Subscribe today to gain access!]. Along with his ability to get in his opponent's head, the Saints corner has sharp read-react ability and man coverage skills. In case you havent been paying attention to Tyrique Stevenson since he opted for UGA two years ago, hes still really good. The hope for Miami will be that he gets back toward the player who earned a five-year, $82.5 million contract last offseason. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Phillips has a good chance of becoming that player in 2023. Veterans still playing well: Jalen Ramsey, Stephon Gilmore and Darius Slay make the top 10 after strong campaigns to add to their already decorated resumes. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. We started to see signs of the Louisville product's playmaking ability in 2019, as his 16 forced incompletions ranked second at the position. Sign Up. The 6-foot, 208-pound Florida product has the chance to challenge for the top spot on this list in the coming seasons if his tackling can continue to improve and cut down on his penalties. The Red Joker is a standard wild; however, the Golden Joker gives you a compounding 2x multiplier. While the 2022 NFL draft cornerback class was top-heavy, the depth wasnt anything special. He missed all of 2019 and was limited to 1,159 snaps from 2020 through 2021 with the Denver Broncos, though he still earned a top-five coverage grade over that span. He missed all of 2019 and was limited to 1,159 snaps from 2020 through 2021 with the. But that shouldn't be the case, and several notable cornerbacks including NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders will say the same thing. After his rookie season in 2011, Harris hasnt had a single season where hes allowed a passer rating over 90.0. Note: This list only includes players who play mostly in the slot. Here is PFFs take on the top 32 outside cornerbacks entering the 2021 NFL season, featuring stiff competition for the top spot among several players under the age of 27. Health remains the biggest concern for Verrett heading into next season. Nelson ranks among the top 10 cornerbacks in the league in both completion rate allowed (53.9%) and passer rating allowed (75.1) among 68 players at the position to see at least 100 targets since 2019. However, from a health perspective, he should be off the list altogether. Hell now reunite with Brandon Staley, who was a defensive assistant coach for the Bears when Callahan broke out. He routinely draws the best wide receiver each week but has yet to surrender 80 yards in any single game. Thats quality play thats not easy to find. Over the last decade, NFL teams have shifted away from base defense into nickel. EDIT 2: Decided to compare each of the NFC East teams in terms of overall rankings--gave points to each player or unit of . Since entering the league in 2016, 18.7% of his targets in coverage have resulted in a pass breakup or interception, leadingall cornerbacks who have been targeted at least 150 times over those five years. Griffin has earned overall grades of 50.7, 78.0 and 64.6 in the past three seasons. Budget Stakes: If you're on a budget, you can . Whether it was injuries or age starting to show in one of the man-heaviest defenses in the NFL, he was not the same player in 2020. 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. 1 wide receiver in man coverage. Jones is eyeing a bounce-back season after injuring his shoulder early in 2021. Having said that, he does need to improve at the catch point, which is where hes given up most of his downfield yardage throughout his career. Williams has started since he was a true freshman, amassing 13 pass breakups in two seasons. Notre Dame freshman cornerback Benjamin Morrison is going to be a popular player on the postseason lists for rookies, and it begins with Pro Football Focus naming him to their All-True Freshman team. Fuller allowed just 53% of the passes into his coverage to be completed with four interceptions and nine pass breakups. He sports the 16th-highest coverage grade in the NFL among qualifying cornerbacks (76.2), as he's allowed just 9.6 yards per reception. The only reason hes not higher is due to a lack of snaps (only 199 coverage snaps this season), but hes been fantastic this year for the Patriots. Thomas then signed with Houston and thrived as the starter. Saints' rookie Chauncey Gardner-Johnson reads Matt Ryan's eyes and peels off his man to snag the INT. ???? He ranks in the 80th percentile of qualifying cornerbacks in forced incompletion rate and the 70th percentile in coverage grade while in single coverage since entering the league in 2014. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Unfortunately, Emerson is a liability as a run defender the only reason he's not ranked inside the top 20 of our list. At this point, even a full healthy season isnt getting rid of his injury red flags; however, a big year could still land him somewhere on Day 2 due to the league's thirst for talented man-coverage cornerbacks. Ward has had only one poor game this season, and that came against his former team in the Kansas City Chiefs. Thats the lowest conversion rate of any starting cornerback in the league. Sherman once again just isnt getting beaten down the field. Syracuse's Garrett Williams pic.twitter.com/KMRt7XidyH, Matt Minich (@CoachMinich) March 3, 2022. Hes still learning,but someone Id bet on. So far, hes allowed all of 11 catches while he himself has hauled in three interceptions, including a pick-six against Seattle. He allowed just 30 receiving yards on 359 coverage snaps across his final 11 games that season. Davis has put up a solid grading profile and coverage stats across the past two seasons in Tampa Bay despite that tough slate of opposing wide receivers. Hes allowed only 64 yards after the catch on 20 receptions, a superb figure for a slot corner. He allowed only eight of his 31 targets to be caught for 211 yards on throws 10-plus yards downfield last season. [Editor's Note: ELITE subscribers have access to all of PFF's advanced stats and grades in Premium Stats. Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (23) celebrates after a tackle during the first quarter of the game Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. In that span, hes been the biggest playmaker at the position: His 12 interceptions from the slot are three more than any other player over the last four seasons, and his 1.33 Wins Above Replacement (PFF WAR) is well above any other predominant slot corner over that stretch. Abrams-Draine is the always intriguing receiver-to-cornerback convert. Today, we turn our attention to what we believe is the second most valuable position on the football field. Before missing most of last season, the seven-year pro was on a two-year run of stout slot coverage play, as his 84.4 coverage grade ranked top-five at the position from 2019 to 2020. He has been tested more than any other cornerback in the league since 2019, with a league-high 197 targets, but Davis has come out on top on a lot of those plays. Poole was once in the conversation for best slot cornerback in the league, but his play slipped along with many others on the Falcons in recent years. That shows up on tape, as he routinely presses receivers to the sideline and refuses to get stacked against vertical routes. Utah Clark Phillips III just might be everyones favorite CB for next season and its not hard to see why he has many fans. No one has played more slot coverage snaps since 2018 than former UDFA Kenny Moore. Jenkins was part of the facelift at the cornerback position for Tennessee this offseason, replacing Malcolm Butler and Adoree Jackson with Jenkins and first-round pick Caleb Farley. Diggs doesnt have the gaudy interception total that he had at this time last year, but hes been a much more consistent player. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound corner ran a laser-timed 4.35-second 40-yard dash back in high school at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge to win the Fastest Man competition. Opponents are averaging just 7.0 yards per reception on Surtain this season, second-best in the NFL among qualifying cornerbacks. His six penalties this past season were fewer than any year since his rookie season in 2013. The 2014 first-round pick looked like an ascending star with a 90.9 coverage grade in his second year in the NFL, but he managed to take the field for just over 300 total snaps the following four seasons combined. Just now seeing these lists.PFF is ranking the top 32 players at each position in the NFL. G Cordell Volson, Cincinnati Bengals (76.6) Volson had his highest-graded game of the season on Sunday in a massive win over the Chiefs. Because of that, those 20 catches have only gone for 171 yards. He had spent the vast majority of his time in the slot across the first four years of his NFL career, even dabbling at safety with the Chiefs in 2019. Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers It hasn't taken Alexander very long to establish himself as one of the league's best coverage cornerbacks. Only the top two to three percent of analysts are on the team of "senior analysts" in charge of finalizing each grade after review. Hes allowed only six first downs all season long and has the second most coverage stops of any corner (12). Stevenson gets the nod simply for what he could become at his size. However, he was traded back to L.A. during the 2022 NFL Draft and will hope to be a key piece in the franchise's title defense. PFF College (@PFF_College) December 13, 2020. His PFF grade dropped from 90.0 from 2014 to 2018 in Detroit to just 59.5 across the last two years. Alexander ranked No. We thought last year might be Dunbars breakout season after he earned a 92.4 coverage grade against the Cardinals in Week 1. #CarolinaFootball | @storm_duck @TarHeelFootball pic.twitter.com/smk6vo5evs, ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) July 31, 2020. One of several key moves by Cincinnati to get to this point. Theres no denying his ability to see the game at a high level his instincts and processing are vital traits for a slot corner, and he checks the box with flying colors. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2022 draft class. Still, his 46.2 passer rating when targeted is far and away the best of his career. This final spot was hotly contested between Stevenson, TCU's TreVius Hodges-Tomlinson, and Stanford's Kyu Blu Kelly. Hobbs has missed a lot of time due to a hand injury this season, but hes been phenomenal whenever on the field. Emerson, another rookie, has been forced to play a ton of snaps due to injuries. His numbers have taken a slight hit in the two years since, but Fuller is coming off a solid 70.2 coverage grade in 2020. The most impressive part is that it all comes in a man-heavy Baltimore defense few cornerbacks in the league possess that kind of ability. Jenkins has been about as consistent as they come over his nine-year career. Sutton has allowed three touchdowns this season, but hes recorded two interceptions and has played both in the slot and on the outside. Peterson has been surprisingly effective for the Vikings this season, sporting the third-best coverage grade among cornerbacks. In those two years combined, his slot coverage grade in one-on-one situations ranked second-best in the league. Carlton Davis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock Sign Up An error occured while loading Position Grades. It doesn't consider outside corners who are moving to the slot in 2022 and vice versa. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. Jacksons per target numbers dont look great with a 71.4 completion percentage allowed and 110.2 passer rating, but quarterbacks have been hesitant to target the Titans corner. His play led to a much-deserved contract extension at the beginning of the 2021 season, giving Buffalo one of the top slot corners for the next few years. All . Howard is one of the best playmaking cornerbacks that the NFL has to offer. Mike Hilton has ended up as one of the best free agent signings from last offseason. Hilton's 84.4 slot coverage grade is fifth in the league since 2017. The ability to limit production like Ramsey did against top-flight talent is invaluable for the Los Angeles Rams defense. He and Darrelle Revis are the only two cornerbacks with at least 250 targets since 2010 who have allowed fewer than 50% of those passes to be completed. Nelsons addition this offseason didnt draw many headlines, but its paid big dividends for the Steelers. Hes exceptional at establishing contact and altering a receiver's route stems. #2weekanniversary pic.twitter.com/tYqde8zeoH, B-rad G ???? The Los Angeles Chargers took a good swing this offseason by bringing him on for a one-year deal worth just over $1 million. Robey-Coleman has earned a coverage grade over 70.0 each of the past three seasons and is off to a solid start once again. This year, hes back at his best though with the Jets. Griffin had been much maligned at times in his first two years with the Seahawks. Its part of what makes identifying the leagues best at the position so challenging. He has the seventh-highest coverage grade (80.2) in the NFL at the position, as hes allowed just 198 yards all season. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. His five-year stint with the Rams (, But in 2021 free agency, he signed with the. That larger role didnt lead to less impressive coverage numbers. He is currently PFFs No. It seems like theres a cornerback every year who lacks size but makes up for it with big-time skill. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports By Marcus Mosher This is easily the best hes played over the past few seasons. The only outside cornerbacks to allow fewer yards per coverage snap than Dean (0.8) on at least 600 coverage snaps since the start of the 2019 season are Richard Sherman (0.4) and Jalen Ramsey (0.8). Yet another Patriots corner who isnt allowing first downs. 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 veteran. Below are PFF's top 32 outside cornerbacks entering the 2022 NFL season, starting with Los Angeles Rams star Jalen Ramsey. He has the leagues best coverage grade (90.4), as he has yet to allow a touchdown this season. He leads the league averaging only .64 yards per coverage snap allowed, and opposing quarterbacks are completing under 50% of their passes when targeting Nelson. His 10 forced incompletions are the second most of any corner in the league. Washington possessed one of the better defenses in the NFL in 2020;Jacksons addition should only improve it, giving them a No. Thomas quietly had a breakout campaign in 2021 with Houston after three lackluster years in Cleveland. 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. . Jackson burst onto the scene with a 90.4 coverage grade in his first season of action back in 2017. 14-graded cornerback this season (76.5), as he has yet to allow a single touchdown on 417 snaps. 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. 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. His addition, along with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in Pittsburgh over these last two seasons. 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. His breakout didnt happen until he transferred to Miami last season, when he allowed only 228 yards all year long. Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts 13. There is a perception that Shermans better days are behind him, but entering his age-33 season, there is still plenty of room for Sherman to take a step back and still be one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. All the more intriguing is that he earned an 83.1 coverage grade while playing both in the slot and outside in his first season playing cornerback as a redshirt freshman last fall. One was to Waynes, and the other was to interior defensive lineman D.J. #ShrineBowl #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/9y8ZChOVk3, Eric Galko (@EricGalko) October 9, 2021. He has graded considerably better in zone coverage than man coverage throughout his career, which could lead to an interesting fit if first-year defensive coordinator Joe Cullen brings over the man-heavy system that Baltimore employed. His 71.5 overall grade in 2020 was his highest single-season mark since back in 2017 with the Broncos. Alexander was still the same playmaker in 2020, but he was much more stingy in coverage, allowing just 353 receiving yards all season including Green Bays two postseason games despite logging nearly 600 coverage snaps. Outstanding cover corner with high-round upside. In addition, opponents are generating just a 58.6 passer rating when targeting Reed, giving the Jets one of the leagues best one-two punches at cornerback. He has the leagues best coverage grade (90.4), as he has yet to allow a touchdown this season. it almost every time he touches the football," wrote PFF . https://t.co/ad8iBgGI00 pic.twitter.com/HkdU0qYH7K, Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) November 28, 2021. 26-ranked cornerback by PFF grade (71.4) but has allowed only 271 yards on 372 coverage snaps. Verrett fought back to earn a starting job with the 49ers in 2020 and put up a top-20 PFF grade among qualifying cornerbacks on a career-high 803 defensive snaps. While Miami's done a commendable job finding capable NFL players in . The Rams are struggling, but their defense has been outstanding due to the play of Ramsey, Aaron Donald and Bobby Wagner. finished second among slot cornerbacks and 13th among all cornerbacks in WAR last season despite being tasked with much more man coverage in his first year with the Bengals. Hes competitive, smooth, trusts his eyes, confidence in his game, sticky coverage, high IQ, and is super talented! ???? JALEN RAMSEY, LOS ANGELES RAMS And Peters ranks tied for fifth at the position in pass breakups (52) over that same time frame. After recording three straight coverage grades of at least 85.0 in New Englands defense, Gilmore put up just a 58.5 coverage grade in 2020. PFF ranks Kader Kohou inside top-25 cornerbacks through 10 weeks. innnikki . His five-year stint with the Rams (2016-2020) was capped by a breakout campaign in which he earned an 89.2 slot coverage grade first among slot corners with 150 or more coverage snaps on a career-high 620 slot snaps. Verrett exceeded all expectations in his return from a string of injuries last season for San Francisco. NFL cornerback rankings ahead of Week 11: Sauce Gardner, Patrick Surtain II, Jalen Ramsey and more Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a catch against Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) during a game at Allegiant Stadium. Butler has been one of the best in the league at getting his hands on the football throughout his career. After two seasons at LSU, Ricks has a chance to make himself some serious money in Nick Sabans defense. LB Damone Clark, Dallas Cowboys (76.7) PFF Rankings: NFL cornerback rankings following Week 8 By Michael Renner Oct 29, 2019 We've been breaking down a bunch of awards here at PFF as we reach the halfway point of the season. 25-graded cornerback on the season (71.7), but he has the 15. highest coverage grade (76.3) on the year. Wards dominance in single coverage (96th percentile grade since 2018) has been particularly noteworthy. The Pitt product is an effective tackler who consistently breaks downhill and snuffs out plays underneath his 17 passing stops in the slot tied for the most in the NFL last season. However, his return came at outside cornerback for the Football Team in 2020, where he put up impressive coverage numbers at his new position. And he has performed well. But its Jonathan Jones who is ranked inside the top 10. But that shouldn't be the case, , and several notable cornerbacks including, No one has played more slot coverage snaps since 2018 than former UDFA Kenny Moore. The PFF grades are reflective of that this week. He has also really improved as a run defender, making him one of the more well-rounded cornerbacks in the league. Jones did a great deal of that work in single coverage and didnt falter. The last year was a nightmare for Hill. It doesnt hurt that Washington can feel comfortable playing him at multiple positions in their secondary, either. Since 2017, he has forced more incompletions on passes 20-plus yards downfield (18) than he has receptions allowed (14). One of the biggest worries about many receiver-turned-cornerbacks is the physicality aspect, but that didnt show up whatsoever on tape for Abrams-Draine, as he missed only four tackles on 46 attempts last season. But his play has been up and down over that four-year stretch. Hes also given up 60-plus yards in three of the Panthers seven games this season already, though. We considered putting Humphrey atop the list of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL, given that he has spent the majority of his snaps lined up in the slot over the past two seasons filling the void left by an injured Tavon Young. Hes a twitched-up 6-foot, 190-pound corner who has some of the easiest movement skills in the draft class. Kohou has let up a few big plays in the passing game, but he has performed exceptionally well for a rookie undrafted free agent. Slay will look to rebound under a new coaching staff and get back to making plays on the ball after ranking second in the league in forced incompletions (75) across his seven years in Detroit. Excited to watch @TCUFootball CB Noah Daniels (@NoahDB21) vs. Texas Tech today. In that game, he allowed only two of his four targets to be caught for 25 yards, as he shut down the Buckeye receivers at the line of scrimmage frequently throughout the game. He also has three interceptions on the season with only one touchdown allowed. Despite being drafted in the top five back in 2018 and playing on a team generating plenty of buzz heading into the 2021 season, Ward is often overlooked as one of the NFLs top cornerbacks. Callahan was in the conversation for the best slot corner in the NFL a handful of years ago. The last time we saw the best name among college football cornerbacks fully healthy was back in 2019 when he was a true freshman. December 6, 2022 8:56 am ET. Bradberry was the fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league in 2020 per PFF WAR, with career-best coverage numbers across the board. Please try again later. slot coverage grade then tanked nearly 40 grading points year-over-year to 50.2. Dean has the eighth-best coverage grade among qualifying cornerbacks on the season (78.1). While Hills versatility is important to the Rams, he should be playing most of his snaps on the inside and has the chance to get back to his previous elite standard in this system. William Jackson III, Washington Football Team 18. Cornerback was a clear need for the Jaguars entering this offseason. He should once again be put in a position to succeed under Fangio next season. His 17.3% forced incompletion rate ranks second among cornerbacks who have seen at least 100 targets over those two years. Bradberry has been one of the most up-and-down cornerbacks in the NFL over his career with the Panthers, and this season has been no exception. Playing for the Browns, the former Ferris State UDFA logged just 237 snaps. In seven games, hes allowed only 143 yards. Humphrey has put together a nice season for the Ravens, but he has certainly played better in previous years. This transition, along with the surplus of slot-friendly skill sets, has meant that the slot cornerback position has become an afterthought. Hes let up just one touchdown, and opposing quarterbacks have a 75.1 passer rating when targeting him. The second New York Jets cornerback to make the list, Reed has been incredible opposite of Sauce Gardner. The seven touchdowns allowed into his coverage this past season were tied for second-most of any cornerback in the league. Make no mistake, this is still arguably the best cornerback in the NFL. But in 2021 free agency, he signed with the Cleveland Browns, where his slot coverage grade then tanked nearly 40 grading points year-over-year to 50.2. Its worth pointing out that Slay frequently draws the opposing teams top receiving option in single coverage, and his 97 single coverage targets over the past two seasons is a top-five mark at the position. this is gorgeous pic.twitter.com/DQqqNKeNWl, Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) November 29, 2019. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. The Texans dont have many players on their roster who they can rely on for steady play, but Roby is one of the few, assuming he doesnt receive another six-game suspension in 2021. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. The former UTSA star has been a turnover machine for the Seahawks, recording five interceptions and two forced fumbles in 10 games. 1 cornerback in the league heading into the 2020 season, fresh off a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. Woolen is a high-variance player, but his playmaking skills make him worthy of a spot on this list. This transition, along with the surplus of slot-friendly skill sets, has meant that the slot cornerback position has become an afterthought. He didn't allow a single pressure on 42 pass-blocking snaps and finished with a 77.2 run-blocking grade. Before he injured his knee, Awuzie was having the best season of his career. Its too early to say Gilmore cant get back to that level, though. That year, he allowed only 25- of his 47 targets to be caught for 295 yards, which earned him an 81.3 coverage grade. He unsurprisingly leads the NFL with 14 coverage stops, as well. He has allowed only 244 yards on 46 targets this season and has yet to surrender a touchdown. Smith doesnt have the elite physical skill set that, It seems like theres a cornerback every year who lacks size but makes up for it with big-time skill. Jones matched his interception total across the first five seasons of his career last year with Miami, but it was his worst season from a production allowed standpoint since making the switch to cornerback in 2018. The perception of Rhodes is much different this offseason than it was at this time a year ago following a bounceback season for the Colts in 2020. Casey Hayward, Las Vegas Raiders 17. (@Bdizzle_U_G_A) January 24, 2022. The Patriots will look for that bounce-back season in 2021. Since then, hes played only 436 snaps due to sustaining significant injuries in back-to-back seasons. Rhodes will look to continue to build on that success on another one-year deal with the team in 2021. Surtain leads the NFL in coverage grade (89.1) while allowing just 160 yards on 41 targets. The Green Bay Packers are the NFL's only team with three players in Pro Football Focus' rankings of the top 32 cornerbacks entering the 2022 season. This pick by Storm Duck is still mind-blowing ???????? 2022 NFL slot cornerback rankings | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF NFL NCAA Thu 8:15p 1 Pick LV -6 5-7 LA 44.5 3-9 Sun 1:00p NYJ 44 7-5 BUF -9.5 9-3 Sun 1:00p CLV 47 5-7 CIN -6 8-4 Sun 1:00p HST 45 1-10-1 DAL -17 9-3 Sun 1:00p 1 Pick MIN 53.5 10-2 DET -1 5-7 Sun 1:00p 1 Pick JAX 41.5 4-8 TEN -3.5 7-5 Sun 1:00p 1 Pick PHI -7 11-1 Humphrey has yet to allow a touchdown in coverage this season and has two interceptions. If Lattimores career was flipped in reverse order, theres a reasonable chance that he would be inside the top five on this list. Smith doesnt have the elite physical skill set that Jaycee Horn had before him at South Carolina or that others on this list possess, as Smith gets by with craftiness and football intelligence as much as anyone on this list. 25-graded cornerback on the season (71.7), but he has the 15th-highest coverage grade (76.3) on the year. Hes allowed just one touchdown in coverage while surrendering just a 48.1 passer rating. He is the No. Since 2020, he owns a top-10 slot coverage grade and ranks third with 25 passing stops. Live picks, grades and reaction to the 2022 NFL Draft. Humphrey isnt quite grading out as highly as he did in 2018, but its still an impressive feat to crack this list considering hes tracked number one receivers in five of the Ravens seven games this season already. Great name. Carlton Davis may draw the more demanding assignments, but Dean has been just about as good as Tampa Bay could have hoped for in his role over the past two seasons. 7 coverage grade among cornerbacks this season, recording three interceptions and three pass breakups. Of all cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps, he ranks No. Hes been thrown at only 21 times all year and has the third-highest coverage snaps per target of any corner in the league. While he may end up as a slot cornerback in the NFL, he has the skill and temperament to thrive there. He has allowed just 174 yards into his coverage all season. Great play. He is currently the No. That should change in 2023, as pairing this list down to 10 was no easy task. Those targets have resulted in only 264 yards and 12 first downs which is a ridiculously low conversion rate. Hes also the No. Injuries held him to just over 300 snaps for San Francisco last season, but Sherman was the highest-graded cornerback in the league (90.3 overall) back in 2019. The former Samford Bulldog put up one of the better performances of any cornerback in the league against Allen Robinson II, allowing just one reception on six targets with three pass breakups and an interception in that Week 2 matchup. PFF recently ranked the top slot cornerbacks in the NFL and the Eagles' defensive back landed at No. Gilmore was one of the best free-agent signings of the offseason, as he continues to be one of the leagues best coverage players. Sneed is also a top run-defending cornerback, which is another reason why he makes our list. Where WFT players fall on the different lists. When on the field, though, Duck has the all-around blend of size and athleticism thats unmistakable at the cornerback position, as it's the type of blend that all the best man-coverage cornerbacks possess at the next level. McCourty has allowed only seven first downs on 42 targets this season. According to PFF WAR, the veteran corner was the sixth-most valuable cornerback in the league over the 2015, 2017 and 2018 seasons. Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a catch against Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) during a game at Allegiant Stadium. Eagles have 2 players make PFF's ranking of the top-32 cornerbacks in the NFL Glenn Erby June 8, 2022 4:33 pm ET The Eagles had several pressing needs entering free agency and the NFL draft,. Syracuse isnt a cornerback powerhouse by any means, but the Orange have something special in Williams. Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams The newly minted Super Bowl champion is not only the top cornerback in the NFL, but also one of the best football players,. Amukamara has been the definition of solid over the course of his career in the NFL. Hes currently in the midst of by far the best season of his career, though. He has been one of the lowest-ranking performers per PFF all season. Dean expanded his role in the Buccaneers defense from fewer than 400 snaps in 2019 to 935 defensive snaps this past season. Lattimores PFF grade has fallen from 86.1 as a rookie to 77.5 (2018), 65.6 (2019) and 59.1 (2020) in the three years since 2017. Hes had lockdown games like Week 1 against the Rams, where he allowed 1-of-4 targets to be caught for 11 yards while picking off and breaking up a pass. Williams earned coverage grades above 81.0 in each of the last two years and made some remarkable plays on the ball in coverage in Brandon Staleys defense in 2020. pic.twitter.com/Bclg6glOVA, Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) January 23, 2022. Of course, the SEC is well represented here, but there are some players from schools not necessarily known for their cornerback talented represented as well. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. This ranking should come along with a hefty asterisk because, from a talent perspective, Daniels should rank higher on this list. White is right there with Howard as one of the best playmaking cornerbacks in the league. Ward has allowed just one touchdown this season on 326 coverage snaps and is currently PFFs No. After being charged with eight receptions allowed in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, Ramsey proceeded to allow just 24 receptions over the remainder of the regular season, giving upfewer than 25 receiving yards in 11 games. His 19.1% forced incompletion rate was a top-five mark at the cornerback position last year, tied with Jaire Alexander. Rookie Derek Stingley Jr. is the big name in Houstons secondary, but their best cornerback has been veteran Steven Nelson. PFF brings you data-driven NFL rankings, stats, and player grades for every team and player in the National Football League. Tennessees loss has turned into the Giants gain. Syndication The Indianapolis Star Excited to see him play more and show off his athleticism/ball skills. Obviously, there is caution with expecting Thomas to replicate this play in 2022 and beyond, given its a one-year sample, but he showed the ability to do so. He is the seventh-highest-graded cornerback overall on the year (79.9), as he's allowed just 268 yards on 391 coverage snaps. 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). You can receive anywhere from a 2x multiplier to a 10x. It's difficult to find too many heavier cornerbacks than the 6-foot, 214-pound Stevenson, who has the tape to back it up as well even dating back to his true freshman and sophomore seasons at Georgia, where he earned coverage grades in the high 60s. Gilmore was comfortably the No. From 2017 through 2018 with the Chicago Bears, he allowed the fewest yards per slot coverage snap in the NFL en route to a top-five coverage grade at the position. He didn't enjoy much success, as he earned single-season PFF grades below 60.0 each year. AVONTE MADDOX, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Maddox has played just about everywhere. Subscribe to In that span, hes been the biggest playmaker at the position: His 12 interceptions from the slot are three more than any other player over the last four seasons, and his 1.33 Wins Above Replacement (, Hilton's 84.4 slot coverage grade is fifth in the league since 2017. Waynes three-year, $42 million contract was likely an overpay, but he does profile as a quality starting option. He is as fluid and explosive as any cornerback in the country. 1 cornerback in the league in run-defense grade (92.0), as he is as physical as it gets on the edge. Injuries piled up, though, and he managed to play only 373 snaps. Peters is averaging the most coverage snaps between receptions of any corner in the league. Today, we turn our attention to what we believe is the second most valuable position on the football field. 9 on the list. Slay has the No. Reader, yet neither made an impact last season due to injury. Weve been breaking down a bunch of awards here at PFF as we reach the halfway point of the season. Osborn has been a disappointment this season and it continues. The Bengals handed out two big contracts on the defensive side of the ball last offseason. Hes allowed just 258 yards on 58 targets while letting up just a 41.2 passer rating. Ricks has been one of the premier press cornerbacks in the country over his two seasons of college football. Another of those factors was health, as Darby played over 600 defensive snaps in 2020 for the first time in four seasons. Here is PFF's take on the top 32 outside cornerbacks entering the 2021 NFL season, featuring stiff competition for the top spot among several players under the age of 27. Georgia defensive back Kelee Ringo (5) returns a interception for a touchdown Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. He has quick feet, attacks the ball well, good feel for the game, under control movements. The three highest PFF grades of Fuller's career came with Fangio as the defensive coordinator in Chicago from 2015 to 2018. Over the past three seasons, only Stephon Gilmore has a higher coverage grade than Hayward. Howards 2020 performance put that playmaking ability on full display, with double-digit pass breakups and interceptions to go along with an 89.6 coverage grade. Washington outgained New York 411-316 in total yardage. Hes never recorded a PFF grade lower than 70.0 impressive consistency for a cornerback often tasked with tough assignments and is coming off the best PFF grade since his second year in the league. Humphreys seamless inside-outside versatility is a big reason why he ranks so highly here. 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. Harris continues to be one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the NFL. His 71 forced incompletions since 2014 are fewer than only Darius Slay and Stephon Gilmore. His 75.8 coverage grade in 2020 ranked 15th among all qualifying cornerbacks across the league, and he was called for just two penalties all year. He also has three interceptions on the season with only one touchdown allowed. Not only has Gardner been the best rookie cornerback, but you can also make a case that he's been the league's best defensive back in the NFL this year. From 2012 to now, Amukamara has never had a season with a coverage grade below 63.8 (2016) and never higher than 77.1 (2018). He returned last week for 28 snaps, largely in 2nd half. He has a chance to be one of the better slot corners in college football! At 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, he can make up for some of his middling athletic tools with length and ball skills. The Chiefs desperately needed someone to take a big leap in their cornerback room and so far Ward has looked like a different player than we saw last year. He should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he can stay healthy. Williams career trajectory is very similar to Dean's in that he graded exceptionally well in a limited role in 2019 and didnt take any sort of step back in a full-time starting job this past season. He went from free safety and outside corner in 2018 to the slot in 2019, then back to the outside for 2020. 14. Unfortunately, Emerson is a liability as a run defender the only reason he's not ranked inside the top 20 of our list. Peters and Humphrey are the only top-10 duo on this list and a big reason why Baltimores secondary has had the success that it has over the past two seasons. We often bring up the difficult coverage assignments that No. Hes uber-competitive and willing to stick his nose in the fight wherever it may be, as his 59 solo tackles last season were the 12th-most among all cornerbacks and seventh-most when isolating solely outside cornerbacks. Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas all made the top 32 for PFF. 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. Hes once again allowing a completion percentage against right around 50.0%, as hes yielded 19-of-37 targets so far for 293 yards. But this year, he already has two games with a coverage grade over 90.0 as hes picked off three passes in six games. 1 cornerbacks in the NFC South are tasked with. In all, 17.1% of the targets into his coverage have resulted in either a pass breakup or interception over his career, a top-five mark among qualifiers at the position. Over the last decade, NFL teams have shifted away from base defense into nickel. Hes picked off nine passes over the past three seasons, and that total should be even higher, as Hadens nine dropped interceptions since 2018 are tied for the most at the position. He also has two interceptions, including a pick-six against Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A . How could we make a top 25 list of the best cornerbacks and not include Tariq Woolen? Butler had arguably his best season in coverage since his New England days last year with Tennessee. Haden may be on the downward slope of his career, but he has provided Pittsburgh with steady play at cornerback since joining the team in 2018 and should continue to do so in 2021. 2022 NFL Cornerback Rankings 1. Hes developed into a shutdown cornerback that teams have avoided altogether this season. He is currently the No. The steady veteran presence that he should bring will be important for a secondary that will likely start two cornerbacks under the age of 24 alongside him. ELI RICKS intercepts Kyle Trask for the pick-6???? The former fifth-round pick came from Illinois, where he played over 2,100 snaps on the outside compared to just 155 in the slot. NFL News & Analysis. The Eagles need him to return to that earlier form because their cornerback depth leaves a . The Patriots' secondary has been excellent this season, with both of their starting outside cornerbacks making this list. Five rookies make the cut: Sauce Gardner, Jack Jones, Tariq Woolen, Kader Kahou and Martin Emerson are all shining within their respective secondaries. Hayden never quite lived up to his draft billing in Oakland or Detroit, but hes reinvented himself as a quality slot cornerback out in Jacksonville. Subscribe to Sign Up 1. 1 corner at the next level. Fuller was back in Washington for the 2020 season following a two-year stint in Kansas City. Last year, it was Houstons, Porter is one of the longest corners in the draft class at 6-foot-2, 192 pounds, and you wont find a cornerback who fared better against the, This final spot was hotly contested between Stevenson, TCU's. There have been a few games in which Ramsey has struggled, but hes still been one of the leagues most impactful players. He had one of the highest forced incompletion rates in the league this past year with Washington one of several contributing factors to the multi-year deal that Denver offered him. Those missed opportunities only make the 77.5 passer rating allowed over that span (13th in the NFL) more impressive. Hayward has been one of the highest-graded cornerbacks in the league for much of his career, spanning across time spent with both the Packers and the Los Angeles Chargers. Hes also getting tested a ton with 43 targets already on the year. He has some of the quickest feet you will ever see from a cornerback, currently ranking as the 17th-highest-graded cornerback in the NFL (75.7). The last year was a nightmare for Hill. His PFF grade dropped from 90.0 over a five-year stint in Detroit to just 59.5 across the past two years. But after impressing in the slot during camp, he was given the starting job and went on to lead the NFL in coverage grade for the 2021 season. The veteran finished second among slot cornerbacks and 13th among all cornerbacks in WAR last season despite being tasked with much more man coverage in his first year with the Bengals. Even though hes been stuck in a defense that doesnt quite feature his strengths as much as it could, hes still earned an above-average 72.9 coverage grade for his career. Bradberry put up solid performances against a difficult slate of NFC South cornerbacks across the first four seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers, but he took a clear step forward in his first year with the Giants last season. . His eight pass breakups are tied for the second-most at the position. That all came to a halt with the Chargers in 2020, as Hayward earned a PFF grade of just 59.5 while allowing nearly 17 yards per reception into his coverage. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Ramsey has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league since Jacksonville drafted him fifth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. When the Miami Dolphins signed cornerback Kader Kohou as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M Commerce this offseason, they probably weren't expecting him to have much of an impact in his rookie season. Bryan Manning. No cornerback in the league has been more productive on passes 20 or more yards downfield over that span. The second-highest-graded cornerback (86.9) in the NFL this season is rookie Jack Jones of the New England Patriots. While hes allowed a few big plays in coverage, hes also made some timely interceptions to help seal wins for the Vikings. 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. 9. He endured these struggles while watching his former team embark on a Super Bowl run. 9-graded cornerback on the year. Marcus Peters, Baltimore Ravens 14. pic.twitter.com/mDiwzbK9fx, Canes Legacy (@CanesLegacy) January 17, 2021. Early 2023 NFL Draft Cornerback Rankings: Georgia's Kelee Ringo and Syracuse's Garrett Williams top the list Georgia defensive back Kelee Ringo (5) returns a interception for a touchdown Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Theres a reason he has received plenty of interest since his release. NFL defenses will ask very different things of their cornerbacks, depending on the scheme they run. Still, hes allowed only 18 of his 38 career targets to be caught for 293 yards. Theres some major durability concern for Callahan as he enters his early 30s, but the good news is that hes in a system that fits his skill set. Jones allowed 1.4 yards per coverage snap with Miami in 2020 double his 0.7 yards per coverage snap average across the 2018 and 2019 seasons in Dallas. Fuller is set to be reunited with Vic Fangio in Denver. Get five Golden Jokers for a 32x multiplier. The Commanders won the time of possession battle and rushed for more yardage than the Giants. The 5-foot-11, 192-pound corner is a smooth operator in zone coverage, playing with good balance and sure-fire tackling. Related Topics . Jackson has been one of the stingiest cornerbacks in the league on deep targets since entering the league. Emerson, another rookie, has been forced to play a ton of snaps due to injuries. He lacks the high-end explosiveness that evaluators like to see out of a CB1, but he can still be a No. Huge addition. Hes already mastered the art of initiating contact with receivers without drawing a flag, which is why he allowed only 15 of his 32 targets to be caught for 184 yards and a 36.5 passer rating in his first season as a starter in 2021. (not pictured) as cornerback Patrick Peterson (7) and wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) look on during the . But the injuries started to mount. The Indianapolis Colts Versus Jacksonville Jaguars On Sunday Jan 9 2022 Tiaa Bank Field In Jacksonville Fla. Slot corner is the most undervalued position in the NFL. Alexander has been a bit up and down this season, but his talent is undeniable. He wasnt traded for his on-field play. 2 overall (behind only Jalen Ramsey) and was placed in the "elite" category. It hasnt taken Alexander very long to establish himself as one of the leagues best coverage cornerbacks. When you see him bully WRs and keep his eyes on the ball in the air, its hard not to get excited. He might not be the flashiest cornerback in the league, but Nelson has been incredibly productive this year. He finished with a top-three slot coverage grade and allowed the fewest yards per coverage snap (0.50). Jackson missed the majority of the 2020 season with a lingering knee injury, but he profiled as one of the most promising young cornerbacks in the league before last year, fresh off a career-high 82.5 coverage grade in 2019. In his 227 press coverage snaps over his career, Ricks has allowed only six of his 21 targets to be caught for 121 yards while generating three interceptions and five forced incompletions. He still has three interceptions on the season, and opposing quarterbacks are still mindful of where he is at all times. Theres no Derek Stingley Jr. or Sauce Gardner in this class yet, but Ringo comes battle-tested with a superb athletic skill set to project to the next level. pic.twitter.com/xDJxfg73bd, Robert Cardona (@CARDONAFAM29) April 12, 2022. Signed a 4 yr/$24m deal and is a top 5 graded slot corner and one of the 25 most valuable defenders in the league this year. He also ranks in at least the 87th percentile in coverage grades at both alignments. Jacksons grading profile has been consistent across his first three seasons in the NFL after joining New England as an undrafted free agent in 2018. There have been a few games in which Ramsey has struggled, but hes still been one of the leagues most impactful players. Horn is surrendering just 6.8 yards per reception, the lowest mark in the NFL among cornerbacks. He has picked up coverage grades between 70.4 and 72.4 every season, gradually increasing his playing time each year. Year after year Hayward has been a top-10 cornerback with the Chargers. Opponents are averaging just 7.7 yards per reception on Dean, which is third-best in the NFL behind only Jaycee Horn (6.8) and Patrick Surtain II (7.0). He graded at 75.0 or higher in every season that he saw more than 100 snaps from 2012 through 2019, and he did it all while posting the highest forced incompletion rate in the NFL. 4 in coverage grade (82.1). He recorded just one interception and two pass breakups on 42 targets, allowing a career-high 96.7 passer rating into his coverage. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. However, he was overly aggressive at times and susceptible to giving up the big play. A Week 5 matchup with Amari Cooper and Dallas put that on display. Multiplier Wheel: When all reels have the same symbol, you're eligible for the Multiplier Wheel. Hes recorded two interceptions and allowed 81 yards in coverage this season. The 36-year-old corner has gotten a second wind manning the slot in Green Bay. Nelson was another surprise release by a team strapped for salary cap space. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. If you take away a disastrous 2019 season with the Philadelphia Eagles in which he earned just a 44.8 overall grade, Darby has graded above 68.0 overall since being drafted in 2015. But their one reliable player at the position this year has been Sutton, who has played 471 snaps through Week 10. Missouri CB Kris Abrams-Draine is a former WR who transitioned to CB. Playing opposite Darius Slay, Bradberry has had an excellent bounce-back season with the Eagles. In five seasons with the Horned Frogs, hes managed to play a grand total of 510 snaps and never more than 208 in a single year, as his injury list is almost difficult to keep track of at this point. Diggs is the NFLs biggest boom-or-bust cornerback, but hes done a better job of limiting big plays this season. PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. However, the offense failed to get it . He is expected to compete with 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette for one of the starting jobs in Las Vegas, reuniting with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. He also stands out as one of the better zone-coverage cornerbacks in the NFL, ranking in the 94th percentile of all cornerbacks on such plays during the 2020 season. He recorded coverage grades of at least 72.0 in each of his first three seasons in the league and has allowed just 51.4% of the passes thrown into his coverage to be completed. 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. All in all, hes been a pretty decent cornerback for the Steelers this season. Last year, it was Houstons Marcus Jones and the year before, it was Florida State's Asante Samuel Jr. With him playing on his third team in three years, its hard not to be impressed with his play this season. Hes in the Jamel Dean or Caleb Farley mold, as Ringo is a size-speed demon. Hes allowed just 97 yards in coverage since Week 4, and opposing quarterbacks have a 44.6 passer rating when targeting him. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports. Syndication The Indianapolis Star. This thread is archived . [PFF] Cornerback rankings through week 2. He still showcases lockdown man-coverage ability at times, but it has been less consistent of late. EDIT 1: Just added the Secondary rankings as well per @HTTRDynasty, the receiving corps ranking, and the running back units ranking . Some cornerbacks are tasked with shutting down their side of the field in zone, while other top cornerbacks are given the unenviable job of following the opposing teams No. pic.twitter.com/ZrcAiM65Qk, Robert Cardona (@CARDONAFAM29) May 2, 2022. He's made more plays on the ball in the slot than anyone else since entering the league in 2018 (24). Hes allowed only 165 yards all season long for the seventh-best yards per coverage snap of any corner in the league. Keep in mind that the cornerback position has a steep learning curve, hence why some of the 2022 NFL Draft 's promising rookies didn't make the cut. He also owns the third-lowest missed tackle rate in zone from the slot over the last two seasons just five misses on 76 attempts. He possesses some of the best change-of-direction ability in the class and unsurprisingly attacks the ball in the air like awellformer wide receiver. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. The only worry is that he doesnt have prototypical press-man coverage athleticism to go along with that production. Maddox has played just about everywhere in the secondary in his four-year Eagles career. These are the top-performing cornerbacks so far according to PFFs coverage grading. It shouldnt come as a shock if he wins that starting job and rebounds from a down 2020 season. Kelee Ringo's first career interception looks very familiar. 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. Hes been the solid for the Packers all season long and has allowed catches in only five of their eight games this season. PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast . He needs to improve as a run defender (53.3 run-defense grade), but hes been one of the leagues better cover cornerbacks so far this season. Hes tops in terms of forced incompletions, though, as hes broken up 14 passes already at the halfway point. It also discounts hybrid players who will move between the two spots in any given game Jalen Ramsey and Marlon Humphrey, for example. Porter is one of the longest corners in the draft class at 6-foot-2, 192 pounds, and you wont find a cornerback who fared better against the Ohio State receiver triumvirate than Porter in 2021. 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