Cross died in 2021. 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. Greedy Williams, Cleveland Browns If Ramsey is the freak, Alexander is the new mold. 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. 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. Sign Up. A.J. A ranking of the 2021 Best NFL Cornerback Players. Contract: three years, $18.6 million. 3 overall pick, 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. Bears. His addition, along with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in Pittsburgh over these last two seasons. Las Vegas Raiders . If you built a cornerback in a lab, they would look like Ramsey. In a pass-heavy league, the cornerback position has grown into one of the most important positions on the football field. Another of those factors was health, as Darby played over 600 defensive snaps in 2020 for the first time in four seasons. For the most part, the Buffalo Bills invest wisely in the right people and positions. 6 and . Witherspoon allowed a burn on half of his 28 targets last season. In 2019 and 2020, for instance, he played more in the slot than out wide. He gets to passes that most receivers cannot get to, making his multiple near-INTs in 2021 as impressive as his 7 actual interceptions. And Peters ranks tied for fifth at the position in pass breakups (52) over that same time frame. Those missed opportunities only make the 77.5 passer rating allowed over that span (13th in the NFL) more impressive. The top 2021 Cornerback prospects available for the 2021 NFL Draft. Bryce Callahan, Denver Broncos The Tuscaloosa News via AP) Height: 6'2" (95th percentile) Weight: 208 (94th) 40-Yard Dash: 4.42 seconds (85th) Bench Press: 18 reps (33rd) Vertical Jump: 39 inches (84th) Broad Jump: 131 inches (91st) 3-Cone Drill: N/A 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A Bio: In what will be a theme for this list of players . His goal is not to make it so a quarterback doesnt want to throw the ball his way. Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles Similar to the receiver spot, college is pumping out NFL-ready cornerbacks every draft season, although last year's group failed to meet the hype, particularly the first rounders. Obviously, this is a subjective endeavor, and we could argue for days about the names that are too high or too low. "Mr. Cross was . From Week 12 to the end of the regular season, he was one of the 10 highest-graded cornerbacks in the NFL. They ranked dead last in slot coverage grade following the regular season. Griffin has earned overall grades of 50.7, 78.0 and 64.6 in the past three seasons. 2021 stats: 11 games (11 starts), 1 INT, 6 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 0.5 sacks, 41 combined tackles (27 solo). With the help of PFFs advanced database which is used by all 32 NFL teams we'll rank all 32 NFL secondaries from the 2021 regular season. Full Site Menu. And there are a couple of surprise names feature among those secondaries who look ready to take a leap in 2021. 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. Opposing offenses simply werent able to attack him in coverage. All 259 picks have been made and the 2021 NFL Draft is officially in the books for all 32 franchises. 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. Outside corner J.C. Jackson was also one of the best at his respective position, earning a top-five PFF grade in the regular season. And yet, the Bills still sustained a top-five pass defense in terms of expected points added (EPA) allowed per pass down the final stretch of the 2021 regular season. March 1, 2023 7:01 am ET. The 2023 corner class doesn't hold any superstars like last year's Sauce Gardner but it still has a number of quality pro prospects with five having close to first-round grades on them. Reader, yet neither made an impact last season due to injury. The Buccaneers game in Week 5 was the culmination of bad luck early in the season, and it resulted in Howard allowing a season-high 89 yards in coverage. 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. 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 Eagles now have one of the NFL's most talented cornerback trios, with both Bradyberry and Slay making PFF's top 32 cornerbacks list. He ended up allowing 0.37 yards per coverage snap the third-lowest figure in the PFF era behind only Asante Samuel in 2019 and Nnamdi Asomugha in 2008 (0.36 each). And he only got better as the season progressed. Green allowed only six receptions for 70 yards on 22 targets while breaking up five and picking off one. He remains among the league leaders in targets, and with that comes the yards. Davis and Dean form one of the best cornerback pairings in the NFL. The safety pairing of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer may also be hoping for a bounce-back year, with the latter having allowed a burn on 13 of his 28 targets at free safety in 2020. There is no shortage of defensive weapons on Clevelands roster. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. The defense endured blows at multiple position groups, including in the secondary with, Detroits secondary has been problematic over the past few years, and it didnt get any better in Year 1 under Dan Campbell. In 2021, the two 25-year-olds each missed several games but allowed under 700 yards in coverage combined. From Week 7 on, he was one of the 25 highest-graded cornerbacks in the NFL. Casey Hayward, Las Vegas Raiders 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. 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. Ranking the 11 worst plays of the 2021 NFL regular season. He has earned overall grades between 64.7 and 72.9 in every season since 2012, barring a career-high 82.5 grade in his first year with the Giants in 2016. Rookie Tyson Campbell was a reason for optimism, as he notched a couple of elite game grades above 90.0 in his last couple of months of action, but his inconsistent play was too severe for him to add considerable value to the secondary. Eric Kendricks 639 # . Cowboys: 6-10. While the group combined for the sixth-most interceptions (14) among the 32 secondaries, it also allowed a successful play at a bottom-five rate. NFL's Next Gen Stats captures real time location data, speed and acceleration for every player, every play on every inch of the field. While Surtain will go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, he is not as good of a prospect as Jalen Ramsey or C.J. Ramsey is a freak, and on top of it all, hes so good against the run that his late-career safety transition will probably end in an All-Pro berth or two. Instead, hes heading in the wrong direction. The veteran had a career year, earning the highest coverage grade (83.9) of his nine years in the NFL ranks. Pittsburgh also went from second to 29th in passer rating allowed on deep targets year over year. The Lions have done a disappointing job of drafting and developing talent under previous regimes. NAME SEASON TM GP TKL AST COMB SCK SCKY INT INT YDS INT TD FF FR FR TD; Jahleel Addae: 2021: IND. NFL Player Grades - current. With the defense surrounding the young CB, he could easily be higher on the list heading into next season. Health remains the biggest concern for Verrett heading into next season. The 247Sports Composite is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings and ratings listed in the public domain by the major media recruiting services, creating the industry's most comprehensive and unbiased prospect and team rankings. No group of cornerbacks played more man coverage than the Miami Dolphins. Still, hes a gifted tactician at the position and will get back on his feet this season. 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. Questions remain at cornerback, however, after Avonte Maddox struggled while playing outside corner last year and Darius Slay underperformed. Despite that, the Buccaneers outside cornerbacks still combined for the highest unit coverage grade in the NFL. worst 2021 cornerback 2021. worst 2021 cornerback 2021. 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. Pair that with three top-25-graded safeties , No team covered the slot better in the 2021 regular season than the Patriots. Free safety Tracy Walker (12.85), though, offered little to suggest he can help Detroit turn the ship around quickly on defense. 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. Henderson. Still, they held up well, ranking sixth in coverage grade and second in EPA per pass play allowed on such plays. Veteran. 20. Two of Indianapolis' outside cornerbacks earned top-20 coverage grades this season: Rock Ya-Sin and Isaiah Rodgers. Were taking a look at the best and worst units in football at each positional grouping. He does the razzle dazzle better than any quarterback, but he . Return to Top; Players. 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. The hope for Miami will be that he gets back toward the player who earned a five-year, $82.5 million contract last offseason. Chicago Bears - Will Anderson, OLB/DE, Alabama. While Tier 4 cornerbacks constantly compete for top-15 spots at the position and are average at worst, Tier 6 corners compete for top-30 spots and sometimes have below . After a broken-up pass against Wake Forest in 2016, he pranced behind the unsuspecting receiver in a manner Ive never witnessed. 17. In 2020, Howard led the league in interceptions (10) and pass breakups (20) for his first All-Pro nod. 18. Free-agent signing William Jackson III was an up-and-down performer. Williams is Denver's long-term answer at running back . T. Washington: 7-9. No team, this season than Baltimore. Who looks to be a top-10 cornerback in the NFL right now? Cornerback Adoree Jackson and safety Xavier McKinney helped claw this secondary to a No. After profiling as one of the top cornerbacks in the league from 2014 to 2018, Slay has taken a noticeable step back the past two seasons. That's when deals are officially negotiated and reported signings fly across . Congratulations, Arizona. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. It shouldnt come as a shock if he wins that starting job and rebounds from a down 2020 season. 25. 4-overall prospect). 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. Detroits defensive backs aggregate coverage grade is 27% below average. Ramsey produced the highest coverage grade and most PFF WAR among all cornerbacks in the regular season. Henderson. Shaquill Griffin, Jacksonville Jaguars PFF's exclusive metrics provide matchup previews, position rankings, grades, and snap counts. Butler had arguably his best season in coverage since his New England days last year with Tennessee. PFF's exclusive metrics provide Cornerback (CB) position rankings, grades, and snap counts. The top cornerbacks for 2022 are all established stars who are all playing some of the best football of their careers. Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts13. Jun 5, 2021 5:19 PM EDT. As the passing game has furthered its position as the dominant and most critical aspect of NFL attacks, the need for a secondary with the talent to regularly withstand aerial assaults led by a deep crop of quarterbacks has become an increasingly pressing one. T. The Las Vegas Raiders took down the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football in an overtime thriller, bringing an end to the 18-week marathon to the postseason. Building a high-powered offense is a sustainable way to win in the NFL, but ensuring the defensive secondary isnt a liability is what separates the contenders from the rest. Prior to landing his big-money extension in 2020, not many truly understood White's value to . He returns to the field in 2022, a huge boost . However, with a full offseason under their belt to coalesce further, the arrow is pointing up for a young and clearly talented secondary that will again be playing behind one of the best front sevens in football after the Bucs kept the band together for another run in 2021. The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder earned a few poor game grades early on, but he soon righted those wrongs. Ward and Newsome, in particular, produced top-10 coverage grades when in single coverage. 12. who passed away in February 2021 at age 81, played cornerback for the Eagles from 1961 to 1965, earning two Pro Bowl nods, and . With modern NFL rules, its a disadvantage not to have the type of foot speed Ward possesses. Reed and Tre . Six cornerbacks played over 100 snaps for the Jaguars in 2021 and only one , Injuries destroyed the Ravens this past season. 4 . He battled injuries early in the season, which didnt help in the adjustment to a man-heavy coverage scheme under Brian Flores. Gilmore was comfortably the No. The ability to limit production like Ramsey did against top-flight talent is invaluable for the Los Angeles Rams defense. Here is the fourth version of our Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker, which features 16 recent predictions from around the world of . Check out the 2021 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics including AFC and NFC results and standings on Pro-football-reference.com They consistently ranked near the bottom of the league in every metric imaginable, including defensive back PFF WAR generated: Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley brought his patented Seahawk Cover 3 defense and got the right players in place to carry it out at a quality level. Bobby Wagner 8452. No team covered the slot better in the 2021 regular season than the Patriots. Cincinnatis passing offense wasnt the team's only unit to take a major leap in 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. Projected starter Amani Oruwariye (36.9) did not fare much better, and it would be no surprise to see rookie Ifeatu Melifonwu thrust into a prominent role early in his career. Cornerback was a clear need for the Jaguars entering this offseason. Meanwhile, Bashaud Breeland, another free agency signing, was tied fifth in open percentage (52.7) among corners to have played at least 200 coverage snaps. The outlook isnt nearly as rosy heading into 2021 after a noticeable decline in play last season. Washington possessed one of the better defenses in the NFL in 2020;Jacksons addition should only improve it, giving them a No. His 71 forced incompletions since 2014 are fewer than only Darius Slay and Stephon Gilmore. He has featured in a versatile role this season, with over 300 snaps each in the slot and on the outside. Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati . David Carr constructs his own ranking of the top 10 cornerbacks, but All-Pro . Jackson hasnt quite reached those lofty heights in the three years since, but he is coming off his best statistical season since 2017, with just 52% of the passes into his coverage being completed in 2020. Free Agent Rankings QB Annual 2022 PFF analyzes every player and every play of every game in the 2022 NFL season. The amount of top-level play from NFL cornerbacks is astonishing. 2021 NFL Defensive Secondary Rankings, by Unit 32. 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. Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills Should the Giants opt to move on from the 27-year-old cornerback, they would clear $8.6 million . 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. Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams 24. While Pittsburgh ranked in the top 10 in EPA allowed per pass play for the season, they struggled quite a bit when not producing pressure on the quarterback. Two of Indianapolis' outside cornerbacks earned top-20 coverage grades this season: The Broncos' secondary underwhelmed to a certain extent in 2021, with veteran safety, Cornerback was a major area of concern for the Cardinals.