With the upcoming season quickly approaching, I’m going to be taking a look at the landscape of the NFL, position by position, over the course of the next several weeks. We’ll be talking about the who’s who of the NFL in our own little version of the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players” bit they do every year. Up next, we wrap up this feature with the cornerbacks!
THE TOP 10 NFL CORNERBACKS FOR 2019
10. Darius Slay, Detroit Lions – He’s been the face of that Lions secondary for what feels like forever, but Slay is the definition of ‘ol reliable.’ He’s gone to two straight Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro in 2017, and is as talented a cornerback as they come. Detroit: PAY THE MAN.
9. Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills – Might be a bit of a hot take here – but I like White to have a breakout year in 2019. Between White and delightful surprise Levi Wallace, the Bills have themselves one hell of a secondary. White only recorded two interceptions and eight pass deflections in 2018, but I expect the Bills defense to undergo a boost this season, which should put a magnifying glass on White’s ability. Regardless of what the national media would have you think, the Bills are a legit contender in 2019.
8. Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens – It took Humphrey a bit of time to come on, but once he did, that spark became a full on five alarm fire in a hurry. Humphrey deflected 15 passes, recorded two interceptions, and forced a fumble in 2018. The arrow’s pointing up for the former Crimson Tide corner – he’s emerging as one of the best in the NFL.
7. Kyle Fuller, Chicago Bears – Fuller tied for the league lead in interceptions a season ago, posting seven, and led the league in passes deflected with 21. He’s one of the best coverage guys in the league, and plays on that vaunted Bears defense – so, I wouldn’t expect his spot as one of the best corners in the league to change at all.
6. Byron Jones, Dallas Cowboys – Jones is the prototypical shutdown corner. He plays a physical style and just doesn’t allow his man to get open. That lends itself to forcing quarterbacks to look elsewhere on the field. He didn’t record a single interception in 2018 after making the move back to cornerback from safety. That’s because he didn’t have much of an opportunity. Opposing quarterbacks just said NOPE.
5. Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints – Lattimore was excellent as a rookie in 2017. He was excellent in 2018. He has a lot of football ahead of him as one of the most promising young cornerbacks in the league. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take the throne at some point. This dude has to play a quarter of the season against Julio Jones or Mike Evans. That’s sick.
4. Chris Harris, Jr., Denver Broncos – It seems like Harris has always been a little underrated in the grand conversation of who’s the best in all the NFL. He’s thought of as a “slot corner,” but the guy can hang with anyone inside or outside. He played an integral role in getting that team a Super Bowl in 2015. And, yeah – maybe that’s the hang-up for people….his age…but I see a guy who has adjusted well. He’s not playing as many snaps these days, but he’s damn sure making the most of ’em. He deserves a spot on the Mount Rushmore of NFL cornerbacks.
3. Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals – Man coverage, zone defense, kick returns, punt returns….whatever you need from Peterson, you can get it. He’s the most versatile cornerback in the league…hell, maybe the most versatile player in the league regardless of position. Buuuuuuuut, that suspension is probably going to keep him from having the type of production he’d need to go to his 9th straight Pro Bowl. That’s the only thing keeping him from the #1 spot on this list.
2. Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars – You may not like how Ramsey runs his mouth, but you can’t deny the man’s talent. He didn’t really pop in the stat categories in 2018, but he reminds me of Darrelle Revis – not in the way he plays the game, but in the way that his ability to impact a game isn’t necessarily going to show up in interception totals. Guys just don’t want to throw his way – quarterbacks don’t throw well against Ramsey. They don’t complete a lot of passes on Ramsey. He essentially locks down his side of the field. There aren’t too many guys like that anymore. Respect.
1. Stephon Gilmore, New England Patriots – Gilmore is damn near the perfect cornerback. At 6’1″ 202 pounds, he has the size to hang with anyone, but Gilmore is a deceptively fast guy. He can cover any receiver in the league. He’s physical – uses his body and hands to aggravate the opposition. Though he only recorded two interceptions in 2018, he deflected a strong 20 passes. Plus, he tallied a crucial interception in the Super Bowl – the stats don’t tell the full story of just how good Gilmore is, but for what it’s worth, he was the highest graded cornerback in the league in 2018 per Pro Football Focus.
2019 NFL TOP 10S
Cornerbacks
Defensive Lines
Linebackers
Offensive Lines
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Safeties
Tight Ends
Wide Receivers
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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