Now, y’all might be wonderin’ if there’s any white boys playin’ as defensive backs (DBs) in the NFL. Well, let me tell ya, it’s a bit of a rarity, I reckon. You see, most of the folks takin’ up that position are from different backgrounds, mostly Black players. But, don’t go thinkin’ that there’s none at all who fit that description. Every once in a while, you might catch a white DB, but it sure ain’t common.
First thing to note, defensive backs, especially cornerbacks, are real important in the NFL. They gotta be fast, real quick on their feet, and have a sharp mind for the game. These boys are the ones who’re always chasin’ after the wide receivers, tryin’ to stop ‘em from catchin’ the ball. It’s a high-pressure job, no doubt. And when you look at the history of the NFL, you’ll see that most of the DBs are Black. It’s like that for a reason—many of these athletes have that natural speed and agility that makes ‘em top-notch in those positions.
But you know, things do change over time, and every once in a while, you might see a white DB makin’ waves. For example, back in the day, you had a few white cornerbacks, but that was rare. Nowadays, you gotta search hard to find one. Even in the 2024 NFL Draft, the big news was when the Philadelphia Eagles picked up a young feller from Iowa, Cooper DeJean, as a cornerback. He’s white, and folks are talkin’ about him a lot. He’s got a chance to show what he can do, though he’s still got a long way to go before he becomes a household name like some of the Black cornerbacks.
Now, don’t go thinkin’ that white players can’t play defensive back. They do, but they’re just not as common as their Black counterparts. It’s kinda like how in the old days, you didn’t see too many white running backs or wide receivers, but things have shifted some. White players like Austin Ekeler, James Conner, and Rex Burkhead—who’s a running back, by the way—have proven themselves in the league, even if they don’t play the cornerback or safety spots.
When it comes to kickers, though, that’s a different story. Almost all the place kickers you’ll find in the NFL are white. In 2017, for instance, out of 44 kickers on NFL rosters, 43 of ‘em were white. But that ain’t the case for defensive backs. For DBs, the Black players just seem to dominate the field, and there ain’t much changin’ that in the near future.
But let’s be clear, it ain’t that white folks can’t play DB—it’s just that the pool of players who end up in those positions happens to lean more toward other races. It’s mostly about physical traits—speed, quickness, and that ability to turn on a dime. If you ain’t got those, it’s tough to make it. And for a long time, the guys who had those traits the most were often Black athletes.
So, are there white DBs in the NFL? Yep, every now and then. But they sure are few and far between. The majority of defensive backs, especially cornerbacks, are Black. That don’t mean there won’t be more white DBs in the future, but for now, you mostly see ‘em in other positions. It’s just the way things are right now.
Now, you might be wonderin’, who’s the best of ‘em? Well, that’s a tough question. You got your stars like Jalen Ramsey, who’s one of the top cornerbacks, and he’s been around for a while. But you also got young fellers like Cooper DeJean, who might just make a name for himself if he works hard enough. In the end, it ain’t about where a player’s from or the color of their skin. It’s about the work they put in and the talent they bring to the game.
So, in the grand scheme of things, yeah, there are a few white DBs out there. But they’re not the norm, and it might stay that way for a while. Ain’t no shame in it—every player in the NFL is there ‘cause they earned it, regardless of race.
Tags：[NFL, white DBs, cornerbacks, Cooper DeJean, defensive backs, NFL Draft, Jalen Ramsey, cornerback rarity, NFL players]
