The PAC-10 may have the top 2 CBs that are draft eligible in Cal’s Antoine Cason and Daymeion Hughes. Hughes has all the tools ANY NFL staffer looks for in a CB, size (6’2, 195 ) speed (4.3), a fearless attitude and short memory. He is a midfielder, plain and simple.

Hughes is currently a midseason All-American on SI.com and CBS Sportsline and ranks second in the nation with seven interceptions so far this season. Hughes is second all-time at Cal with 14 interceptions and hauled in his seventh interception of the season against Washington, catching a key pass in the end zone, and also broke up a pass and had six tackles on the day. He picked up his sixth interception of the season against Washington State to go with three tackles and a pass breakup. Hughes had four tackles against Oregon while holding Jason Williams to just 66 receiving yards (he had entered the game at 115.5 per game). Hughes recorded four tackles with a pair of pass breakups against Oregon State, and returned an interception for a touchdown against Arizona State (INT’s fourth career TD return and second this year). Hughes added a second interception against the Sun Devils (the third two-INT game of his career) as he led the team with 11 tackles. Daymeion returned an interception for a 30-yard touchdown against Portland State, and Hughes hauled two interceptions against Minnesota as he also had six tackles and a pass breakup. He recorded five tackles against Tennessee since the Volunteers rarely threw to him. A preseason All-American from eight different publications, including ESPN.com and Playboy First Team All-America, and he is on the Watch List for three different national awards.

In 2005 he led the PAC-10 Conference with 17 pass defenses, including 12 breakups while ranking second in the league with five interceptions and ranked 16th nationally in that category. Hughes finished fourth on the team with 62 tackles. Hughes also returned all five of his interceptions for 159 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown run at Washington. Hughes had two interceptions in Arizona’s shutout and a 59-yard interception return at New Mexico State and his interception against BYU on the Cougars’ final possession clinched Cal’s victory in the Las Vegas Bowl. Hughes had a season-high 10 tackles and broke up two passes against top-ranked USC, followed up with a blocked kick and recorded a quarterback sack against Washington State. He forced a fumble against Stanford.

In 2004, Hughes started at cornerback opposite Harrison Smith as a sophomore, starting in 11 of Cal’s 12 games. The club’s 12th-leading tackler with 26 stops, including 21 unassisted, tied for second on the team in passes separated by six. Hughes starred in the Big Game vs. Stanford, breaking up four passes and recording a pair of solo tackles, also broke up passes at Air Force and Oregon State. He’s tallied four-tackle games three times, in Air Force, vs. Arizona State and in the Holiday Bowl vs. Texas Tech.

In his freshman year, he was the Bears’ most productive true freshman, starting five games at cornerback and tying for the team lead with two interceptions. He had 30 tackles (25 solo) and recovered a fumble while playing in all 14 games. His first career interception came against Oregon State, a pick that returned 72 yards for a touchdown, and his second interception came against Washington at the Cal 6-yard line, preventing a potential Husky scoring drive. Hughes was credited with three tackles in the Insight Bowl against Virginia Tech. Hughes was the recipient of the Bob Simmons

Award as the team’s most valuable freshman.

Coming out of Crenshaw High School, Hughes was ranked 79th on the California Top 100 list and 41st on the All-National Athlete list. He was named to the SuperPrep All-Far West Team and the Prep Star All-West Team after a senior season that produced impressive statistics on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 600 yards and had 720 receiving yards, scored a combined 15 touchdowns as a senior and also recorded 48 tackles and 10 interceptions as a defensive back in 2002. Hughes made the Los Angeles Times All-Region Team and was named the Coliseum. League Player of the Year. He also voted runner-up for Southern California High School Player of the Year and Long Beach Press-Telegram Best of the West Honorable Mention. Hughes was ranked the 11th-best cornerback in the West by PacWest/TheInsiders.com, and as a junior, he earned all-league and all-city honors after rushing for more than 1,500 yards and adding another 520 receiving yards. Hughes also had 49 tackles, five interceptions and two sacks at defensive back. Hughes competed two years in basketball and track, and one season in tennis.

He majors in art practices at Cal and is the leader of his high school. His parents, Ronald and Catana, call him by his nickname, Dantè.

I see Hughes in the same vein as Cason, as Cason’s 1b to 1a when it comes to CB this year. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Hughes is a proven playmaker who can take down midfield. If I had to compare him to anyone, he would be a more physical Champ Bailey. Bailey’s coverage skills were more NFL-ready (when the Redskins picked him No. 7 overall) than Hughes’s, but Hughes has the ability to be THAT KIND of player.