Diggs is the NFLs biggest boom-or-bust cornerback, but hes done a better job of limiting big plays this season. Slay has allowed a league-low 31.0 passer rating this season (min. Dealt from Chicago to Baltimore, Roquan Smith was one of the biggest names to change teams before the NFL trade deadline. Will Colts win third straight? Sneed is the No. View Profile. Inauspicious start to star player: Witherspoon didn't try out for football until his junior year of high school at the prompting of his mother. 8 among the top 10 returning quarterbacks in 2023, according to PFF. He has the leagues best coverage grade (90.4), as he has yet to allow a touchdown this season. A former WR turned CB, his ability to diagnose routes and the intentions of an opposing QB is as inhuman as his ability to close gaps and actually catch the ball, whereas many other cornerbacks see most of their would-be INTs instead become a pass deflection. Packers are only team with 3 players in PFFs top 32 cornerbacks rankings Podcast Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns He has already recorded nine passes defensed (pass breakups and interceptions), tied at the top of the NFL with Diggs and Bradberry. Hobbs also has the position flexibility to play in the slot and on the outside, which is rarely seen from cornerbacks in today's NFL. Cornerback Rankings 2-10 When you have a talent on your roster like Howard and he feels slighted by contractual items, you fix those items. Young CBs rise to the top: Patrick Surtain II and Sauce Gardner have dominated thus far in 2022, establishing themselves as the cream of the crop at cornerback. Gonzalez, 17. Before he injured his knee, Awuzie was having the best season of his career. Vikings coaches believe Murphy is capable of playing on the outside or in the slot, the latter of which was manned by Chandon Sullivan in 2022. NFL grades from 2020 or earlier are marked with (*), college grades from 2021 are marked with (**), and college grades from 2020 or earlier are marked with (***). The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Hes given up a ton of yards in coverage (339 yards on 45 targets), but the Seahawks will live with that considering all of the other plays he's made. Slay has the No. The Next Gen Stats analytics team's top-10 ranking spotlights familiar names, breakout studs and instant-impact rookies. Thats higher than the 84.4 grade he received in 2021 and is the second-best season grade of his career. Price is a physically imposing corner at 6-foot-3 who is extremely aggressive at the line of scrimmage and tackles well. Jackson didn't simply put up numbers for this Patriots, but he did so in the shadow of Stephon Gilmore, until Gilmore was no longer present and everyone had to finally acknowledge just how dominant Jackson truly is. Minnesota also waived 2020 third-round pick Cameron Dantzler, Sr., who was claimed by Washington. Hobbs has missed a lot of time due to a hand injury this season, but hes been phenomenal whenever on the field. Photo: Isaiah Hole. It wasn't his best year statistically, but often operating on an island without Peters manning the opposite post, it most certainly wasn't his worst, either. Ward is a force to be reckoned with, and opposing offensive coordinators know this to be true. Log in here. 50, Man United in pole position for top four, but can't take their eyes off Liverpool, The VAR Review: Red cards for Jota, Skipp; Richarlison penalty claim, Zags, Vols have gained spots in men's WTE Top 25, Titans quarterback Will Levis opens up about emotional draft day, After hoopla of going No. They've completed -8.0 fewer passes than expected and lost -25.8 expected points on those targets -- both of which rank first in the NFL among coverage defenders. The fact he's so consistent and has actually gotten better with age -- a comment you shouldn't take lightly when considering he achieved All-Pro honors as early as Year 2 -- only deepens the argument to keep him on the throne, and anyone waiting for him to take a step back and get comfortable after resetting the market at the position with his mega deal can stop holding their breath now. How could we make a top 25 list of the best cornerbacks and not include Tariq Woolen? His five-year, $100.5 million extension signed in April tells you all you need to know about what the Browns think of him, and they're right. Bates earned a 64.4 PFF grade in five starts at left guard in 2021 -- his first season with over 100 offensive snaps -- and Brown came away from his rookie season And while All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard is rightfully the centerpiece of all conversation about the unit, Moore has earned respect, hence his presence and positioning on this list -- a mostly durable cornerback who can both take the ball away and who doesn't make business decisions when it's time to tackle someone. Hes not just an athlete, though, notching a 16.1% pass-rush win rate on his way to 10 sacks, seven hits and 19 hurries on the season. 9-graded cornerback on the year. It's time to jump over to the top five on this list, and that means it's time to talk about Lattimore. Three cornerbacks, Marshon Lattimore, Denzel Ward and Kenny Moore, were revealed in Episode 2 (Nos. Davis 68 defensive stops last year tied for the most among FBS off-ball linebackers. There were a lot of good performances by cornerbacks around the league this year, but only two earned higher grades than Ramsey in 2022: Sauce Gardner and Patrick Surtain II. Since 2019, K-State has seen a total of48 transfers exit Manhattan and brought in22 to join the roster, including all-conference standouts like Briley Moore, Russ Yeast and Julius Brents. 247Sports Home; FB Rec. Unfortunately for Ulofoshio and Washington, the off-ball linebacker will miss at least a few games of the 2022 season due to another injury that was suffered during conditioning, but head coach Kalen DeBoer is hopeful he can return for a portion of the year. Quarterbacks were generating a 58.2 passer rating when targeting him, and he had six pass breakups in eight games while not allowing a touchdown on 286 coverage snaps. The Eagles have been dominant playing man this year, allowing just 3.8 yards per attempt (second in NFL), and Bradberry has been a key factor. In a league that thrives on passing and, as such, the dire need of players who can halt such attacks, Diggs is the prototype. The NCAA introduced the transfer portal on Oct. 15, 2018, providing athletes a path to explore their options. He has deep downfield speed, patience at the line of scrimmage, and plays physically without incurring flags. 247Sports . One of seven Next Gen Stats can't-miss prospects from that class, Gardner has wasted no time proving he is worthy of the fourth overall pick. Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos. He also has two interceptions, including a pick-six against, Playing opposite Darius Slay, Bradberry has had an excellent bounce-back season with the Eagles. Witherspoon, 9. He owns a 90.3 career PFF grade across 743 snaps with an 82.0-plus grade as a run defender, pass-rusher and coverage defender. A record and tribute: Forbes set the FBS all-time career record with six pick-sixes after housing three as a freshman in 2020 and three more in 2022. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Height/Weight: 6 2021 stats: 16 games (16 starts), Position: Cornerback. Fantasy women's basketball: Why to focus on guards early in your draft, Miami Heat celebrate Florida Panthers while trolling Boston Bruins and Milwaukee Bucks, LIVE Transfer Talk: Manchester United see Lautaro Martinez as a striker option, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He held up well in his first year starting in 2021 considering his job and experience level with a 65.9 PFF grade. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Sydney closed his college career by helping the Illini lead FBS in scoring defense (12.8 points allowed per game) and recorded six interceptions against one touchdown allowed on 46 targets in coverage (according to PFF). The Rams are struggling, but their defense has been outstanding due to the play of Ramsey, Dean has the eighth-best coverage grade among qualifying cornerbacks on the season (78.1). Sign up for the Eagles Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Sullivan is a free agent. The 49ers' defense has faced a litany of injuries, including ones to Nick Bosa, Javon Kinlaw, Emmanuel Moseley, Arik Armstead and more, but Ward's steady play has helped San Francisco miraculously stand as the NFL's second-ranked scoring defense. He is the seventh-highest-graded cornerback overall on the year (79.9), as he's allowed just 268 yards on 391 coverage snaps. She battled and announced in March 2022 she was cancer-free and remains an advocate. Carters 89.1 pass-rush grade in 2022 ranked seventh among FBS interior defenders and his 91.2 run-defense grade ranked fifth. The Patriots' secondary has been excellent this season, with both of their starting outside cornerbacks making this list. Hes allowed just 97 yards in coverage since Week 4, and opposing quarterbacks have a 44.6 passer rating when targeting him. The shutdown corner has completely erased any other WR who has dared to challenge him this season, allowing just 61 yards on 21 targets to receivers not named Adams and Metcalf. Put yesterday's performance in Jalen Ramsey's HOF resume. Targeting Bradberry in general has been a bold strategy for offenses in 2022. 2021 stats: 16 games (16 starts), 5 INTs, 1 DEF TD, 16 PBUs, 2 FF, 2 FR, 1 sack, 50 combined tackles (39 solo). The Ravens' defense was absolutely decimated by injury in 2021, and that left Humphrey to carry much of the load in the defensive secondary absent Marcus Peters. The 2022 PFF College Football Preview Guide has just dropped Daniels joins Jalen Klemm as only the second exit for K-State this spring. 5 with the Eagles, hell look to cement himself as one of the top nickel cornerbacks in the game. High expectations were naturally placed upon Ya-Sin when he was traded straight up for star pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason, but Ya-Sin has responded with a career year so far. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Please check your email for a confirmation. Maddox should benefit from the addition of James Bradberry to the mix with Darius Slay and his profile around the league is rising after a 2021 season that saw the slot cornerback rank among the top five in several categories. The Eagles had several pressing needs entering free agency and the NFL draft, but it wasnt until late in the process that a top-tier cornerback was added to the roster. 6 2021 stats: 16 games (16 starts), 4 INTs, 16 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 77 combined tackles (62 solo). The former All-Pro (2020), two-time Pro Bowler and NFL forced-fumbles leader (2020) proved once against he's a lethal talent at the position, despite the losses around him. 2021 stats: 11 games (11 starts), 1 INT, 6 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 0.5 sacks, 41 combined tackles (27 solo). Baylor (4) is tackled by Washington Huskies linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (48) during the first half at Reser Stadium. Nearly off the chart: Banks turned in one of the more impressive combine workouts, running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds (tied for third among CB participants in 2023), leaping 42 inches (led CB participants) in the vertical and broad jumping 11 feet, 4 inches (second). Its time to ramp up the preview for the 2022 college football season as Week 0 is just weeks away. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Hes racked up 211 defensive stops over that entire span more than anyone in the FBS. See where they land in the Next Gen Stats analytics team's ranking of the top 10 most explosive rushers right now. Jump to a team: Key stat from PFF: Douglas set a new career-high in overall grade in 2021. Which team has ascended to No. Consensus ranking: No. -highest coverage grade in the NFL among qualifying cornerbacks (76.2), as he's allowed just 9.6 yards per reception. has just dropped and in conjunction with that is an expansion of PFFs preseason positional rankings that will be rollled out over the next couple of weeks. After missing most of last season with an injury, Horn has bounced back in a big way for the Panthers. No cornerback in the NFL is more physical than Ramsey, and hes been excellent as a run defender this season (third-highest run-defense grade among cornerbacks). School: Georgia | Year: Redshirt Soph. Philadelphia added James Bradberry after the Giants salary cap structure could no longer handle his huge 2022 cap hit. Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name). 30 targets).#DENvsLAC | #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/50JSh6Z8tT. Charvarius Ward allowed just 1 reception for 32 yards & forced 4 tight windows on 6 targets in the 49ers 37-15 victory over the Panthers.Ward has forced the highest tight window target rate (36.7%) since entering the NFL in 2018 (min. School: Miami (after Georgia) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-0 | Wt: 198 pounds, 2022 stats: 11 games; 25 tackles (18 solo), 1.5 TFL, 2 INT, 7 pass breakups. Hes allowed more than 45 receiving yards in a single game just once, and opposing quarterbacks have a 58.8 passer rating when targeting Campbell. Williams has appeared in 36 games since joining New England in 2019 as a second-round pick, but he has only started one game. And against the run, Ramsey made one of the plays of the day when he chased down Kenneth Walker on an outside run near the goal line, preventing what wouldve been a go-ahead touchdown. It was a brutal blow to the Bills' defense, which might've done more damage in the postseason if it had White on the field to help battle Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Divisional Round. Alexander has been a bit up and down this season, but his talent is undeniable. Which teams are ready to pounce, and which look like they'll fall by the wayside? We ranked all 32 NFL rosters: Strengths, weaknesses, X factors and projected starting lineups, 'That was crazy, no cap': How one wild sequence helped the 76ers steal Game 1, 'Aggressive' Harden takes over as 76ers stun C's, Suns' Paul leaves G2 loss with left groin tightness, Devils blank Rangers for 1st series win since 2012, Serena announces she's pregnant with 2nd child, Snoop Dogg joins Sparks' bid to buy Senators, LeBron 'locked in' as rivalry with Steph resumes, Jets bolster OT group by signing veteran Turner, Ohio halts betting on Alabama baseball games. The Vikings cornerbacks room will have a couple of new veterans joining a young core of returnees. Jacobs will anchor the Nittany Lions linebacking corps after it lost a couple of key starters. School: Oregon (after Colorado) | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 197 pounds, 2022 stats: 12 games; 50 tackles (35 solo), 1.0 tackles for loss, 4 INT, 7 pass breakups. Don't be surprised if he plays much better in the second half of the season as the Ravens come out of their bye week. Which game is featured at the top of NGS's unlikeliest victory rankings? Safeties play a critical role in today's NFL. The Bills will be hoping that Miller can maintain that level of play and avoid injuries in his age-33 season because he can be a game-changer for their defense if he does. DID YOU KNOW? The 2022 PFF College Football Preview Guide has just dropped and in conjunction with that is an expansion of PFFs preseason positional rankings that will be Who's the more explosive ball-carrier, Justin Fields or Lamar Jackson? College Rankings NCAA Player Smart move, Dolphins. He has allowed only 244 yards on 46 targets this season and has yet to surrender a touchdown. Follow all of your favorite Wisconsin teams at Packers Wire, Badgers Wire and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel! He won 21.5% of his pass-rushing attempts last year. Campbell might not be the most notable Jacksonville player to show signs of improvement in Year 2, but his growth has nonetheless played a role in the Jaguars' increased competitiveness. Woolen was an NFL Scouting Combine freak entering his rookie season, but just how quickly those measurables have translated to the field has likely surprised even the most ardent supporters of the fifth-round pick. 6 on the list, as his 86.2 coverage grade as an outside cornerback led the NFL, and he ranked 11th in both yards allowed per outside-coverage snap (0.79) and percentage of outside targets to result in a first down or touchdown (29.4%). A player who was credited by coaches for making strides during his short span in Manhattan, Daniels' first season (even with a redshirt) was littered with nagging injuries. 1; Cards have top 2, Best, worst, most interesting pick for all, Six things that experts got wrong about the NFL Draft, Undrafted free agent tracker: Team-by-team list of signings, How much Will Levis' fall to Round 2 will end up costing, Bills sign the Broncos' leading rusher from 2022. 14-graded cornerback this season (76.5), as he has yet to allow a single touchdown on 417 snaps. Ward has had only one poor game this season, and that came against his former team in the Kansas City Chiefs. Each entryis free to withdrawhis nameat any time. The Colts Kenny Moore landed atop the list, followed by Mike Hilton, Jonathan Jones, Taron Johnson, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to round out the top-5. Kansas State has a new Wildcat player exiting the program as 247Sports has confirmed Omar Daniels'namenow appears in the transfer database as of Monday morning. And even on plays where Woolen doesn't contribute to the stat sheet, he still finds ways to make headlines. Daniels was credited with three career tackles over his short careerand departs the Wildcats having amassed122 snaps in 2022 according to PFF. DETROIT LIONS: CB DEVON WITHERSPOON, ILLINOIS Close to his heart: Smith's daughter was born in the summer of 2021, and her middle name is Gabrielle in honor of his sister who suffered sudden infant death syndrome when Cam was 6. If he keeps up this level of play, the similarities will only build with another Seattle fifth-round pick: Richard Sherman, who was selected 154th overall in 2011 (compared to Woolen's 153rd in 2022) and went on to be selected to five Pro Bowls. View the best photos of Vikings safeties during the 2022 season. Rankings for cornerbacks by Jeremiah, his NFL Media counterpart Bucky Brooks, Kiper, analytics site Pro Football Focus and The Athletic's Dane Brugler are listed below. With things now smoothed over in that arena via a new deal awarded to Howard, the Dolphins can get back to enjoying having what is arguably the best cornerback in the entire NFL. He followed his daughter's birth by recording career highs in interceptions (3) and pass breakups (11). Opponents are averaging just 7.7 yards per reception on Dean, which is third-best in the NFL behind only, The second-highest-graded cornerback (86.9) in the NFL this season is rookie Jack Jones of the New England Patriots. He is currently the No. 2021 stats: 4 games (4 starts), 1 INT, 3 PBUs, 13 combined tackles (9 solo). School: South Carolina | Year: Redshirt Jr. | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 180 pounds, Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked in Top 50 Overall, 2022 stats: 11 games; 27 tackles (23 solo), 1 TFL, 1 INT, 5 pass breakups. The 2021 first-round pick handled No. 1 receivers. The fourth-year corner has allowed a league-low 31.6 completion percentage in coverage this season (min. Kris Boyd, a 2019 seventh-round pick who became one of the Vikings top players on special teams, signed with the Cardinals after becoming a free agent. This week, we've assembled a list of the top 10 shutdown cornerbacks heading into Week 7. A.J. He has yet to allow a single touchdown this season and has recorded five pass breakups. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. He locked it down in 2022, when PFF calculated his allowed completion percentage at 42.5 (second lowest among ACC cornerbacks). NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Via the Next Gen Stats completion probability model, which estimates how likely any given pass is to be completed based on factors including, but not limited to, receiver separation, air distance of the pass and sideline distance, Awuzie has allowed -6.6 fewer receptions than expected this season, trailing only James Bradberry. School: Illinois | Year: Senior | Ht: 5-foot-11 | Wt: 181 pounds, 2022 stats: 12 games; 41 tackles (32 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, 3 INT, 14 pass breakups. The dynamic duo of Slay and Bradberry has played a major part in the Eagles' ascendance to the top of the NFC. Murphy is bringing 56 games of experience with 48 starts. New Orleans Saints: OG OCyrus Torrence, Florida Torrence stepped up to the SEC after starting his career at Louisiana, and he continued the dominance we saw from him earlier in his career. Everyone can't make a top 10 list, and that's the point, but you can believe some of these races came down to a photo finish. He is the seventh-highest-graded cornerback overall on the year (79.9), as he's allowed just 268 yards on 391 coverage snaps. The second-year cornerback out of Alabama has made waves this season, leading a stout Broncos defense that has kept the team competitive in spite of having the lowest scoring offense in the NFL. Ya-Sin has been a bright spot in a secondary that has otherwise struggled for the NFL's 28th-ranked scoring defense. As a result, the outside corner has still been left on an island on a majority of his coverage snaps this season. Continue reading this article and more from top writers, for only $9.99/mo. Terrell, Falcons. 15 targets). He also finished with 14 career interceptions in just 36 games. School: Texas A&M | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-2 | Wt: 198 pounds, 2022 stats: 9 games; 71 tackles (35 solo), 5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INT, 1 pass breakup, 3 FF. 2021 stats: 17 games (17 starts), 8 INTs, 1 DEF TD, 1 FF, 58 combined tackles (44 solo). The Packers were tough to throw on during the 2021 season even without Alexander in the lineup. School: Mississippi State | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 166 pounds, 2022 stats: 12 games; 46 tackles (26 solo), 1 TFL, 6 INT, 3 interceptions returned for touchdowns, 10 pass breakups. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. But their one reliable player at the position this year has been Sutton, who has played 471 snaps through Week 10. Against DK Metcalf and the Seahawks, he was dominant in coverage and as a run defender. Josh Allen reclaims No. Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas all made the top 32 for PFF. The young corner has proven to be another cornerstone found with a premium pick in the Jaguars' 2021 draft class. Identical, except for position: Sydney's identical twin brother Chase is a running back who is in this year's draft field. School: Penn State | Year: Senior | Ht: 5-foot-11 | Wt: 203 pounds, 2022 stats: 13 games; 74 tackles (56 solo), 7 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 4 INT, 3 pass breakups, 1 FR, 2 FF. In the grand scheme of newcomers battling dynamic veterans for a chance to land on this list, Terrell is swinging both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker -- justifiably leapfrogging both Humphrey and Alexander in his first appearance on it. Its time to ramp up the preview for the 2022 college football season as Week 0 is just weeks away. Offenses have tested the veteran corner often when he's manned up, targeting him a league-high 22 times, but Bradberry has allowed just six receptions for 44 yards. There's no reason to pretend he isn't still the best cornerback in the NFL, and so we won't. Key stat from PFF: Stokes allowed the lowest rate of separation among cornerbacks in 2021. Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. Now set to line up behind Mack and Joey Bosa and in a secondary with Derwin James, Nasir Adderley and Asante Samuel Jr., Jackson might only be getting started. 32 lingering post-draft questions: Will Lions have regrets? Hes also a highly-effective blitzer as his 88.6 pass-rush grade which tied for 10th at the position in 2021 can attest. Gardner-Johnson, Jonathan Gannon has been much more comfortable using man coverage in his second season as defensive coordinator, increasing that usage from 21 percent in 2021 (29th in NFL) to 32 percent this season (T-10th). His ability to read and react helped turn him into a big-play corner in Green Bay. 2021 stats: 12 games (12 starts), 1 INT, 13 PBUs, 1 FF, 58 combined tackles (44 solo). With NFL+, stay connected throughout the rest of the NFL offseason with special content from Training Camp, Hall of Fame, and more! Another rookie cornerback who deserves a place here, Kader Kohou has had to play a ton this year due to all of the injuries in Miami's secondary. He routinely draws opponents' best receiver, and as we saw last week against the Cowboys, he finds a way to make a play in the biggest moments of the game. Still, the sky is the limit for the former third-round pick from Mississippi State. Harrison Smith reworked his contract this offseason in order to remain with the Vikings. All in all, hes been a pretty decent cornerback for the Steelers this season. Surtain leads the NFL in coverage grade All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. The two-time Pro Bowler isn't entirely dissimilar from Terrell in how he's successfully parlayed his status as a former first-round pick (2018) into stardom, but there was much more pressure on Ward to do so -- seeing as he's a former top 5 overall pick (Terrell was 16th overall). Deonte Banks, 34. He might not be the flashiest cornerback in the league, but Nelson has been incredibly productive this year. The Next Gen Stats analytics team reveals its ranking of the 10 best edge rushers entering Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season, with the Browns' Myles Garrett leading a list of star defenders. Week 7 NFL game picks: Jaguars end Giants' win streak; Chiefs bounce back against 49ers, Chargers CB J.C. Jackson feels 'defeated' after benching on Monday night, NFL QB Index, Week 7: HAIKU EDITION! Branch also shares the same high school (Sandy Creek in Georgia) as Calvin Johnson and Kedric Golston. One of the emerging stars of the 2022 season, Tyson Campbell has developed into one of the best overall cornerbacks in the league after a rough rookie campaign.