DB: Khalid Naziruddin, Daniel Charbonnet, Paul Banks III, John Bonney
Similar to the defensive line, the all-Houston secondary lacks star power. But this team could survive with a group of blue-collar defensive backs that were solid role players as Red Raiders.
At corner, the Houston team would likely start Khalid Nazzurdin and Paul Banks III. Naziruddin played only two years with the Red Raiders (2004-05), but he came up with 66 tackles as a senior, his only season as a starter. That year, he picked off two passes and recovered a fumble for a team that reached the Cotton Bowl.
As for Banks, in 15 games for the Red Raiders from 2015-16, he registered 39 tackles and was credited with seven passes defended. Those numbers are far from eye-popping but the pool of corners from Houston is almost as shallow as the defensive line pool.
At safety, the Houston team would likely pair 2018 grad transfer John Bonney with Daniel Charbonnet, a member of the 2008 team who had a huge play in the upset of Texas. In the second half of Texas Tech’s 39-36 win over the No. 1 Longhorns that season, Charbonnet picked off Colt McCoy and returned the ball 18 yards for a critical touchdown. For his career, he had 105 tackles and six interceptions, five of which came in that memorable 2008 season after which he was awarded second-team All-Big 12 honors.
Bonney played only one year at Tech after transferring in from Texas. As a collegiate, he had 117 tackles, an interception, four forced fumbles, and 14 pass defenses. Again, this is not a star-studded position group but it is one that would be competitive. Still, it was a bit surprising to see how few big-time or even starting-caliber Red Raider defensive backs have come from Houston.