He makes sure to somehow get the ball carrier to the ground, where he can wrap around the knees or clutch a leg. Theres nothing like taking away an opposing teams top receiver and force them to alter their game plan. Stevenson came back home to South Beach to play on the outside for Miami after two years playing for Georgia in the slot. Strongs production speaks volumes, considering hes a former two-star recruit. 16. He was also the No. Taking a look at the list based on conferences, the SEC leads the way with four players ranked. After making plenty of All-American teams in 2021, Moss will hope to lead Iowa to the Big Ten Championship. I like how he actively approaches blockers and disengages when the ball comes his way. Bryant picked off two passes and had three solo tackles in the win over South Florida. In 2021, he had one interception and three passes defended. Kool-Aid McKinstry Pinson Valley (Pinson, AL) CB . He also took an interception 90 yards to the house in the bowl victory over Tulsa. Obviously with the Syracuse Orange being 4-0 at this point, theres plenty of credit to go around. ), Rankings&Projections |WR/CB Matchup Chart |NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props Tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings Hudson Clark, Arkansas: He had no stars next to his name out of high school and began his collegiate career as a walk-on. In 2021, Grimes allowed 15 yards or less in eight of 13 games, but he surrendered 60 or more yards in the other five outings. with the National Football League. 8 Florida State 143.07. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder also had an interception against Army and bowl win over Louisiana Tech. As a true freshman Moore started the first 11 games of Alabamas National Championship season and earned second-team All-SEC. Ranked ninth and tenth overall in their class, either one would be an excellent first pick, and the second will go shortly behind. All defensive backs are either blitzing or in man coverage (no help over the top). He has the length and strength to give wide receivers a problem at the line at 6-foot-2 and 205-pounds but also rare long speed for that size. It was his length and technique to counter back-shoulder fades that really stood out a few times on tape. In the 2021 NFL Draft, five cornerbacks were drafted in the first round, including two that were selected as top-ten picks. Note: While projection of what a player can be is taken into account, most rankings are from what has been seen on the field so far. 1 of 25 Will Anderson, Linebacker, Alabama Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY. The San Francisco 49ers had no picks USC's All-American edge rusher became the first defender the Los Angeles Chargers selected in the 2023 NFL Draft Friday night. Turner will have his hands full in the Big Ten against some good receivers, but he is a solid player in his own right. 35 Overall. Across 530 snaps as a true freshman in 2019, Duck recorded a 78.7 PFF grade a top-12 mark among Power Five true freshmen in the PFF College era (since 2014). Jarron Morris, Texas State: Last season he tied for first on the team with 69 total tackles, to go along with four interceptions and he broke up 11 passes. Jobe will enter his senior year in 2021 for the Crimson Tide. Mullen made clutch plays at Wisconsin, with three solo tackles, a forced fumble and a sack. The Big-12 has two players ranked, while the Big 10, ACC, and Pac-12 each have one player ranked. The following are the top-10 cornerbacks returning to college football this fall. Michigan States Ameer Speed plays good physical defense, and if he can avoid committing penalties, he could have a real upside. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. With knowing what hes capable of, itll be interesting to see if opposing Big 12 quarterbacks will take many opportunities at throwing to his side of the field. JaQuan McMillan, East Carolina: The North Carolina native finished last season with second-team All-AAC honors. Jamison is entering his fifth season with the Longhorns. Brendan Radley-Hiles, Washington: The one-time Nebraska commit started 32 games over the past three seasons with Oklahoma and racked up 115 tackles and three interceptions during that span. Luter missed the final two outings due to injury, but we wont let that take away from what he did in 10 games as a starter. Coaches put them out on an island because they are the most trusted defenders on the field. 1. In the 2021 NFL Draft, five cornerbacks were drafted in the first round, including two that were selected as top-ten picks. Darrell Luters name should be in any conversation about the most underrated player in college football. "He forced tight coverage on over 57% of his targets in 2020, the highest rate among Power Five cornerbacks. After being the third corner behind Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant in 2021, Bush is now the leader in the secondary. Caesar, TCU: The former three-star prospect broke up four passes and snagged three interceptions, including two in the bowl win over Louisiana Tech in 2020. Ringo sealed the National Championship Game for Georgia last season with his pick-six. His breaks and processing speed shined down the stretch for Utah. His best year came when he was a freshman, as he had four interceptions and five passes defended. Turner took on a starting spot for the first time in his Michigan career in Week 8 this past season and performed at a high level from that point forward. He had four interceptions and 10 passes defended in 2021. 55 ranked cornerback in the recruiting class of 2019. Georgia Wide Receiver RaRa Thomas Arrested on Two Charges, Sedrick Van Pran to Return to Georgia in 2023, 5 Potential Destinations for Ilkay Gundogan. He has been one of the most productive corners in the FBS over the past two seasons, with 71 tackles and seven interceptions during that span. Eligibility restrictions apply. In terms of total ball-production, Joey Porter Jr. is right up there at the top of the list for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Ringo did a good job of sticking with his receiver by allowing only two of his 36 targets in single coverage to have separation (seventh-lowest rate in the Power Five). 1. Garner has been one of the best cornerbacks at the Group of Five level over the last couple of seasons at Louisiana and now is taking the leap to the Power Five to join Brian Kellys LSU Tigers. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5). R1 (3) . Now, did he make some mistakes this past season? 1. TreVius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU: Despite the loss of two star players to the NFL, the Horned Frogs will boast one of the best secondaries in the Big 12 this fall. Throwing the ball in the grass every play would generate a passer rating of 39.6.". The Wolverines' All-American kicker cemented his legacy after he got snatched up in the third round Friday night. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Houston Texans land two of the top six prospects on PFF's big board: . Both positions were expected to be addressed at some point by Seattle, but not necessarily in the spots the two players were selected. The former three-star prospect earned first-team All-AAC and Bryants return gives Cincinnatis secondary instant credibility. Unfortunately, injury has halted Ducks progression since then. Please logout and login again. Dont underestimate this 5-foot-9, 177-pound corner hes going to play far more physically than his size suggests.". TRE'VIUS HODGES-TOMLINSON, TCU After playing less than 100 snaps as a three-star true freshman in 2019, Hodges-Tomlinson struggled to a 45.4 coverage grade in TCU's 2020 opener. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder recorded seven tackles against Michigan. Brown broke out in a big way last season, as he improved his 63.2 coverage grade from his 2020 true freshman season to an 84.0 mark in 2021. The following week he broke up three passes against Oklahoma. 2021. Similar to cover 2, made famous by Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay, but with a twist; the middle linebacker drops into a deeper zone than usual, creating a hybrid cover 2/cover 3 look. "Hes at his best at the line of scrimmage playing in press coverage when he's allowed to rely on his length and physicality," Treash wrote. 1) Patrick Surtain II, Alabama Funny enough that a lot of the best cornerbacks in this class are legacy players with dad's who made a big impact in the NFL. The Top Five 1. Cam Smith, South Carolina NATL ST He's big, powerful, extremely fluid, and well coached. In back-to-back games against Arkansas and South Carolina he racked up 10 solo stops. Here's a look at the cornerback position in the 2023 draft. It might be jerseys or whatever, but this is the biggest corner Ive ever seen. Not to mention Canteen generated four solo tackles and picked off two passes in the win over Troy. "Mullens 22.9% forced incompletion rate since 2019 is the best among all Power Five cornerbacks," Treash wrote. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 5 overall and coming back to get Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Ngjiba at No. 163 ranked cornerback in the recruiting class of 2019. He presents good size for an outside corner, but hes at his best clicking and closing on routes in off zone-coverage. He finished the year with four interceptions and five passes defended. But at the end of the day, he performed at a high-level given his age and experience. Darrell Luters name should be in any conversation about the most underrated player in college football. After sitting out his first year on campus recovering from an injury, Ringo earned a starting spot in 2021 and produced a 73.3 coverage grade. After appearing in only four games as a true freshman, Hodges-Tomlinson had a breakout sophomore season in 2020. Marshall didnt record a penalty in that span, nor did he allow any of his eight deep targets to be caught. He pretty much picked up right where Jaycee Horn left off in 2021, as he picked off three passes, broke up 11 more and finished with an 89.7 PFF coverage grade. 2023 NFL Draft Grades: Raiders Trade Up And Select Michael Mayer No. 17. Luter missed the final two outings due to injury, but we wont let that take away from what he did in 10 games as a starter this past season. He had three interceptions and six passes defended. 5 Notre Dame 174.38. The Giants added to their depth in the defensive backfield on Saturday, selecting cornerback Tre Hawkins in the sixth round . Marshall opened his 2021 true freshman campaign with a couple of rough outings, but he played at an advanced level after those were out of the way. The following week Moore had seven total tackles at Ole Miss. After months of discussions, debates, and mock drafts, were about to see where the top players out of college end up. He followed up that performance with three solo tackles and three pass breakups in the victory over USC in the Pac-12 Championship. The 2020 JUCO product even earned a 97.8 PFF grade in single coverage this past year the highest mark in the country by more than five grading points. Bryant also had four solo tackles apiece against Memphis and Tulsa. He is a talented and experienced corner with nine career passes defended. 51 overall recruit was the highest-graded outside corner in the country. Its quite clear he already has an excellent feel for the position and could be the first Thorpe Award winner from Alabama since star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2017. #15. While the Gators lose Kaiir Elam, they still look to have one of the top corners in the conference with Marshall. To view another position, follow the links below. Marshall opened his 2021 true freshman campaign with a couple of rough outings, but he played at an advanced level after those were out of the way. 3 ranked overall player in the recruiting class of 2019. He has proven to be the best corner returning to the ACC and has the skill set to make the leap to even higher levels of play in 2022. Texada has appeared in 33 games over the last four seasons, totaling 108 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 12 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions. The top safety prospect in this year's draft is Trevon Moehrig a free safety with good ball instincts (7 career interceptions which is the most amongst active . A formation in which 5 defensive backs are in the field (one in the slot). He was also the No. Floridas defense struggled in 2021 and Marshalls emergence can really help them improve this season. Before his time at Cincinnati, Gardner was a 247Sports Composite three-star recruit out of Detroit, Michigan. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). 1 ranked cornerback and No. He was also the No. The former five-star recruit has been volatile in two years in Chapel Hill. McDuffie didn't have a chance to stuff the stat sheet in 2020 because of the Pac-12's shortened schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 48 ranked overall player in the recruiting class of 2019. Mullen missed more than half of the 2021 season with an injury, but back in 2020, he was one of the top corners in the country. The Alabama native generated five tackles, including three solo in the opener at Ohio State. He allowed under 40 yards in coverage in every game except two against Alabama and helped the Dawgs clinch the national championship with his late pick-six. He was also the No. Void in ONT. Luter was tested with 45 targets in coverage but only allowed a 26.7% catch rate and actually came up with more combined interceptions and pass breakups (14) than catches allowed (12). Coby Bryant, Cincinnati: Hes a big reason why the Bearcats defense only allowed seven passing touchdowns last season. The next game Clark recorded nine total tackles against Texas A&M. Especially considering how well hes played for an otherwise so-so South Carolina Gamecocks team. As such, there's no better time to dive into early position rankings of the top returning players in college football. He had eight passes defended and two interceptions in total last season. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. These 20 defenders displayed what it takes to be a successful corner in big time College football last season and theyll be out to get their hands on more balls in 2021. Here's a look at 25 of the top defensive players heading into the 2021 college football season. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound corner has some legit bounce and quicks. Ricks' physicality at the line of scrimmage and catch point makes him a difficult cornerback to beat outright. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Caesar Williams, Wisconsin: Last season the Texas native tallied 13 tackles in seven games and broke up two passes on his way to earning third-team All-Big Ten. 13. The six-foot, 182-pounder picked off a pass against Georgia and Auburn. Its quite clear he already has an excellent feel for the position and could be the first Thorpe Award winner from Alabama since star safety, Ringo was the No. Roger McCreary, Auburn: He played in 10 games last season and finished with 45 tackles, plus three interceptions. He looked excellent in 150 coverage snaps playing press coverage, allowing only two first downs on those reps. Its all about reading the quarterbacks eyes and making a play on the ball. Hell likely be an early favorite for the Jim Thorpe Award. has just dropped and in conjunction with that is an expansion of PFFs preseason positional rankings that will be rollled out over the next couple of weeks. The All-Pac-12 Second Team performer from 2021 is ready for a big 2022 season. He was also the No. The outermost defensive backs responsible for covering receivers. Surtain is the surest thing at corner in this year's class. There are some very talented cornerbacks in this draft class. And that's not all, as McDuffie might also be the best tackling cornerback in college football. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. A formation in which 6 defensive backs are in the field (two in the slot). He also added 39 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games during his 2020 campaign with the Gators. I thought he was a linebacker when I first saw him step on the field. Joey Porter, Penn State: He broke up two passes and generated a sack last season for the Nittany Lions and earned second-team All Big Ten honors. Chris Steele, USC: He showed promise as a true sophomore for the Trojans last season. Everyone is geeking out over the quarterbacks, but cornerback might actually be the biggest strength position in the 2021 NFL Draft. Zone coverage in which two CBs cover one third of the field (each on the outside) while the FS mans the middle third. 5. Porter Jr. needs to watch how physical he is with wide receivers this season to avoid flags. He had 49 total tackles, one interception and two passes defended. 6 Tennessee 155.20. Brandon Crossley, SMU:The Dallas native recorded 21 tackles, intercepted four passes and broke up five more for the Mustangs last season. Mykael Wright, Oregon: As a true sophomore last season he tallied 25 tackles and broke up nine passes in seven games. Moss has been bred for Phil Parkers zone defense and is playing it a high level. Stingley recorded a 91.7 PFF grade and 0.97wins above average (WAA)in that 2019 season, the latter being the best mark among non-quarterbacks all year.". Now a month into the 2022 college football season, I decided it was time to rank the five best players for each position at this very moment. Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama Jaguars. There is always debate over ranking the best players in the sport. 4. A technique in which the CB lines up on the line, face-to-face with his receiver, using physicality to disrupt the receiver's release and the timing of the route. However, it's the lesser-known Thomas Graham Jr. that I found to be the best, at least in my eyes. Alabama's Trevon Diggs and Louisiana Tech's Amik Robertson were two of the NCAA's most dominant man-coverage cornerbacks in the 2019 season, but each player was selected by zone-heavy teams whose. The Mississippi native recorded a season-high, eight total tackles against Auburn. No analysis available. He had 13 passes defended in 2020, then produced two interceptions and seven passes defended in 2021. In 2021, the Aggies inked five of the top 30 defensive ends as ranked by ESPN, which supplements an already impressive group that includes preseason All-SEC lineman DeMarvin Leal. Woods is an outstanding zone corner who has the capability of being the best Big 12 defensive back in 2022. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. Alexander's interception numbers are not there but he is this high on this list because he only gave up 353 yards in coverage in all of 2020. video for When should Pirates fans buy into this team? Rated by 247Sports composite scale as a three-star recruit in K-State's 2021 class, the underclassman originally chose Chris Klieman's squad over an offer from Colorado and a host of non-Power . He tallied six total stops, including five solo at Alabama. 6. 37-ranked recruit elevated his play after the position and school change. . . 3 Michigan 199.94. Notre Dames first game is against Ohio State, who has the premier wide receiver room in the country, so Hart has to be prepared in week 1. Over his last four games, in particular, the 5-foot-11, 193-pound cornerback didnt allow a single yard while intercepting one pass and breaking up two others. Syracuse has a talented secondary and Chestnut will have a lot of eyes on him in 2022. In high school, he clocked a verified 4.35 40 time. "He has allowed more than 40 receiving yards into his coverage just once in his entire career removing the games with just a few snaps played and looking at those with a minimum of 15 coverage snaps, Mullen has allowed fewer than 40 yards in 94% of his games, which is the best rate among qualifying FBS cornerbacks over the past two years.". The hometown kid can also return kicks. The former four-star prospect generated six total tackles, including five solo against Alabama in the SEC Championship. Christian Gonzalez was the best player on Oregon's defense in 2022 and many viewed him as the top cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft. The LSU cornerback duo of Stingley and Ricks is going to be dangerously good in 2021. Avery also earned third-team All-Big Ten honors, which is not too shabby for a former three-star prospect. Last year, he had five PBUs. Clark didnt let his scholarship go to waste after he tallied 47 tackles and picked off three passes. These are the current college football recruiting rankings but they arent the final rankings, and they will be updated periodically. Ranked ninth and tenth overall in their class, either one would be an excellent first pick, and the second will go shortly behind. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU: The former five-star prospect is arguably one of the best cover corners in the SEC. Press Esc to cancel. Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 NFL Cornerbacks 2023 rankings list is the Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. Mullen made his presence felt with eight total tackles in the opening win over Penn State. Lets take a look at some of this years CB prospects. 20 on Thursday night. College Football: Ranking the top 25 cornerbacks ahead of Week 10 Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Larry Rountree III (34) is tackled by LSU Tigers cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Oregon States Rejzohn Wright has excellent size and awareness and could be a great investment in later rounds. GP. With some departures from the program, Bernard-Converses presence means a lot for the Tigers in 2022. Strong started off on fire, with four solo tackles, including one for loss and forced a fumble in the win over Kansas. "Hes such a rare one that even Coach O isthinking aboutgiving him some reps on offense. Before his commitment to Florida, Elam was a 247Sports Composite four-star recruit out of North Palm Beach, Florida. Browns 2021 man-coverage grade ranked seventh among all FBS corners. He broke up three passes apiece against Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia. Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents (23) intercepts a pass intended for West Virginia wide receiver Reese Smith (15) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Morgantown, W.Va . Prunty has great range, standing six-foot-one, and weighing 185 pounds. "Armed with a mirror ability that is as good as it gets at the position, the TCU cornerback routinely found himself playing the ball well at the catch point," Treash wrote. With players like Stingley and Ricks back in the Bayou Bengals secondary, its a reason their dubbed DBU. As he heads into his second year of starting on the Georgia defense, he goes from an impressive freshman to a leader of the defense. Its quite clear he already has an excellent feel for the position and could be the first Thorpe Award winner from Alabama since star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2017.