2017 FBS Independents Leaders Passes Defended - Games vs. Ranked Teams Only (AP Poll) through 01/08/2018
| Name | Team | Yr | Pos | G | Int. | Passes Broken Up | Passes Defended | Passes Defended/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julian Love | Notre Dame | SO | CB | 7 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 1.71 |
| 2 | Nick Watkins | Notre Dame | SR | CB | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0.86 |
| 3 | Drue Tranquill | Notre Dame | SR | LB | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.57 |
| 4 | Shaun Crawford | Notre Dame | JR | CB | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.33 |
| 5 | Dayan Ghanwoloku | BYU | SO | DB | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Tyler Hayes | U Mass | JR | S | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2.00 |
| 5 | Jarell Addo | U Mass | JR | LB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 |
| 5 | Jesse Monteiro | U Mass | SR | S | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 |
| 5 | Mike Reynolds | Army | JR | DB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 |
| 5 | Butch Pau'u | BYU | JR | LB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.33 |
| 5 | Troy Warner | BYU | SO | DB | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 |
| 5 | Fred Warner | BYU | SR | LB | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 |
| 5 | Chris Wilcox | BYU | SO | DB | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 |
| 5 | Merrill Taliauli | BYU | JR | DL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 |
| 5 | Kesni Tausinga | BYU | SR | DL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.25 |
| 5 | Khalid Kareem | Notre Dame | SO | DL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 |
| 5 | Nyles Morgan | Notre Dame | SR | LB | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.14 |
| 5 | Jalen Elliott | Notre Dame | SO | S | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.14 |
| 5 | Nick Coleman | Notre Dame | JR | S | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.14 |
| 5 | Jay Hayes | Notre Dame | SR | DL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.14 |
| 5 | Andrew Trumbetti | Notre Dame | SR | DL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.14 |