The NFL has been a passing league for a while now. Because of this, cornerbacks are important to a team’s defense. Multiple teams struggle to find two solid cornerbacks for their defense, much less even one. A cornerback has a huge responsibility on the field covering the top pass catcher on the other team. With the receiver talent right now in the league, not having an “elite” corner will make things very difficult. Here are my top five cornerbacks in the NFL.
(Honorable mentions: Trevon Diggs and Jaycee Horn)
5. Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles
Slay had a bad 2020 season in Philly, but had an All-Pro-like season in 2022. He was very consistent in the second half of the year. He allowed 85 yards in a Week 10 match against the Washington Commanders but did not allow above 48 yards the rest of the season. He allowed 54.7% of passes to be caught in his coverage during the regular season. In the playoffs, he only allowed 55 total yards in their three playoff games last year. Slay will be 32-years-old next season but does not plan on slowing down.
4. Jalen Ramsey, Miami Dolphins
Ramsey is not the cornerback he used to be, but he is still one of the best in the league. Through his first seven seasons in the NFL, Ramsey has made the Pro Bowl six times and was named a First-team All-Pro three times. Over his seven years, Ramsey has accumulated 452 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 92 passes defended, and 19 interceptions. Ramsey now gets a fresh start in Miami after being traded in the offseason. He will play opposite Xavien Howard and play under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Unfortunately, Ramsey suffered a meniscus injury in training camp and is not expected to be back until Dec., limiting his play in 2023.
3. Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers
Entering his sixth season in the league, Alexander had his best year in 2022 after an injury-riddled 2021 campaign. Alexander allowed a 66.2 passer rating last year, while also grabbing a career-high of five interceptions. He also had 14 passes defended. In 2022, Alexander made the Second-team All-Pro team and his second Pro Bowl. Even with his size, Alexander’s physicality, athleticism, and speed make him very versatile in coverage.
2. Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
Gardner will enter his sophomore season in the NFL after winning Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY) in 2022. Not many players immediately become one of the best players at their respective positions. Gardner held quarterbacks to a 53.9 passer rating last year in 642 coverage snaps. He also let up the second-fewest receiving yards last year at 361 and only let up 34 receptions (first in the league), among defenders targeted at least 70 times. Gardner also had a league-high of 20 forced incompletions. In addition to his DROY award, Gardner also made the First-team All-Pro team.
Surtain is the definition of a lockdown corner. He may not be as flashy as the other cornerbacks mentioned, but no one is as consistent as him. He allowed less than 25 receiving yards in 12 games last year. He might not get as many interceptions as a guy like Diggs or Alexander, but Surtain is rarely targeted. His 12.5 target rate in 2022 was the lowest among all cornerbacks. Surtain held quarterbacks to an 84 passer rating during the 2022 season. Surtain is an important part of the Broncos’ defense, being in a division with quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert and a receiver like Davante Adams.
