All 2026/27 EFL League One club’s best centre-back ranked from worst to best | OneFootball

A ranking of all of the best centre-backs at each League One club in the 2026-27 season.

The EFL is and can be a breeding ground for some of the best players in the country to kick start their careers with plenty of future England internationals almost certainly now playing their trade in the Championship, League One and League Two.

At FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America this summer, 20 of England’s 26-man squad had EFL experience and there will be a batch of players hoping to replicate that at UEFA EURO 2028 and FIFA World Cup 2030.

Of those 20 players, eight of them were defenders and a further six of those would be fairly categorised as centre-backs with Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah among those to have played in League One.

League One boasts an array of defenders from young up and comers to EFL stalwarts across the division with a variety of pedigree, experience and potential.

We have taken a look at the best centre-back from each club in the EFL and ranked them…

24 ? ? Jacob Bedeau (Notts County)

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At 24th on our list and the worst best centre-back at a League One club this season is Notts County defender Jacob Bedeau, who has remained a key man for The Magpies following their promotion via the League Two play-offs last season.

Once a player bought by Aston Villa from Bury and then Burnley from Scunthorpe United, Bedeau took his time to consistently establish himself as a key man in the EFL and then even a key man at Meadow Lane but he certainly is that now.

23 ? ? Omar Sowumni (Bromley)

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Another man who has graduated from League Two to League One over the summer is Bromley captain Omar Sowumni, and he will be key to their chances of survival in the third-tier.

Rejoining Bromley from Sutton United in 2024, Sowumni was key to initially stabilising Bromley in the EFL before going on to be fundamental to their title-winning campaign in League Two last season.

22 ? ? Ryan Johnson (AFC Wimbledon)

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Another captain now is AFC Wimbledon centre-back Ryan Johnson, who may well be viewed as a bit better than 22nd on this list, having established himself as a key man for Wimbledon and the skipper over the last few years since moving from Stockport County.

Captain of a Johnnie Jackson side that are built around a solid defence, Johnson is instrumental for the South Londoners as they continue to punch above their weight in the third-tier.

21 ? ? Ryan Sweeney (Mansfield Town)

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Yet another captain in League One, Mansfield Town skipper Ryan Sweeney is next on the list with the former AFC Wimbledon man having been key for The Stags since arriving last summer.

Sweeney, who joined Mansfield from fellow League One outfit Burton Albion as something of a marquee signing having previously played 127 games for Town between 2018 and 2021 in League Two, is a player of immense experience and nous for Nigel Clough.

20 ? ? David Okagbue (Peterborough)

Another player who will feel it harsh to be as low as 20th is Peterborough United defender David Okagbue but his ranking is perhaps more down to the stacked nature of centre-halves in League One.

Having come through the academy at Stoke City, Okagbue was key to the Walsall side that ran away with the League Two title only to throw away automatic promotion altogether a couple of years ago and he is now asserting himself more consistently as a League One level defender at Posh.

19 ? ? Carl Piergianni (Stevenage)

The ever-reliable and dependable Carl Piergianni is next on the list and, again, perhaps controversially as low as 19th but a limited ceiling sees the Stevenage captain next.

Piergianni remained fundamental for ‘Boro as they finished sixth and in the League One play-offs last season and the former Salford City man is again expected to be essential for Stevenage this season under the management of Alex Revell.

18 ? ? Sam Gale (Barnsley)

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This one really is based on potential and what should eventually be someone who becomes one of the best defenders in League One with Sam Gale, who joined Barnsley for an undisclosed fee from Gillingham over the summer.

Competing to be Barnsley’s best centre-back with Blackburn Rovers loanee Connor O’Riordan, we reckon Gale just about pips that contest and comes in at 18th on this list.

17 ? ? Finley Burns (Wigan Athletic)

Having come through the academy at Manchester City, Finley Burns has the attributes to be one of the best ball-playing defenders in the division and trusted at the heart of a struggling Wigan Athletic defence, he should also improve his defending this season.

Having spent time on loan at Swansea City, Stevenage, Hull City and Reading; the 23-year-old now has a permanent home in Lancashire and was recently superb in a backs against the wall goalless draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, alongside Morgan Fox, showing signs of early defensive improvement already.

16 ? ? Kell Watts (Cambridge United)

Alongside new signing Cathal Heffernan at the back, former Newcastle United defender Kell Watts has been essential to Cambridge United’s steady start back to life in League One.

Watts joined from Newcastle on a permanent basis in 2024 and has developed into an impressive and sturdy defender under the management of Neil Harris at the Abbey Stadium.

15 ? ? Joseph Olowu (Leyton Orient)

With competition from former Bolton Wanderers centre-back Will Forrester, we have deemed Joseph Olowu to be The O’s best centre-back at the moment.

Olowu has previously excelled in League Two for Doncaster Rovers before making the step up to League One with Stockport County last season and the Arsenal academy graduate has started life well back in the capital city at Brisbane Road.