Consensus ranking: No. Want the latestKansas Stateheadlines sent to your inbox? Unfortunately for Ulofoshio and Washington, the off-ball linebacker will miss at least a few games of the 2022 season due to another injury that was suffered during conditioning, but head coach Kalen DeBoer is hopeful he can return for a portion of the year. College Rankings NCAA Player He followed his daughter's birth by recording career highs in interceptions (3) and pass breakups (11). He owns a 90.3 career PFF grade across 743 snaps with an 82.0-plus grade as a run defender, pass-rusher and coverage defender. He also has three interceptions on the season with only one touchdown allowed. He won 21.5% of his pass-rushing attempts last year. Furthermore, what Ramsey was able to produce in 2021 with two bad shoulders is utter insanity, and now that he's gotten those issues repaired, what level might he hit for the defending champion Rams in 2022?? The Vikings pulled off the biggest comeback in NFL history last week, but the Next Gen Stats analytics team says it wasn't the most improbable comeback of the season. School: Oregon (after Colorado) | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 197 pounds, 2022 stats: 12 games; 50 tackles (35 solo), 1.0 tackles for loss, 4 INT, 7 pass breakups. In fact, if you compare it to his 2021 campaign, he was actually better this season than he was a year ago, according to Pro Football Focus. James Bradberry continues to limit his opponents under pressure. A wild offseason filled with surprising trades shook up rosters from coast to coast. He didnt necessarily play his best during the Rams Super Bowl run last January, and his start to the 2022 season was below even his own standards, but that doesnt mean he had a down year. The 6-foot-2, 218-pound linebacker has made eye-widening plays on the ball over his career, as his 33 passing stops, 14 combined forced incompletions and interceptions, and 94.1 coverage grade since 2019 all rank top three among FBS off-ball linebackers. Alexander ranked No. And he has performed well. 13-graded cornerback this season (76.8) and has been very solid for the Chiefs. 25-graded cornerback on the season (71.7), but he has the 15. highest coverage grade (76.3) on the year. The only reason hes not higher is due to a lack of snaps (only 199 coverage snaps this season), but hes been fantastic this year for the Patriots. He didnt enjoy much success, as he earned single-season PFF grades below 60.0 each year. Humphrey has yet to allow a touchdown in coverage this season and has two interceptions. In 2022, PFF calculated that he allowed 140 pass yards while in coverage (tied for third among safeties at Power 5 schools). Bates earned a 64.4 PFF grade in five starts at left guard in 2021 -- his first season with over 100 offensive snaps -- and Brown came away from his rookie season last year with a 59.3 PFF pass-blocking grade from 846 offensive snaps. The Eagles now have one of the NFLs most talented cornerback trios, with both Bradyberry and Slay making PFFs top 32 cornerbacks list. Hes developed into a shutdown cornerback that teams have avoided altogether this season. Deonte Banks, 34. Carters 89.1 pass-rush grade in 2022 ranked seventh among FBS interior defenders and his 91.2 run-defense grade ranked fifth. The 10th-year veteran has been dominant on an island in man coverage, being targeted on just eight of his 58 coverage snaps. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. #FlyEaglesFly #NextGenStats, powered by @awscloud. Highest-graded CBs this season pic.twitter.com/lpFcwWu0Xw. This week, we've assembled a list of the top 10 shutdown cornerbacks heading into Week 7. Ward is in his first season with the 49ers after four years as a mainstay in the Kansas City secondary, and he's been better than ever in his debut campaign wearing a different red and gold uniform. School: Penn State | Year: Senior | Ht: 5-foot-11 | Wt: 203 pounds, 2022 stats: 13 games; 74 tackles (56 solo), 7 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 4 INT, 3 pass breakups, 1 FR, 2 FF. The fact he's so consistent and has actually gotten better with age -- a comment you shouldn't take lightly when considering he achieved All-Pro honors as early as Year 2 -- only deepens the argument to keep him on the throne, and anyone waiting for him to take a step back and get comfortable after resetting the market at the position with his mega deal can stop holding their breath now. 7 coverage grade among cornerbacks this season, recording three interceptions and three pass breakups. 9-graded cornerback on the year. He has also really improved as a run defender, making him one of the more well-rounded cornerbacks in the league. Branch also shares the same high school (Sandy Creek in Georgia) as Calvin Johnson and Kedric Golston. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Who are the most impactful tight ends in the NFL right now? Since 2019, K-State has seen a total of48 transfers exit Manhattan and brought in22 to join the roster, including all-conference standouts like Briley Moore, Russ Yeast and Julius Brents. Sneed is also a top run-defending cornerback, which is another reason why he makes our list. The Next Gen Stats analytics team uses its newly launched Expected Return Yards model to identify the top 10 returners of the 2022 regular season. You'll now receive the top Eagles Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. And even on plays where Woolen doesn't contribute to the stat sheet, he still finds ways to make headlines. Ramsey added a second interception later in the game, his fourth of the season. Unfortunately, Emerson is a liability as a run defender the only reason he's not ranked inside the top 20 of our list. And while All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard is rightfully the centerpiece of all conversation about the unit, Moore has earned respect, hence his presence and positioning on this list -- a mostly durable cornerback who can both take the ball away and who doesn't make business decisions when it's time to tackle someone. A key way to do that will be to make sure the pass rush and secondary are elite, and the latter will involve coming equipped with at least one dominant cornerback to help the cause. Nearly off the chart: Banks turned in one of the more impressive combine workouts, running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds (tied for third among CB participants in 2023), leaping 42 inches (led CB participants) in the vertical and broad jumping 11 feet, 4 inches (second). He might not be the flashiest cornerback in the league, but Nelson has been incredibly productive this year. He also has three interceptions on the season with only one touchdown allowed. Murphy is bringing 56 games of experience with 48 starts. The spring transfer portal window technically expired on Sunday but schools have until Tuesday to get final names entered into the system, meaning several names such as Daniels could still trickle in. Put yesterday's performance in Jalen Ramsey's HOF resume. Humphrey has put together a nice season for the Ravens, but he has certainly played better in previous years. 6. Kansas State has a new Wildcat player exiting the program as 247Sports has confirmed Omar Daniels'namenow appears in the transfer database as of Monday morning. A big key to Campbell's success: His ability to play tight coverage, allowing the second-lowest average target separation (1.8 yards) in the NFL this season (min. He has deep downfield speed, patience at the line of scrimmage, and plays physically without incurring flags. Howie Roseman might have a knack for this. Sullivan is a free agent. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. The second New York Jets cornerback to make the list, Reed has been incredible opposite of Sauce Gardner. You could argue Diggs isn't yet above Ward or others below him in these rankings, but the counterpoint is, well, 11 interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. New Orleans Saints: OG OCyrus Torrence, Florida Torrence stepped up to the SEC after starting his career at Louisiana, and he continued the dominance we saw from him earlier in his career. X factor for 2022: The version of Von Miller that helped fuel a Super Bowl run for the Los Angeles Rams last season is still one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL. While the Bengals appear to have regressed slightly overall since reaching the Super Bowl, Awuzie's play has remained at an elite level in his second season in Cincinnati. The Eagles have been dominant playing man this year, allowing just 3.8 yards per attempt (second in NFL), and Bradberry has been a key factor. He began as a walk-on in 2018 before eventually earning playing time down the stretch in 2019, and he shined (210 snaps in the last five games). Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas all cracked the top 32 of PFF's cornerback rankings entering the 2022 season. Packers are only team with 3 players in PFFs top 32 cornerbacks rankings Schedule Podcast Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6, Woolen just secured his fourth straight game with an interception, following in Trevon Diggs' footsteps from last season and becoming the first rookie to do so since Joe Haden with the Browns in 2010. He held up well in his first year starting in 2021 considering his job and experience level with a 65.9 PFF grade. As a result, the outside corner has still been left on an island on a majority of his coverage snaps this season. NOTE: Player percentiles are based on a combination of several NGS advanced coverage statistics, including the coverage classification model that debuted last week. 2021 stats: 4 games (4 starts), 1 INT, 3 PBUs, 13 combined tackles (9 solo). NFL Week 7 underdogs: Giants to stay hot against Jaguars? Each week of the 2022 NFL season, the Next Gen Stats analytics team will present a different Position Power Ranking meant to spotlight the top performances In the leadup to the 2023 NFL Draft, Vikings.com is taking a look at prospects who have garnered a range of attention from national outlets. Before he injured his knee, Awuzie was having the best season of his career. The young corner has proven to be another cornerstone found with a premium pick in the Jaguars' 2021 draft class. Having signed his five-year, $97.6 million extension in 2021, his deal set the mark for Ward and the two duel it out on this list for the No. Banks and 22. Five rookies make the cut: Sauce Gardner, Jack Jones, Tariq Woolen, Kader Kahou and Martin Emerson are all shining within their respective secondaries. 247Sports Home; FB Rec. @iamSauceGardner has allowed only 1 reception for 6 yards on 40 snaps in man coverage this season. Brian Branch. Where does he land in the Next Gen Stats analytics team's ranking of the top 10 off-ball linebackers right now? Sign up for the Packers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Charlie Thomas, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Brown displayed top-notch coverage ability at off-ball linebacker for. Stokes was incredible as a rookie, especially after the Packers lost Alexander during the first month of the season. Vikings coaches believe Murphy is capable of playing on the outside or in the slot, the latter of which was manned by Chandon Sullivan in 2022. This addition for Ole Miss was one of the most under-the-radar pulls from the transfer portal during this cycle. The 49ers' defense has faced a litany of injuries, including ones to Nick Bosa, Javon Kinlaw, Emmanuel Moseley, Arik Armstead and more, but Ward's steady play has helped San Francisco miraculously stand as the NFL's second-ranked scoring defense. Peterson has been surprisingly effective for the Vikings this season, sporting the third-best coverage grade among cornerbacks. Hes allowed just one touchdown in coverage while surrendering just a 48.1 passer rating. 6 on the list, as his 86.2 coverage grade as an outside cornerback led the NFL, and he ranked 11th in both yards allowed per outside-coverage snap (0.79) and percentage of outside targets to result in a first down or touchdown (29.4%). His ability to read and react helped turn him into a big-play corner in Green Bay. Please check your email for a confirmation. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Both will need to improve in pass coverage Hill-Green ranked Where do the Rams and Bengals rank? He was once again one of the best cornerbacks in the league this year, even if he did give up too many big plays in coverage. His eight pass breakups are tied for the second-most at the position. With that, it's time to take a look at listing the best cornerbacks in the league -- players who are the gold standard at their position and who routinely impact the outcome of games. School: Illinois | Year: Senior | Ht: 5-foot-10 | Wt: 211 pounds, 2022 stats: 12 games; 59 tackles (40 solo), 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 6 INT, 7 pass breakups, 1 FF, 1 FR. The dynamic duo of Slay and Bradberry has played a major part in the Eagles' ascendance to the top of the NFC. Year in, year out, all Ward does is remain available and produce, racking up five INTs in the last two seasons, and his 102 combined tackles in 2021 is evidence to his willingness to get his hands dirty on a regular basis. Against DK Metcalf and the Seahawks, he was dominant in coverage and as a run defender. A source of inspiration: Ringo's mother Tralee Hale was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2020 after he reported to Georgia. Jacobs will anchor the Nittany Lions linebacking corps after it lost a couple of key starters. He still has three interceptions on the season, and opposing quarterbacks are still mindful of where he is at all times. Follow all of your favorite Pennsylvania teams at Eagles Wire, Sixers Wire, Nittany Lions Wireand Steelers Wire! 2021 stats: 16 games (16 starts), 3 INTs, 19 PBUs, 1 FR, 68 combined tackles (55 solo). Avonte Maddox didnt make the list, but its clear that Philadelphia and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon now have the personnel to win many of the upcoming battles in the passing game against elite opponents. The Vikings cornerbacks room will have a couple of new veterans joining a young core of returnees. PFF recently ranked the top slot cornerbacks in the NFL and the Eagles defensive back landed at No. Allen's development is the primary reason the Bills enter the 2022 season as Super Bowl favorites, though general manager Brandon Beane and the rest of this front office deserve credit for building a complete roster. This is easily the best hes played over the past few seasons. 90-81) at Nos. section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-cornerbacks-of-2022-jalen-ramsey-remains-king-trevon-diggs-explodes-onto-list | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Hes allowed just 97 yards in coverage since Week 4, and opposing quarterbacks have a 44.6 passer rating when targeting him. https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2023/01/10/rams-jalen-ramsey-pff-grade-cornerback-ranking/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Minnesota also waived 2020 third-round pick Cameron Dantzler, Sr., who was claimed by Washington. He also finished with 14 career interceptions in just 36 games. Dealt from Chicago to Baltimore, Roquan Smith was one of the biggest names to change teams before the NFL trade deadline. @nyjets | #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/295hcX4Mf3. Key stat from PFF: Stokes allowed the lowest rate of separation among cornerbacks in 2021. He is the seventh-highest-graded cornerback overall on the year (79.9), as he's allowed just 268 yards on 391 coverage snaps. 26-ranked cornerback by PFF grade (71.4) but has allowed only 271 yards on 372 coverage snaps. Gilmore was one of the best free-agent signings of the offseason, as he continues to be one of the leagues best coverage players. While a player entering the transfer portal indicates an intent to exploreother options, it does not necessarily mean they will. His blitzing ability, in particular, is exceptional Muasau racked up 37 pressures from 131 rushes en route to a 91.5 pass-rush grade. Rare combo: Nicknamed "Tig" after Tigger from Winnie the Pooh for the way he loved to bounce as a toddler, Brown was the only FBS player to record at least four sacks and interceptions in 2022. Stokes (No. Rookie Derek Stingley Jr. is the big name in Houstons secondary, but their best cornerback has been veteran Steven Nelson. Philadelphia added James Bradberry after the Giants salary cap structure could no longer handle his huge 2022 cap hit. 5 with the Eagles, hell look to cement himself as one of the top nickel cornerbacks in the game. Hes as good a prospect on the field as weve seen since PFF started grading college football in 2014. NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF Ever since last postseason, a narrative developed suggesting Jalen Ramsey is no longer a shutdown cornerback or one of the best at his position. And just before 2022 ended, he reminded everyone just how talented he is. Close to his heart: Smith's daughter was born in the summer of 2021, and her middle name is Gabrielle in honor of his sister who suffered sudden infant death syndrome when Cam was 6. Sydney closed his college career by helping the Illini lead FBS in scoring defense (12.8 points allowed per game) and recorded six interceptions against one touchdown allowed on 46 targets in coverage (according to PFF). Hes allowed just 258 yards on 58 targets while letting up just a 41.2 passer rating. Josh Allen reclaims No. But their one reliable player at the position this year has been Sutton, who has played 471 snaps through Week 10. Via the Next Gen Stats completion probability model, which estimates how likely any given pass is to be completed based on factors including, but not limited to, receiver separation, air distance of the pass and sideline distance, Awuzie has allowed -6.6 fewer receptions than expected this season, trailing only James Bradberry. In the other eight games hes played, hes allowed just 219 yards in coverage while recording an interception. DID YOU KNOW? The Colts Kenny Moore landed atop the list, followed by Mike Hilton, Jonathan Jones, Taron Johnson, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to round out the top-5. Please check your email for a confirmation. Gardner-Johnson, Jonathan Gannon has been much more comfortable using man coverage in his second season as defensive coordinator, increasing that usage from 21 percent in 2021 (29th in NFL) to 32 percent this season (T-10th). 8:09 am ET. Rankings for safeties by Jeremiah, his NFL Media counterpart Bucky Brooks, Kiper, analytics site Pro Football Focus and The Athletic's Dane Brugler are listed below. Players do not need to ask permission from their coaching staff in order to transferbut merely request that compliance enter their name. -- Keegan Abdoo, Mike Band and Cole Jacobson contributed to this piece. Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name). 200 targets).#SFvsCAR | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/cchO91h0HO. Bradberry landed at No. Porter. 2021 stats: 11 games (11 starts), 1 INT, 6 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 0.5 sacks, 41 combined tackles (27 solo). 22 on the list, after logging a 62.8 PFF grade in 2021, and he still had 17 combined pass breakups and interceptions, but he also tied for the most touchdowns allowed (8). Jackson didn't simply put up numbers for this Patriots, but he did so in the shadow of Stephon Gilmore, until Gilmore was no longer present and everyone had to finally acknowledge just how dominant Jackson truly is. 9 on the list. Although he recorded four interceptions in his first season and seven as a senior, he was given 0 stars by recruiting services. School: Georgia | Year: Redshirt Soph. Don't be surprised if he plays much better in the second half of the season as the Ravens come out of their bye week. Expert rankings of players projected as safeties. CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND Sneed is the No. Is the Jaguars' decision to make a big investment in Christian Kirk paying off so far? 2021 stats: 12 games (12 starts), 1 INT, 13 PBUs, 1 FF, 58 combined tackles (44 solo). ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN And against the run, Ramsey made one of the plays of the day when he chased down Kenneth Walker on an outside run near the goal line, preventing what wouldve been a go-ahead touchdown. Andy Kenutis/Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC, Kayla Plummer/Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC, Alli Rusco/Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC, Janaye Johnson/Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC, ANDY KENUTIS/Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC. Hes allowed just 258 yards on 58 targets while letting up just a 41.2 passer rating. Diggs is the NFLs biggest boom-or-bust cornerback, but hes done a better job of limiting big plays this season. Kris Boyd, a 2019 seventh-round pick who became one of the Vikings top players on special teams, signed with the Cardinals after becoming a free agent. With Philly acquiring Bradberry and safety C.J. He locked it down in 2022, when PFF calculated his allowed completion percentage at 42.5 (second lowest among ACC cornerbacks). He's the lighthouse to all who look for hope within the organization's chances to do anything of meaning going forward, and especially in the first year of the post-Matt Ryan era. ATL CB #24. Joey Porter, Jr., 24. The Patriots' secondary has been excellent this season, with both of their starting outside cornerbacks making this list. Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker: Version 8.0, 2023 NFL Draft Prospects for Vikings: Running Backs & Offensive Line, 2023 NFL Draft Prospects for Vikings: Edge & Defensive Line, 2023 NFL Draft Prospects for Vikings: Wide Receivers & Tight Ends, 2023 NFL Draft Prospects for Vikings: Quarterbacks, How to Watch, Stream & Engage with 2023 NFL Draft. Christian Gonzalez, 20. She battled and announced in March 2022 she was cancer-free and remains an advocate. School: Mississippi State | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-1 | Wt: 166 pounds, 2022 stats: 12 games; 46 tackles (26 solo), 1 TFL, 6 INT, 3 interceptions returned for touchdowns, 10 pass breakups. Rated by 247Sports composite scaleas a three-star recruit in K-State's2021class,the underclassmanoriginally chose Chris Klieman's squad over an offer from Colorado and a host of non-Power Five programs at the FBS level. Kalon Barnes (nine special teams snaps in two games) and Tay Gowan (15 special teams snaps in three games) had their first opportunities with the Vikings last season. High expectations were naturally placed upon Ya-Sin when he was traded straight up for star pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason, but Ya-Sin has responded with a career year so far. Minnesota's safeties group is also returning Camryn Bynum, who started opposite Smith in 2022, as well as Josh Metellus, who filled in for Smith and dazzled on special teams. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2023 season! Davis flirted with a couple of SEC programs during his short stint in the portal this offseason before opting to stay at North Texas. Baylor (4) is tackled by Washington Huskies linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (48) during the first half at Reser Stadium. Duke Shelley, who was elevated off the practice squad last year and started five of the 11 games he played, signed with the Raiders after becoming a free agent.