These are the best defenders in the nation. Guys that have anchored or contributed to great defenses in the last 2 seasons and played 18+ minutes. Defensive Rating is the amount of points given up per 100 possessions when a player is on the court.
Defensive Ratings 1 Nathan Mensah San Diego State 82.5 2 Deandre Williams Memphis 83.5(2021) 3 Johni Broome Auburn 84.1 4 KC Ndefo Seton Hall 84.6 5 Oscar Tshiebwe Kentucky 85 6 Austin Johnson UC Irving 86 7 Hason Ward Iowa State 86.9 8 Fardaws Aimaq Texas Tech 86.9 9 J’Wan Roberts Houston 87.8 10 Connor Vanover Oral Roberts 88.7(2021) 11 K.J. Williams LSU 89.1 12 Makhi Mitchell Arkansas 89.1 13 Matthew Mayer Illinois 89.1 14 Kalu Ezikpe Cincinnati 89.2 15 Eric Gaines UAB 89.2 16 Josiah-Jordan James Tennessee 89.3 17 Javon Franklin Georgia Tech 89.7 18 Moussa Cisse Oklahoma State 89.9 19 Trae Hannibal LSU 89.9 20 Mikeal Brown-Jones VCU 89.9 21 Matt Bradley San Diego State 89.9 22 Jamarion Sharp Western Kentucky 90 23 Kevin McCullar Kansas 90.2 24 Kalib Boone Oklahoma State 90.2 25 Oumar Ballo Arizona 91 26 Darrion Trammell San Diego State 91.3 27 Zakai Zeigler Tennessee 91.5 28 Azuolas Tubelis Arizona 91.8 29 Andersson Garcia Texas A&M 91.8 30 Daniel Akin 91.9 31 Efton Reid Gonzaga 92 32 Malcolm Dandridge Memphis 92 33 DJ Burns NC State 92 34 Makhel Mitchell Arkansas 92.1 35 Tyrese Hunter Iowa State 92.1 36 Jamal Shead Houston 92.3 37 Marshall Kearing South Alabama 92.3 38 Enrique Freeman Akron 92.3 39 Toumani Camara Dayton 92.5 40 Christian Bishop Texas 92.5 41 Santiago Vescovi Tennessee 97.7 42 Flo Thamba Baylor 92.8 43 Tylor Perry North Texas 92.8 44 Drew Pember UNCA 92.8 45 Uros Plavsic Tennessee 92.9 46 Francis Okoro St. Louis 93 47 Drew Timme Gonzaga 93.1 48 Ed Croswell Providence 93.1 49 Mwani Wilkinson LSU 93.2 50 Kadin Shedrick Virginia 93.2 51 Xavier Pinson New Mexico State 92.3 52 DaRon Holmes II Dayton 93.2 53 Timmy Allen Texas 93.2 54 Jordan Minor Merrimack 93.3 55 Tyrone Lyons Southern 93.3 56 Trey Jemison UAB 93.4 57 Fousseyni Traore BYU 93.5 58 Kevin Obanor Texas Tech 93.5 59 Nelly Junior Joseph Iona 93.6 60 Terry Roberts Bradley 93.6 61 Andre Jackson UConn 93.8 62 Julian Strawther Gonzaga 93.9 63 Trayce Jackson-Davis Indiana 94 64 Brandon Huntley-Hatfield Louisville 94
