroGator]

Although a small liability in coverage the intimidating factor Major Wright brought to each game was special.

So I'll break it down like this:

FS - RFN... Unbelievable range
SS - Matt Elam - Uncanny ball skills and a feel for the game
CB - VHIII - The most natural pure cover corner to play at UF
CB - Lito Sheppard - All around special player

Yeah, it's hard to pick, but I might modify yours just a bit and go with that. ...especially if we're just talking about skills.
FS - RFN... Unbelievable range
SS - Matt Elam - Uncanny ball skills and a feel for the game
CB - Jalen Tabor or Joe Haden - The most natural pure cover corner to play at UF
CB - Lito Sheppard - All around special player


I also thought Janoris Jenkins was a beast at UF. ...and let's not forget Quinton 'Hands' Dunbar

 

[Gatorbreath]

Lots to choose from. My faves are Oliver, RFN and Haden.

 

[Yankeetown]

Since you said favorite, I'll echo Hop&SkipNorth and say that the tandem of Jarvis Williams and Louis Oliver was the most fun to watch... as the D lined up for every play, you wondered who was going to get creamed this time around.

It's really hard to pick DBs though, cause you tend to remember their mistakes, and major mistakes by DBs usually end being painful.

But in that regard, I recall Jeff Haden getting better every year, but I don't remember him making huge mistakes. He was a big surprise to me playing so well as a freshman, as he'd not been a CB in high school.

 

[MissouriGator]

"Lito!, Lito!, Lito!, Lito!"

 

[rockinchair]

Not my favorite db, but my favorite play made by one! Pretty sure Johnson didn't know what planet he was on afterwards. Set the tone for the rest of the game.

Easily one of my Top 5 all time Gator plays.