The Best Defensive Backs in Troy History
Troy has had a long history of great defensive backs in their history. This list combines cornerbacks and safeties into one bunch. When looking at the stats, you will see far fewer listings for tackling records, as these players are usually playing further away from the ball on running plays or are unable to make a play if the ball isn’t thrown near them.
As with most of my lists, I am sure I will have left out someone you feel is deserving or included someone you don’t feel should be. If that is the case, don’t forget to vote in the poll. An other selection is available.
All players in the list are former players and none are currently active. Players should also have had an All-America or All-Conference honor and/or made significant contributions to rewriting the Troy record book for their position during their time.
The Best
Ronnie Shelley (1967-69)
-
- Accolades
- All-American 1968
- Single-Game Records
- #1 (tied) Interceptions – 3, 1968
- Single-Season Records
- #1 Interception Return Yards – 294, 1968
- #1 Interceptions – 15, 1968 & 8 (tied), 1967
- Career Records
- #1 Interceptions – 36
- #1 Interception Return Yards -492
- Accolades
Freddie Thomas (1984-87)
-
- Accolades
- 1986 & 1987 All-American
- 1986 & 1987 All-Gulf South
- 1987 Gulf South Defensive Player of the Year
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #6 (tied) Assisted Tackles – 63, 1987
- Career Records
- #13 (tied) Interceptions – 11
- #18 Total Tackles – 272
- #20 Assisted Tackles – 119
- Accolades
Rayshun Reed (1999-03)
-
- Accolades
- All-Southland 2000
- All Independent 2001,03
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #4 Interception Return Yards – 163, 2001
- #1 (tied) Interception Touchdowns – 2, 2001
- #2 (tied) Fumble Return Touchdowns – 1, 2001
- Career Records
- #13 (tied) Interceptions – 11
- #3 Interception Return Yards – 287
- #1 Interception Touchdowns – 3
- Accolades
Derrick Ansley (2000-04)
-
- Accolades
- All Independent 2003
- All-Sun Belt 2004
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #2 Interceptions – 9, 2003
- Career Records
- #2 Interceptions – 19
- #12 Interception Return Yards – 181
- #2 (tied) Interception Touchdowns – 2
- #13 Total Tackles – 304
- #13 Unassisted Tackles – 169
- #14 Assisted Tackles – 135
- Accolades
Clifford Ivory (1994-97)
-
- Accolades
- 1997 All-American
- 1997 All-Southland
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #8 Interception Return Yards – 207
- #2 (tied) Interception Touchdowns – 2
- Accolades
Doug Mims (1987-89)
-
- Accolades
- All-Gulf South 1988
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #3 INT Return Yards – 165, 1988
- #3 (tied) Interceptions – 8, 1988
- #1 (tied) Interception Touchdowns – 2, 1988
- Career Records
- #7 (tied) Interceptions – 13
- #11 Interception Return Yards – 188
- #2 (tied) Interception Touchdowns – 2
- Accolades
Tony Myrick (1971-74)
-
- Accolades
- All-Gulf South 1974
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #9 (tied) Interceptions – 12
- #5 Interception Return Yards – 240
- #20 Total Tackles – 259
- #18 (tied) Assisted Tackles – 120
- Accolades
Sherman Wilkinson (1977-80)
-
- Accolades
- All-Gulf South 1979-80
- Gulf South Defensive Player of the Year 1980
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #2 Interception Return Yards – 189, 1979 and #10 (tied) 123, 1980
- Career Records
- #9 (tied) Interceptions – 12
- #2 Interception Return Yards – 328
- Accolades
Chris Archie (1997-00)
-
- Accolades
- All-Southland 2000
- Single-Game Records
- #1 (tied) Interception – 3
- Single-Season Records
- #8 (tied) Interception – 7, 2000
- Career Records
- #17 (tied) Interception – 10
- Accolades
Blace Brown (2014, 16-18)
-
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt 2017, 2018
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #5 (tied) Interception Touchdown – 1, 2017
- Career Records
- #9 Interception – 12
- #12 (tied) Interception Return Yards – 181
- Accolades
Cedarius Rookard (2015-18)
-
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt 217, 2018
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #17 (tied) Interceptions – 10
- #14 Interception Return Yards – 156
- Accolades
Johnny Faulk (2002-05)
-
- Accolades
- All-SBC 2004, 2005
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #2 Fumble Return Yards – 79, 2004
- #2 Fumble Return Touchdowns – 1, 2004
- Career Records
- #13 (tied) Interceptions – 11
- Accolades
Shane Black (1993-96)
-
- Accolades
- All-Southland – 1996
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #5 (tied) Interceptions Return Yards – 151, 1996
- #3 Fumble Returns – 2, 1996
- Career Records
- #16 Interception Return Yards – 151
- Accolades
Montres Kitchens (2012-15)
-
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt 2014, 2015
- Single-Game Records
- #1 (tied) Interceptions – 3, 2014
- Single-Season Records
- #5 (tied) Interception Touchdowns – 1, 2014
- Career Records
- None
- Accolades
Honorable Mentions
Eric Sloan (1997-99)
-
- Accolades
- All-Southland 1998,99
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #8 Interception Return Yards – 137, 1998
- Career Records
- #9 Interception Return Yards – 199
- Accolades
Harris Spencer (1977-80)
-
- Accolades
- All-Gulf South 1980
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #10 Interception Return Yards – 196
- Accolades
Brannon Condren (2003-06)
-
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt 2006
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #3 Unassisted Tackles – 86, 2006
- Career Records
- None
- Accolades
Leodis McKelvin (2004-07)*
-
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt 2007
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- #5 (tied) Fumble Returns Yards – 36, 2007
- Career Records
- None
- Accolades
*Leodis McKelvin is rated low here solely on his accomplishments as a defensive back. That only shows about half of his contributions to Troy, which will come when I cover All-Purpose Players.
Sherrod Martin (2004-05, 07-08)
-
- Accolades
- All-Sun Belt 2007, 2008
- Single-Game Records
- #1 (tied) Interceptions – 3, 2008
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #25 Unassisted Tackles – 166
- Accolades
Demetric Shipman (1993-96)
-
- Accolades
- All-Southland 1996
- Single-Game Records
- None
- Single-Season Records
- None
- Career Records
- #13 (tied) Interceptions- 11
- Accolades
That concludes our list of the best defensive backs in Troy history. As always, don’t forget to vote in the poll. You can let me know what you think on Twitter at @BenOnSports.
Poll – https://forms.gle/WVSHrcAixWMmN6yi8
Why Jimmy Anderson , Brandon Trawick or Camren Hudson not on there. Plus you have Sherrod and Leodis as Honorable Mentions. That’s crazy. Who made this?
Hi, thanks for reading. I put my criteria at the start of the article. All-American or All-Conference and statistical records. If a player had his name in for several records, but wasn’t an All-American or All-Conference, I would allow them, just as I would eliminate those All-Americans or All-Conference without significant statistical achievements. Some were on the edge, so I included the honorable mentions. As for Leodis, I inlcluded my reasoning for not including him in the my Top list in his section. Don’t forget to vote in the poll!