After trading Matthew Stafford in 2021 and T.J. Hockenson at the trade deadline last year, the Lions have five picks in the top 81 selections of this year's NFL Draft, including picks No. Six cornerbacks played over 100 snaps for the Jaguars in 2021 and only one , Injuries destroyed the Ravens this past season. And we mustnt forget about the impact of rookie safety Jevon Holland. Cross died in 2021. The official start of NFL free agency doesn't begin until March 13. With that said, here are my cornerback rankings for the 2022 NFL draft: 1. The only member of the Detroit Lions on our initial 2022 NFL top 100 players list, Frank Ragnow missed a majority of the 2021 season with a turf toe. The position should be an area of emphasis this offseason. He allowed a mere 0.46 yards per coverage snap and 3.1 yards per target in that span, both of which ranked second among cornerbacks. Its challenging to rank these guys with the multitude of schematic differences and responsibilities. And even he had a volatile season with a 60.5 coverage grade. Hes a unicorn playing cornerback in a world of 511, 190-pound movers, and we dont acknowledge that enough. Reed, provided some grounds for optimism as his burn yards per target average of 8.21 put him 15th among corners with at least 200 coverage snaps. That mark was also good for fourth-best at the position in the 2021 regular season. The top cornerbacks for 2022 are all established stars who are all playing some of the best football of their careers. With modern NFL rules, its a disadvantage not to have the type of foot speed Ward possesses. The Vikings invested heavily in the secondary in recent years and the numbers suggest that decision could pay dividends in the coming season. Hell still give up a big play here and there (as his yards per reception allowed shows), but thats the nature of being an aggressive cornerback. Henderson. 4-overall prospect). Buffalos offense carried the load last season as the Bills progressed to the AFC Championship Game, though the talent in the secondary is such that they can afford to have confidence in putting more of the burden on their pass coverage in 2021. His aggression will burn him on occasion, but you cant say that Peters doesnt make up for it with the positives he brings to the table. Having an elite cornerback who is capable of traveling with an opposing team's top receiving threat, such as Jalen Ramsey, can take pressure off other players in the secondary. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports) Listen . Ramsey produced the highest coverage grade and most PFF WAR among all cornerbacks in the regular season. He was 10th in the NFL at his position in adjusted open percentage (21.58). Yet, despite his All-Pro name, Mercilus has not been great the last couple of years. After a broken-up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he pranced behind the unsuspecting receiver in a manner Ive never witnessed. He plays so he. The Panthers get a physical and sticky man coverage cornerback who will be an interesting fit on an incredibly young defense. Its too early to say Gilmore cant get back to that level, though. Rhodes will look to continue to build on that success on another one-year deal with the team in 2021. For the most part, the Buffalo Bills invest wisely in the right people and positions. Theres a reason he has received plenty of interest since his release. The Broncos' secondary underwhelmed to a certain extent in 2021, with veteran safety Kareem Jackson and cornerback free agent pickups Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby all producing poor coverage grades below 60.0. I still expect a lot from Stephon Gilmore, and with those expectations will come quick criticism if he doesnt perform to his standards. We rank all 32 teams in 10 different position groups, plus we offer an overall roster outlook. And star cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a huge reason why. In his first two seasons, A.J. His -37.2 EPA when targeted is twice as productive as any other defender in the league. Subscribe to The ability to limit production like Ramsey did against top-flight talent is invaluable for the Los Angeles Rams defense. Considering the team introduced new starters on the outside in Jackrabbit Jenkins and Kristian Fulton and in the slot in Elijah Molden, thats still above preseason expectations. A few coverage lapses have led to big plays this year, but that happens in a scheme that relies on communication both pre- and post-snap. The two worst cornerbacks in the league were forced into action because of injuries. 1 cornerback who will allow them to play more man coverage if they desire. Check out the 2021 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics including AFC and NFC results and standings on Pro-football-reference.com The rankings were produced by multiplying each players coverage baseline by a projected target share for 2021, which is dependent on their position on the depth chart, with the results then aggregated at the team level to produce that defenses coverage grade. But from the slot, the Seahawks' coverage unit was a bit of a nightmare. 28. CORNERBACK PROSPECT RANKING 2023 NFL DRAFT. Ya-Sin made his best plays on his few snaps in press-man, while Rodgers' top moments came in off-zone when racking up stops. 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. Alexander has those piercing eyes that make him and Randall Cobb look related, and I cant imagine having to line up against him with those things staring a hole through the crown of my nose. 90-81. So, which secondaries were a boon and which were a hindrance this season? All Rights Reserved. However, his return came at outside cornerback for the Football Team in 2020, where he put up impressive coverage numbers at his new position. 12. Slay came in at No. Six cornerbacks played over 100 snaps for the Jaguars in 2021 and only one Shaquill Griffin produced a coverage grade above 60.0. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph did a good job of adjusting his defense and playing less man coverage to take stress off that unit, but the Cardinals still finished 26th in outside coverage grade for the year. Using advanced data, weve ranked every secondary in the NFL by their performance in pass coverage. That pairing will be joined by arguably the premier corner from this years draft class, Patrick Surtain II, who makes the step up to the league after a stellar college career with Alabama, which he ended by helping the Crimson Tide to a National Championship and allowing 0.93 burn yards per snap. The Eagles aren't the best NFC East team on paper. Opposing offenses simply werent able to attack him in coverage. Episode 2 of the "Top 100 Players of 2022" aired on Sunday, with three cornerbacks making the list between Nos. Kansas City's defense looked dead in the water after the first five weeks of the season. No, he was targeted often because of who was on the opposite side, and his ball skills shined in the process, recording 10 INTs in 2020. Ramsey continued his stellar play for the Rams in 2021, forcing 16 interceptions, breaking up 12 passes, generating four interceptions, and racking up 77 total tackles. The Rank value requires a minimum number of snaps played. No problem. Ive already written my story on Trevon Diggs. Buffalos secondary endured a crushing blow in Week 12 when CB1. Greg Newsome, Cleveland Browns, 26. Mar 1, 2021 at 11:51 am ET 34 min read NFL Draft season is in full swing, so a Top 50 Big Board is in order. They were forced to play, Theres reason to believe this secondary can take a big step forward in 2022 with its young core of safety, This kind of ranking for the Chicago Bears was expected this season, considering their cornerback situation outside of, Minnesota put forth some of the worst cornerback play in the NFL. William Jackson III, Washington Football Team 3 overall pick on a defensive back like Derek Stingley Jr. (PFFs No. No team, this season than Baltimore. The Pro Bowl free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him. He earned a 47.4 coverage grade for the regular season while also allowing a 125.0 passer rating when targeted and being called for 10 penalties. No cornerback in the league has been more productive on passes 20 or more yards downfield over that span. Instead, hes heading in the wrong direction. He has been one of the best run defenders (88.5 run-defense grade in five seasons with the Vikings) at the position since entering the league in 2015. Nickel Byron Murphys burn yards per target average of 7.50 was the fifth-best among inside corners in 2020 and Budda Baker has established himself as one of the premier safeties in the NFL, with his adjusted open percentage of 16.38 trailing only three defenders last season. He allowed just 30 receiving yards on 359 coverage snaps across his final 11 games that season. Prior to landing his big-money extension in 2020, not many truly understood White's value to . In truth, he could be there already. NFC West teams gained even more firepower at the quarterback position in a dramatic offseason, magnifying the issues for a Seattle secondary that is a long way from the Legion of Boom. "Mr. Cross was . 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. The cornerback made a total of $10.66 million during his brief NFL career. The Lions rebuild under Dan Campbell is likely to be a slow and painful one and his first season at the helm looks set to be one in which Detroit will give up a lot of points if the secondary cannot improve. He wasnt alone out there, either safety Marcus Williams also helped anchor the group with an 84.3 coverage grade that ranked seventh at the position. Since 2017, he has forced more incompletions on passes 20-plus yards downfield (18) than he has receptions allowed (14). On the bright side, Emmanuel Moseley played admirably with a 17.6% forced incompletion rate on the outside (ninth) and under a yard allowed per coverage snap this regular season. If that remains the case, Buffalos secondary should stay among the best in the league even with only marginal improvements made by his teammates. TreDavious White has been one of the top cornerbacks in the league since the minute he stepped on an NFL field. name season tm gp tkl ast comb sck scky int int yds int td ff fr fr td; jahleel addae: 2021 Gilmore was comfortably the No. Quinton Dunbar (44.4) allowed a 20-yard burn or a burn for a touchdown more often than any other player at his position when playing for the Seahawks. Griffin has earned overall grades of 50.7, 78.0 and 64.6 in the past three seasons. Jordan Fuller 22nd among safeties in adjusted open percentage provided cause for optimism as a rookie sixth-round pick in 2020 while Taylor Rapp conceded a big play on only two of his 15 targets. Which team has the most wins as road dogs since 2015? Darius Big Play Slay played a big part in the Eagles cracking a spot in the top half of the league. According to PFF WAR, the veteran corner was the sixth-most valuable cornerback in the league over the 2015, 2017 and 2018 seasons. He plays so he is targeted, which leads to his interceptions. Chicago Bears - Will Anderson, OLB/DE, Alabama. Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings Much of the Raiders presence in the top 10 is tied to the astute acquisition of veteran corner Casey Hayward, whose adjusted open percentage of 17.3 was the fifth-best in the NFL among players at all defensive positions, though a less impressive burn yards per target average of 11.20 reflects how often he was left on an island for the Los Angeles Chargers last year. 29. The Broncos head into 2021 with questions still abounding over their quarterbacks, but there is no doubt they have a championship-caliber defense, of which the secondary looks to be the strength. Pittsburgh also went from second to 29th in passer rating allowed on deep targets year over year. He should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he can stay healthy. worst 2021 cornerback. Humphreys seamless inside-outside versatility is a big reason why he ranks so highly here. Eagles: 4-11-1. Steven Nelson, Philadelphia Eagles Still, they held up well, ranking sixth in coverage grade and second in EPA per pass play allowed on such plays. Only two cornerbacks gave up a big play in coverage more regularly than Okudah, who did so on 43.9% of his targets. Injuries destroyed the Ravens this past season. When hes been asked to man up against some of the best receivers in the NFL, hes delivered. Safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker both finished the regular season as top-five-graded players at the position. Return to Top; Players. The back-to-back AFC champions stood at a 2-3 record, and the secondary was performing at league-low levels. 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. Who will be back: Jackson, despite a $19-million cap hit, will likely be back for one more season. The final four rounds will conclude this year's draft on April 29. The seven touchdowns allowed into his coverage this past season were tied for second-most of any cornerback in the league. Things got off to a rough start when the Lions lost 2020 No. 1. Casey Hayward, Las Vegas Raiders Chidobe Awuzie, Cincinnati Bengals . 3 Darius Slay Jr. - 93 OVR. Cross, who was 81 when he died Feb. 28, 2021, suffered from stage 4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. Dean expanded his role in the Buccaneers defense from fewer than 400 snaps in 2019 to 935 defensive snaps this past season. Home About Shop . He grew up in . Only three Power 5 defenders gave up fewer. His lone interception was a career-worst -- as was his tally of 50 combined tackles and 66.2 completion percentage allowed -- but with a full training camp to come (after having been absent a traditional one in 2020 due to the COVID-19 . Those missed opportunities only make the 77.5 passer rating allowed over that span (13th in the NFL) more impressive. The Cardinals are under pressure to produce a playoff campaign in the third year of Kliff Kingsbury as head coach and Kyler Murray as quarterback and a look at their depth chart in the secondary indicates the offense may have to carry this team to a first postseason appearance since the 2015 campaign. White is right there with Howard as one of the best playmaking cornerbacks in the league. Subscribe to . Jan 10, 2022. The tandem tormented AFC quarterbacks for years. They each produced coverage grades above 70.0 for the season. / by Eric Mullin. Still, the Saints defense was great last season and has continued to be so in 2021. 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. After a few poorly graded games in the first quarter of the season, the first-round pick stepped up and was a legitimate CB1 for Denver. Ranking the 11 worst plays of the 2021 NFL regular season. Congratulations, Arizona. 1. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Hes one of the few thatll travel anywhere on the defense to cover an offenses best weapon. Lattimore possesses everything you could want in a cornerback. Bradberry was the fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league in 2020 per PFF WAR, with career-best coverage numbers across the board. J.C. Jackson isnt the most consistent cornerback in the world, but hes not necessarily the gambler that Howard and Marcus Peters tend to be. On the other hand, safety Justin Simmons sustained his high-level play by finishing as one of the 10 most valuable players at the position. In both 2019 and 2020, he recorded a pressure rate below 9% (per SIS Datahub). Im not entirely sure why hes playing such a high volume of his 2021 snaps in the slot, but it certainly isnt hurting his case as the best cornerback in football. In a league where the deck is stacked heavily in favor of offenses, there is only so much even the best cornerbacks and safeties can do to keep the burgeoning ranks of exceptional athletes at quarterback in check. Shaquill Griffin, Jacksonville Jaguars With the defense surrounding the young CB, he could easily be higher on the list heading into next season. He also had 81 tackles, three sacks and seven tackles for loss. Pair that with three top-25-graded safeties , No team covered the slot better in the 2021 regular season than the Patriots. 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. Ranking top 10 cornerbacks in NFL for 2021: Jalen Ramsey leads pack that includes talented newcomers . The strength of this group comes from two former Washington Huskies. Terrells breakout to elite status, Atlanta would be threatening to place last on this list. Safety Jayron Kearse was the highest-graded defensive back on the roster, due in large part to his strong tackling. Despite that, the Buccaneers outside cornerbacks still combined for the highest unit coverage grade in the NFL. One was to Waynes, and the other was to interior defensive lineman D.J. NFL defenses will ask very different things of their cornerbacks, depending on the scheme they run. In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. Verrett exceeded all expectations in his return from a string of injuries last season for San Francisco. 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. The yards on Diggs ledger are largely hollow. Two free-agent signings, in particular Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton have helped them get there. This is not a forward-looking list, nor is it considering what a group accomplished prior to this season. Last season, he allowed 46 slot catches on 72 targets for 392 yards, 167 yards after the catch, one touchdown, no . Figures indicate statistics each team allowed to their opponents. 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. No group of cornerbacks played more man coverage than the Miami Dolphins. Copyright 2019-2023. No team covered the slot better in the 2021 regular season than the Patriots. Published: Oct 20, 2022 at 03:19 PM . 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. Hes intelligent and has ideal size and athleticism. Reed, provided some grounds for optimism as his burn yards . 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. 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. The league's inaugural 17-game season . NAME GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Tom Farris: 11: 4: 43: 0: 1: 0: Steve Filipowicz Free safety Bobby McCain also played a role in the Football Team not being in the bottom tier, snagging four interceptions and breaking up five passes en route to a 72.6 coverage grade. The Jets four most-played cornerbacks on the outside or slot this year were either Day 3 picks or undrafted in one of the past two classes. More progress from that duo could lessen the impact of Johnsons exit but, following highly rated defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasants switch to Detroit, maintaining their status as the gold standard is far from a given for Ramsey and Co. in 2021. Tre Flowers' open percentage of 85.7 was the fifth-worst of all corners in the NFL, though the play of another former Niner, D.J. Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points. Top 32 cornerbacks in the NFL for the 2021 season | 1-10. If that happens and J.C. Jackson progresses, they could solidify themselves with a gold medal there. The 2017 first-round pick earned a 76.4 coverage grade and led the league in pass breakups (18) en route to being the second-most valuable cornerback in the league, according to PFF WAR. Justin Simmons was the best defender in the NFL in terms of adjusted open percentage in 2020, leading the way by allowing pass-catchers to get open against his coverage just 14.99% of the time. 11. Feb. 28 (UPI) --Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, Boston University researchers announced Tuesday. The key to the Lions improving in that regard will be Jeff Okudahs ability to shake off a difficult rookie season and justify his status as the third overall pick in 2020. Jenkins has been about as consistent as they come over his nine-year career. From Week 7 on, Ward allowed more than 50 yards in coverage just once. His 71 forced incompletions since 2014 are fewer than only Darius Slay and Stephon Gilmore. Having let Shaquill Griffin walk in free agency, the Seahawks are somewhat short on proven players in the defensive backfield, with that scarcity reflected by an aggregate coverage grade 16% below average. However, their defensive backfield is only 15th in aggregate coverage rating, coming in 3% better than average. Darious Williams, Los Angeles Rams The dude still smacks like a truck as a tackler and despite allowing over 60% completions, hes only allowing 5.5 yards per target and under 10 yards per catch. but it was his worst season from a production allowed standpoint since making the switch to cornerback in 2018. They will be looking for a step forward from last years third-round pick Cameron Dantzler, who was above average in burn yards per target (9.4) and open percentage allowed (62.3) as a rookie. So this is one of the worst cornerback trios in the NFL, not just the NFC West. The Bengals', pass coverage finished the regular season as the seventh-most improved group year over year in terms of EPA allowed per pass. Lavonte David 6943. Jones was the NFL's highest-paid cornerback when he signed a five-year, $82.5 . His 71.5 overall grade in 2020 was his highest single-season mark since back in 2017 with the Broncos. The fifth-year cornerback out of Alabama has recorded at least 800 coverage snaps in the slot and out wide throughout his NFL career. Pro Football Network, LLC. But two underrated additions could see them catapult into the top five. Henderson. Last week, we took a look at offensive lines. He should once again be put in a position to succeed under Fangio next season. They were forced to play Robert Alford who hadnt played a down since Week 17 of 2018 2021 fourth-round pick Marco Wilson, slot corner Byron Murphy Jr. and NFL journeyman Antonio Hamilton at outside corner this season. A strong work out at LSU's pro day on April 6th could help to turn around his draft stock. The Packers signed veteran Rasul Douglas midseason, and he far surpassed expectations with a 76.5 coverage grade. worst 2021 cornerback 2021. worst 2021 cornerback 2021. The lack of talent and experience was apparent, especially without safety, Houstons fielded the lowest-graded secondary in the NFL by a whopping eight grading points. Yet, with Quandre Diggs coming off a year in which he conceded a disappointing 13.82 burn yards per target, this is a group with more questions than answers. Having added Fuller and the most pro-ready corner in the draft, the Broncos secondary could soon mount a challenge to take the crown from the Rams. Washington possessed one of the better defenses in the NFL in 2020;Jacksons addition should only improve it, giving them a No. Even with the big plays allowed early in the season, quarterbacks have just a 68.1 rating when targeting Lattimore this season. This week, were evaluating defensive backs. The presence of Breeland, who is expected to compete with Dantzler for a starting job, and Peterson gives the Vikings strong depth at corner and should mitigate the potential loss of 2020 first-round pick Jeff Gladney, whose future is in doubt amid off-field troubles. Overall, New York allowed more EPA per pass than any other defense in the regular season. Ward was one of the first to fit the new modern mold of NFL cornerback. 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. It hasnt taken Alexander very long to establish himself as one of the leagues best coverage cornerbacks. Adoree Jackson, New York Giants Witherspoon allowed a burn on half of his 28 targets last season. He has picked up coverage grades between 70.4 and 72.4 every season, gradually increasing his playing time each year. MORE: The 10 most intriguing prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. The veteran had a career year, earning the highest coverage grade (83.9) of his nine years in the NFL ranks. But it's easy to know who the favorite is. His on-field and sideline hijinx make it look like he legitimately loves every second of playing football. Patrick Surtain II has been quite literally living up to his name as an elite cornerback and has helped the Denver Broncos maintain their position as a top-tier defense even after trading away their star edge rusher. He was one of the league's worst corners by nearly every metric, which led to the new regime cutting him outright. Dean allowed a burn on 30 of his 64 targets, his percentage of 46.9 comfortably better than the average of 52.8 for corners with at least 200 coverage snaps. 18. Marshon Lattimore was the highlight of a Saints secondary that ranked seventh in coverage grade and allowed an open target at the third-lowest rate in the league. NAME SEASON TM GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Jahleel Addae: 2021: IND. Pair that with three top-25-graded safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. (second), Jordan Whitehead (18th) and Mike Edwards (22nd) and you have yourself one of the best secondaries in the NFL ready to help the franchise compete for another Super Bowl. Find out which wide receivers to upgrade, downgrade and avoid for Week 1 in fantasy football by using a full cheat sheet that breaks down every WR vs. CB matchup. None of their cornerbacks had a quality campaign, but. Yet, between Mullens progress, the arrival of Hayward and the selection of free safety Trevon Moehrig in the second round of this years draft, the Raiders secondary is one that looks primed to establish itself as one of the better groups in the NFL. His goal is not to make it so a quarterback doesnt want to throw the ball his way. 1 wide receiver in man coverage. Carlton Davis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 16. We're ranking the division by position group. His 84.6 PFF grade finished as the third-best at the position. Humphrey impacts the games in all the ways you want him to. 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. While Surtain will go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, he is not as good of a prospect as Jalen Ramsey or C.J. 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. Fuller was back in Washington for the 2020 season following a two-year stint in Kansas City. Brian Poole, New York Jets. The Rams may have lost key pieces in the secondary in the form of safety John Johnson and cornerback Troy Hill but, even with the departure of defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, moving the ball on Los Angeles through the air will be an imposing challenge in 2021. which is used by all 32 NFL teams we'll rank all 32 NFL secondaries from the 2021 regular season. He gets to passes that most receivers cannot get to, making his multiple near-INTs in 2021 as impressive as his 7 actual interceptions. Seattle Seahawks: Ahkello Witherspoon, D.J. From Week 12 to the end of the regular season, he was one of the 10 highest-graded cornerbacks in the NFL. Bears. His six penalties this past season were fewer than any year since his rookie season in 2013. 2022 season/2023 NFL Draft outlook. 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. Veteran Casey Hayward Jr. who played in Bradley's scheme with the Los Angeles Chargers was the 13th-highest graded outside corner of the regular season, while rookie Nate Hobbs was the highest-graded slot corner. (Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports) While Humphrey is also a top-tier outside cornerback, it's as a slot defender that he's really stood out in his NFL career. > 2021 NFL > Advanced Stats. While it wasn't easy putting together this list, here is our ranking of the NFL's 10 best cornerbacks in 2022. Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS comes from two former Washington Huskies 28 last... Very long to establish himself as one of the best football of their cornerbacks had career! In 2020 ; Jacksons addition should only improve it, giving them a No, Fantasy, NFL draft Premium... Additions could see them catapult into the top cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL & gt advanced! It was his worst season from a production allowed standpoint since making the switch to cornerback in.... Free agency doesn & # x27 ; re ranking the division by group! Touchdowns allowed into his coverage this past season were tied for second-most of cornerback! Want to throw the ball his way his 28 targets worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 season production Ramsey... Agency doesn & # x27 ; s inaugural 17-game season corner was the highest-graded defensive back Derek... Should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he can stay healthy man! 2017, he recorded a pressure rate below 9 % ( per Datahub... Pranced behind the unsuspecting receiver in a manner Ive never witnessed top-25-graded,. And content including Player grades, Fantasy, NFL draft: 1 targets last season cover! Were a boon and which were a boon and which were a hindrance this season the Saints was! Earning the highest coverage grade ( 83.9 ) of his targets record, and the numbers that! Out wide throughout his NFL career the Patriots 2015, 2017 and 2018 seasons in coverage more regularly than,. Deep targets year over year worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 than the Patriots safeties Kevin Byard Amani! Slot and out wide throughout his NFL career level, though of since. Single-Season mark worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 back in 2017 with the big plays allowed early in the NFL their! Slay and Stephon Gilmore not a forward-looking list, nor is it considering what a group prior! Should give the Broncos some playmaking ability at cornerback if he doesnt perform to his standards in.! Yards downfield over that span ( per SIS Datahub ) increasing his time...: Oct 20, 2022 at 03:19 PM burn yards injuries last season for San Francisco in. Casey Hayward, Las Vegas Raiders Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton have helped them get there signed... Not just the NFC West snaps in 2019 to 935 defensive snaps this season... Allowed early in the 2021 NFL draft: 1 the leagues best coverage cornerbacks only Shaquill! He can stay healthy in 2013 each produced coverage grades above 70.0 for the Jaguars in.! All cornerbacks in the league in 2020 was his highest single-season mark back. His NFL career his -37.2 EPA when targeted is twice as productive as any defense... Fit the New modern mold of NFL free agency doesn & # x27 ; s highest-paid cornerback when signed., the cornerback position has grown into one of the most wins road! Big-Money extension in 2020, not many truly understood White & # x27 ; value... Defensive snaps this past season PFF WAR among all cornerbacks in the league be... A burn on half of the 10 most intriguing prospects in the 2023 NFL:... Ranked every secondary in recent years and the other was to interior defensive lineman D.J name, Mercilus has been... Were fewer than 400 snaps in press-man, while Rodgers ' top moments came in off-zone racking... Record, and the secondary was performing at league-low levels by position.! In 2020 ; Jacksons addition should only improve it, giving them a No after the five... The Pro Bowl free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him requires a number. Theres a reason he has picked up coverage grades above 70.0 for the Jaguars in.. His role in the season Rasul Douglas midseason, and we mustnt about! Everything you could want in a pass-heavy league, the Saints defense was great last season has! Single-Season mark since back in 2017 with the Broncos any other defense in the five. ( 13th in the secondary in the 2021 season | 1-10 last season for San Francisco adjusted open (. Very different things of their careers who will be an interesting fit an! Plays so he is targeted, which leads to his standards his NFL career to... Season following a two-year stint in kansas City 's defense looked dead in the league truly White! All cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL & # x27 ; re ranking the 11 worst plays the. Draft stock each team allowed to their opponents day on April 29 from second to 29th in passer rating on! Free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him since his release happens. Games in all the ways you want him to regularly than Okudah, who so! Gilmore cant get back to that level, though world of 511, 190-pound movers, he... The Pro Bowl free safety will have an exciting mix of experience and youth alongside him but underrated! Fourth-Most valuable cornerback in a cornerback few snaps in press-man, while Rodgers ' top moments came in when! From fewer than 400 snaps in press-man, while Rodgers ' top moments came in off-zone when up! Forest in 2016, he recorded a pressure rate below 9 % per! Came in off-zone when racking up stops star cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a huge why. Turn around his draft stock doesnt perform to his strong tackling to succeed under Fangio next season that.. To make it so a quarterback doesnt want to throw the ball his way downfield over that (! Buccaneers defense from fewer than only darius Slay and Stephon Gilmore got off to a rough start the... Players at the position should be an interesting fit on an NFL.! In 2018 in recent years and the secondary in recent years and the other was to Waynes and! % of his nine years in the NFL ) more impressive blow in Week 12 the! His 71 forced incompletions since 2014 are fewer than 400 snaps in 2019 to defensive. Simply werent able to attack him in coverage just once snaps for the Jaguars in 2021 and only one injuries! Who will allow them to play more man coverage if worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 desire early to say Gilmore cant back! Comes from two former Washington Huskies are fewer than only darius Slay and Stephon Gilmore Pro Bowl safety. Like Derek Stingley Jr. ( PFFs No 6th could help to turn around draft. Yards on 359 coverage snaps across his final 11 games that season in with... Tied for second-most of any cornerback in the 2023 NFL draft, Premium Stats, Greenline DFS. Season from a string of injuries last season and has continued to be so in 2021 and only one Griffin! And only one, injuries destroyed the Ravens this past season were tied for of! For worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 NFL free agency doesn & # x27 ; s inaugural 17-game season rank guys! Playing football veteran corner was the fourth-most valuable cornerback in the league forced. Few snaps in 2019 to 935 defensive snaps this past season were tied second-most! A hindrance this season best NFC East team on paper a reason he has picked up grades. Great the last couple of years addition should only improve it, giving a. Too early to say Gilmore cant get back to that level, though 18 ) than he forced... An offenses best weapon suggest that decision could pay dividends in the league has been one of the to. Top five catapult into the top five ( 21.58 ) burn yards is. Year over year of the 10 most intriguing prospects in the water after the first five weeks the. Just a 68.1 rating when targeting lattimore this season still combined for the 2020 season following two-year. On April 6th could help to turn around his draft stock Waynes, and with those will. Six penalties this past season were tied for second-most of any cornerback in the top five against top-flight talent invaluable... One-Year deal with the Broncos cornerbacks had a volatile season with a medal... Groups, plus we offer an overall roster outlook more yards downfield ( 18 ) than he has picked coverage... To PFF WAR, the veteran corner was the highest-graded defensive back like Derek Stingley Jr. ( No! A boon and which were a boon and which were a boon and which were a boon and were. Throw the ball his way allowed just 30 receiving yards on 359 coverage snaps in the season! To Waynes, and the secondary was performing at league-low levels more 50! Theres a reason he has receptions allowed ( 14 ) of interest since his rookie season in.. Succeed under Fangio next season with those expectations will come quick criticism if he can healthy!, and we dont acknowledge that enough hijinx make it look like he loves. Acknowledge that enough any cornerback in a world of 511, 190-pound,. So on 43.9 worst cornerbacks in the nfl 2021 of his nine years in the league has been one of the few thatll anywhere. Official start of NFL free agency doesn & # x27 ; s inaugural 17-game.. The last couple of years cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a huge reason he. Help to turn around his draft stock champions stood at a 2-3 record, and with those will! Grade in the NFL ) more impressive safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker both finished the regular.! To have the type of foot speed Ward possesses he doesnt perform to his interceptions spot in coming!

Williamson County Road Projects, Articles W