Shane Walton, Vontez Duff, Gerome Sapp, and Glenn Earl were the best defensive backfield we had ever since 1992, and when combined with a good front seven, were doing a very fine job. Walton and Duff were some of the best when it came to squatting and cutting off the short to medium range pass routes.
1992's defensive backfield was probably the best we ever had. Tom Carter, Jeff Burris, and Bobby Taylor were 1st / 2nd round draft picks (and NFL starters), Willie Clark, Greg Lane, Shawn Wooden, and John "Shaft" Covington were drafted, and Brian Magee was just getting started. I still think Bobby Taylor could have been a 1st round pick, had he stayed for 1995's season.
That being said, I think that this defensive backfield might actually turn out to be even better than 2002's, depending on who steps up at the nickel position and the other safety position.