Trifecta Box: The Secondary

If I'm betting a trifecta box on UVA's defensive backs this fall, here's how I'd structure the bet...

Ras-I Dowling: superfreak.

WIN:

• CB) Ras-I Dowling, senior -- He enters the season as a Playboy first team All-American, a candidate for the Thorpe Award, and on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list.  He's on a clear trajectory toward the first round of the 2011 NFL draft.  In a word, Ras-I is a STUD.  At 6-2, 200, Dowling is a classic "big" corner.  His pure coverage skills have been spotty at times (see also: last year's game against Virginia Tech), but I think he's ready to put it all together this year, and I'll be rocking my own navy blue #19 jersey up in the nosebleeds.  I love this guy.
• CB) Chase Minnifield, junior -- Minnifield is a slick, polished cover corner who stands to put up a mountain of stats this season as teams will be trying to throw away from Dowling.  In training camp he has faced a fierce battle from Devin Wallace, but I'm assuming that Minnie's successful gameday experience will win out.
• SS) Rodney McLeod, junior -- The coaches are saying that McLeod is ready to emerge as a star player this fall.  He's super fast, and his effort level is always through the roof.  I love watching him chase down a play from the backside, because he runs like his ass is on fire.
• FS) Corey Mosley, junior -- He's a thumper who prides himself on being able to lay the biggest hit.  It's the simple, routine plays that sometime elude him, unfortunately.  If he can iron that out and put together a complete game, he could be a real asset to the defense.

PLACE:

• CB) Devin Wallace, sophomore -- Word out of camp is that we'll be seeing a lot of three-CB looks this fall, just so the staff can get Wallace's supersonic speed and playmaking ability on the field.  He's not a polished corner, but the way he runs makes him indispensable to the defense.
• CB) Mike Parker, senior -- He's bounced around between corner and safety, but seems to have found a home as the 4th corner for this season.  He's not a bad player, but he doesn't really bring any specific strengths to the table.  He's just a solid depth chart filler who can play at a reasonably high level if pressed into duty.
• S) Dom Jospeh, junior -- He filled in admirably while Mosley was out of spring practices rehabbing an injury.  Joseph has since faded into the background, but it's nice to know that he has the ability to step up when Mosely goes down... and given Mosely's desire to hit and hit hard, it's pretty likely that he'll pick up some dings and dents this fall, and Joseph will see the field.
• S) Trey Womack, senior -- A core special teams player who moonlights in the secondary, Womack is capable of filling in for a stretch in a pinch.  But if two of McLeod, Mosely, and Joseph go down for an extended period of time and Womack is asked to log major minutes in the base defense... we could be in a spot of trouble.

SHOW / ALSO RAN:

• CB) Chris Broadnax, sophomore -- I know absolutely nothing about this walk-on, other than the fact that he won a spot on the three-deep at cornerback coming out of spring practices.
• CB) Rijo Walker, true freshman -- He'll likely redshirt, but he brings a full set of cornerback skills to the table, and could quickly push for playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2011.
• CB/S) Pablo Alvarez, true freshman -- At 6-foot-3, he has the kind of size you love to see in the secondary, and he's also a world-class leaper.  He's been practicing at corner in training camp, but most observers believe that he's destined for the safety position.  A redshirt is definitely in order this season.
• LB/S) LoVante Battle, sophomore -- He's been moved to linebacker, but I could easily see him working back at safety if the injuries pile up at that position.

ANTE POST: Our starting secondary is fierce, and easily the biggest strength on the team.  But if injuries begin to mount, the lackluster depth behind Devin Wallace and Dom Joseph could doom the entire defense.  UVA fans should panic every time we see one of the DBs limping off the field.  BOLD PREDICTION: Ras-I Dowling won't increase his three INTs from last season, but Chase Minnifiled will more than double his, going from two in '09 to five in 2010.  Devin Wallace will pitch in two INTs, as well.