This is the sixth post in a series that will delve in to each NFL position, ranking the top 12 for all. After each has been dissected, I will give my final top 12 players in the NFL. To see the previous post in the series, click here.
These guys get all the fame and glory on the defense (at least from my perspective). Greats like Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, and Revis Island reached legendary heights in their primes, making the big splashy plays and proceeding to be left alone and then forgotten because no one wants to throw any where near their vicinity. The current pool of talent within this position is awesome. What I love so much about ranking corner? There is no obvious number one. Rob Gronkowski (tight end), Aaron Donald (Defensive Tackle), JJ Watt (Defensive End), and Joe Thomas (Offensive Line) were clear cut winners at their respective positions. But the waters are muddied here. There are the elites - but who reigns supreme out of that group? It was easy to find who the elite's were versus the studs, but even as I'm writing this I question my choice for number one and in the end, I must go with my gut over all other logic and study.
Holding the title "shutdown" corner is the greatest honor at the position. Very few carry the title in any current season. As there are those who get old whilst the new young un's take on the challenge of shutting down the explosive receivers. The corners in this league deserve more respect now though I truly believe. Why? There are so many A-list wideouts within this league. Any corner who can survive, manage, or even get by for an entire season gets well deserved praise.
In case you wonder why a player is on the list or why he is so high, some of these players are where they are based on how I think they will do in 2017 whilst also including past achievements and experience. So if you see someone that surprises you, it could be that I think they are set to explode this upcoming season.
Key:
- INT = Interceptions
- PDef = Passes Defensed
- PRA = Passer Rating Against
- CB = Cornerback
Before we get to the list, here are three honorable mentions:
A.J. Bouye - Jacksonville Jaguars (Undrafted 2013)
2016: 1 INT; 16 PDef's; 67.0 PRA
Bouye came out of nowhere in 2016, becoming a big factor for Houston's dominant defense after being thrust into a starting job. Suddenly Bouye was a big name on the market with Jacksonville pouncing on the opportunity to pair up this newly found stud with their own superstar corner.
Jimmy Smith - Baltimore Ravens (Drafted 2011)
2016: 0 INT; 4 PDef's; 68.5 PRA
A full season from this stud in Baltimore and Jimmy Smith will most likely make the list next year as he ranked #1 in many categories through his 11 games that he played last year before an injury ended 2016 prematurely.
Janoris Jenkins - NY Giants (Drafted 2012)
2016: 3 INT; 18 PDef's; 54.8 PRA
It's basically killing me not to have Jenkins on this list. Many have Jenkins in their top five. But like I said, lot of talent at this position and someone had to miss out. I know a lot of other writers have Jenkins not only in their "best of" lists, but very high up. A ridiculously good 2016 season with 18 PDef's and a wow 54.8 PRA, do it again in NY and he'll be in my top five without a doubt.
Top NFL Cornerbacks of 2017
12. Josh Norman - Washington Redskins (Drafted 2012)
2016: 3 INT; 19 PDef's; 72.6 PRA
Norman showed he's still a solid corner after the big move from Carolina to Washington. He most certainly isn't the #1 corner in the league, but the polarized feel of "best corner" in 2015 to people saying he's not so great is a little much. He's in the middle. Fact is he followed players around the field and did what he was asked to do, even if not as spectacularly as 2015. With a year under his belt in Washington where he's more on his own, expect him to look a little more 2015ish. #believe
Proj. 2017: 5 INT; 15 PDef's; 70.0- PRA
11. Vontae Davis - Indianapolis Colts (2009)
2016: 1 INT; 10 PDef's; PRA - N/A
Let's face it. Vontae Davis wasn't very good last year. But he was dealing with nagging injuries. I expect him to bounce back in 2017 and he looks great in training camp so far this summer. I couldn't find his PRA for last season anywhere but did find this: Over the last three seasons, Davis has the fifth best PRA rating at 68.5 out of all active corners. Last season was a fluke and Davis will return to 2014-15 form most definitely in 2017.
Proj. 2017: 3 INT; 16 PDef's; 65.0- PRA
10. Jalen Ramsey - Jacksonville Jaguars (2016)
2016: 2 INT; 14 PDef's; 68.0 PRA
I love it when young, hard working, and humble rookies succeed. Even more so right away. This young man's got one heck of a future ahead of him. Picking up the game quickly (including how to smash talk with the guy on the other side of the field), Ramsey was stout, allowing a solid 56.3% of passes that came his way. Oh and by December, PFF had Ramsey as the highest graded Corner in the league.
Proj. 2017: 8 INT; 21 PDef's; 70.0- PRA
9. Brent Grimes - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (undrafted 2006)
2016: 4 INT; 24 PDef's; 62.6 PRA
Brent Grimes went right back to work after being cut by the Miami Dolphins in 2016, finishing a league best 24 passes defended along with a catch rate of 42.7. Some thought he was on the backend of his career entering last season. He's not there yet and still has enough for a couple more years as Tampa's leading defender.
Proj. 2017: 3 INT; 19 PDef's; 75- PRA
8. Malcolm Butler - New England Patriots
2016: 4 INT; 17 PDef's; PRA - N/A
Butler hasn't gotten nearly as much love as he deserves. He somehow still needs to prove himself to everyone. I mean it's not like the guy made the greatest defensive play in Super Bowl history or anything and then led that up with two stellar seasons (although not "shutdown" worthy seasons mind you). You know, little things. No big deal. Well seems New England thinks so too as they tried trading him to New Orleans (who ran away from the deal, "forcing" New England to keep the stud), and then went on to give a juicy deal to Stephon Gilmore (???) instead of this young hero. Does Butler have to win another Super Bowl on his own again to show his worth to his team and the world? Most players do it once and they're superstars. Not Butler for some stupid and unthinkable reason.
Maybe they won't let a top CB walk for the third straight time (Aqib Talib and Darrelle Revis, though Revis quickly dropped off so no loss there) if Butler gives himself fully for the third year in a row. They do say third times the charm right?
"???"
That's what Butler is thinking too. "After all I've done for you Tom. After all I've done for you Bill. After all I've done for you Robert."
Poor guy.
Proj. 2017: 6 INT; 21 PDef's; 65- PRA
7. Aqib Talib - Denver Broncos (2008)
2016: 3 INT; 12 PDef's; 46.7 PRA
And here is the first of what are my Magnificent Seven - the "elite" CB's in football. Many would be furious with Talib this low on the list. I get it. He had probably one of the top three performances by any #1 corner last year (although he did miss multiple games). I just think there are six other corners I'd rather have. That just shows you how many elite DB's there are. Cuz Talib is absolutely one. Another reason he's not as high: he's got the No Fly Zone (the nickname given to the Denver secondary) helping him out - albeit he IS one of them and is probably in the top two in the group. He showed he's dominant with great defenses like Bill Belechick and the Super Bowl winning one in Denver - would he still be "awe dropping" on a team where he's the lone bright spot? He could, but we can all agree it's not a definite "yes".
Proj. 2017: 4 INT; 14 PDef's; 50- PRA
6. Casey Hayward - LA Chargers (2012)
2016: 7 INT; 20 PDef's; 49.0 PRA
Casey Hayward came to play last year, proving he was a formidable back on a new team (from Green Bay to San Diego), finishing a league third best PRA whilst shutting people down. Teams must have thoughts Hayward wouldn't be very good in a new home as Hayward was targeted a league high 100 times for #1 corner, but they all learned the hard way that that was a BIG mistake. Picking off 7 passes along with 20 PDef's, he did what any good shutdown corner does: blanket the entire area you're covering by yourself, making sure nothing (I mean nothing) gets by you, and if they try, you sure as heck make sure they pay for it. Hayward did just that. Another year like 2016 and Hayward will continue to climb the rankings.
Proj. 2017: 2 INT; 17 PDef's; 55- PRA
5. Xavier Rhodes - Minnesota Vikings (2013)
2016: 5 INT; 20 PDef's; 39.2 PRA;
What a sensation that came onto the scene in 2016. Don't you love it when everything suddenly "clicks" for a player? "The light bulb definitely went on in his brain." On one of the NFL's best defensive units, everything did indeed click for Rhodes, who went from stud #1 to joining the "elite's" of the NFL. And yes you read it correctly. Rhodes finished with a ridiculous league best 39.2 PRA. And he was #1 for the lowest catch rate in the league at an insane 41.8. Of course that's just one season performing as a shutdown - do it again and he will be contending for the #1 spot along with the four above him, crowding the debate for best CB even more so.
Did I mention he more than doubled his interceptions from his first three seasons combined in 2016? I'm so buying into this guy 100%.
Proj. 2017: 3 INT; 23 PDef's; 45- PRA
4. Richard Sherman - Seattle Seahawks (2011)
2016: 4 INT; 13 PDef's; 64.0 PRA
Freak out all you want. He's either too high or too low. You either love him or hate him. Unless your me. I don't hate him. I don't think he's god either. Yeah he dominates but half of it is the system in Seattle which he thrives off of. He locks down his side of the field - but never moves around which to me is an integral part of a true "shutdown" corner. Teams figured that out and unless it completely threw off their gameplan, they kept their #1 WR's on the opposite side of Sherman. But that also shows you how incredibly scared everyone is of him. Sherman definitely had a down year but was still really good in 2016. He allowed more big plays than normal but only two TD's. Come to find out he was dealing with an injury all season. He'll get back to form - but even at the top of his game, he isn't the #1 corner in football. He deserves very serious consideration for the honor. But he isn't.
Proj. 2017: 3 INT; 22 PDef's; 55- PRA
3. Marcus Peters - Kansas City Chiefs (2015)
2016: 6 INT; 20 PDef's; 63.5 PRA
Peters has been at the top of his game since entering the league in 2015. More domination will reward Peters of a very possible #1 ranking as soon as next season if the cards are played right. He has everything that a shutdown needs. The two above him have the repertoire, experience, and clutch abilities to just barely give an edge to this young'un. Plus, give respect to your elders right? Right.
That's not to say Peters isn't clutch, has zero experience, and a "lesser" package of abilities and playmaking skills then the other corners. Hone and master them and I think he will eventually surpass the other two, in part to their age and his continual development (he has just two seasons under his belt) as premiere corner in pro football.
Proj. 2017: 4 INT; 16 PDef's; 55- PRA
2. Patrick Peterson - Arizona Cardinals (2011)
2016: 3 INT; 6 PDef's; 73.0 PRA
I almost had Peterson at #1. For the majority of the time this list was sitting around he was. But I realized after studying my now number one pick how much they really did deserve the honor. Peterson had a "solid" year in 2016, leaving some concerned. But not me. He's still Pat Peterson. End of story. I have way too much respect for him to be anywhere lower than #2 while *just* missing out on top honors.
Remember that ridiculous INT against the Bills last year?
Oh yeah you do.
Proj. 2017: 5 INT; 9 PDef's; 65- PRA
1. Chris Harris Jr. - Denver Broncos (Undrafted 2011)
2016: 2 INT; 11 PDef's; 63.3 PRA
Let's face it. No one seems to dominate more than the Denver "No Fly Zone" - but more specifically: Chris Harris Jr. Since joining in 2011, Harris' rise to the top - while slow - hasn't been quiet. The unquestioned leader of the group, Harris has led the NFL in a number of categories since becoming a true #1 corner in 2012 and can follow a #1 WR around the field making life miserable for him. He can cover the short, intermediate, long, outside, inside, low, and high passes/routes. You name it, he can do it. Many consider teammate Aqib Talib to be the #2 corner in the entire league. I obviously disagree (#7 ranking for Talib), but luckily everyone agrees that Harris is the better of the duo (although Talib is *amazing* no doubt) and most can agree or at least not really argue that Harris IS the best in Pro-Football.
Proj. 2017: 1 INT; 13 PDef's; 60- PRA