Position Preview: The Defensive Backs

AMES, Iowa - Today we look at the defensive backs in our Position Preview.

Synopsis
Iowa State lost just one starter (Braxton Lewis) in the secondary and has the luxury of returning five players who have combined for 73 career starts in the defensive backfield.

The big contributor back is safety Greg Eisworth (6-0, 205, Sr.#, Grand Prairie, Texas), who was the 2018 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and is a two-time first team All-Big 12 choice (2018, 2019).

Eisworth, a co-captain in 2019, played the majority of the season with an injured shoulder and wasn't close to being 100 percent. With offseason surgery, Eisworth will be ready to go for his senior year.

The team relies heavily on Eisworth's ability as a cover man and run-stopper. He had 65 tackles, 3.5 TFL and tied for the team lead with 10 pass breakups in 2019. He will enter his final season with 152 tackles, two forced fumbles and 15 pass breakups in his career.

Eisworth, who is versatile and can play the Star and safety positions, will team up with Lawrence White (6-0, 196, Sr.#, Bakersfield, Calif.), who started all 13 games in 2019 and 19 games in his career at safety.

White made a huge step in 2019, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors while ranking 12th in the Big 12 in tackles with 84.

White also had 4.0 TFL and led the team in interceptions with two.

The Cyclones will also look for D.J. Miller (5-11, 174, So., O'Fallon, Mo.) Virdell Edwards II (6-1, 198, Fr.#, Plano, Texas), Arnold Azunna (6-0, 190, Sr.#, Grand Prairie, Texas) and Isheem Young (5-10, 200, Fr.#, Philadelphia, Pa.) to compete for playing time at safety.

Miller was one of three rookies a year ago who didn't use a redshirt, tallying nine tackles while competing in 11 games. Edwards II is promising prospect coming out of a redshirt and Azunna saw significant snaps from scrimmage (164) for the first time in his career, recording 30 tackles.

Young, who sat out last season as a redshirt, was a four-star recruit and listed as one of the top safeties nationally (No. 30) coming out of high school.

Young is a strong candidate to contend for the Star position.

Iowa State is highly experienced at cornerback with the return of Anthony Johnson (6-0, 186, Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla.), Datrone Young (5-9, 176, Jr.#, Delray Beach, Fla.) and Tayvonn Kyle (5-11, 176, So.#, Valdosta, Ga.).

The trio have combined for 33 starts the last two seasons and provided stability on the edge in the defensive secondary.

Johnson made significant improvement in his second season as a starter last year, garnering honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades. Johnson has started 17 games the last two seasons and finished the 2019 campaign with 60 tackles, 7.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks.

He shared the team lead in pass breakups with 10, a total which tied for sixth in the Big 12, and he forced a team-high two fumbles.

Johnson has a chance to be one of the best cover-men in the Big 12.

Young started eight games in 2019 before his season was hampered by injuries. He finished the season with 19 tackles and his recovery this off-season will enhance the group.

Kyle was impressive while taking over at corner in the latter part of 2019, starting the final five games. He started his career as a wide receiver, but made the switch to defensive back prior to the 2019 season, tallying 29 tackles and 4.0 TFL.

Other corners waiting in the wings are Kym-Mani King (5-10, 165, So., New Port Richey, Fla.) and Keontae Jones (6-0, 178, Jr.#, Cincinnati, Ohio).

King was another outstanding rookie in 2019 who didn't redshirt in his first year on campus, appearing in all 13 games primarily as a special-teamer.

King, who played 19 snaps from scrimmage, ended the year with seven tackles and has an incredibly bright future.

Jones recorded 48 snaps at corner in nine games.

Campbell On The Defensive Backs
"We have two pillars in Greg Eisworth, whose played so much football and has been this transformational leader in our football program. And then Lawrence White, who for three years now has played really great football for us and has almost been an unsung hero in our program. So to have those two leading the way for the safety unit, it's exciting. And then you talk about the young talent, and you talk about Isheem Young, D.J. Miller and Virdell Edwards. Those guys are guys that have really flashed in some moments early in their careers here. Then I think the other guy is Arnold Azunna. Arnold is a guy going into his senior year and has really come back with a great purpose. He had a great bowl game. What can he do in his senior year? I think there is really good competition. We also have three true freshmen that are already here. And also a guy in Vonzell Kelley. There are a lot of guys repping there right now. A lot of guys who are going to be pushing each other, and that part is exciting for me. I think when you talk about cornerback, you talk about health. I think it's a really healthy area for us right now. I think on the top end of it is Anthony Johnson, who showed great consistency last year. He's ready to emerge as one of the top guys at his position group. We also talk about the ability that Tayvonn Kyle has. Can you go from that guy that is flashing out there to being that consistent great player? With Datrone Young it's a matter of health. Once we can get him back healthy, and I think he'll be the healthiest he's been in his career, it will be exciting. The other guy is Kym-Mani King, who had a great freshmen year for us and was great on our special teams unit. He is a physical, tough cover guy. And then after that what becomes of Keontae Jones. I think with the corners and safeties there is great competition from top to bottom. Both positions will be anchored by some young freshmen coming in June who could come in and compete right away, and that's exciting."

Position Preview: The Defensive Backs

Players Mentioned

Arnold Azunna

Greg Eisworth II

Anthony Johnson Jr.

Keontae Jones

Vonzell Kelley III

Kym-Mani King

Tayvonn Kyle

Braxton Lewis

D.J. Miller Jr.

Lawrence White IV

Datrone Young

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Iowa State University Athletics

Position Preview: The Defensive Backs

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Players Mentioned

Arnold Azunna

Greg Eisworth II

Anthony Johnson Jr.

Keontae Jones

Vonzell Kelley III

Kym-Mani King

Tayvonn Kyle

Braxton Lewis

D.J. Miller Jr.

Lawrence White IV

Datrone Young

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