Ranking the Top 10 Current NFL Cornerbacks

Highlights

• Sauce Gardner has only two career interceptions, but that’s largely because quarterbacks refuse to throw to his side of the field.
• Jalen Ramsey may no longer be the best cornerback in the NFL, but he still possesses All-Pro talent.
• Patrick Surtain II has been one of the only bright spots for the Denver Broncos in recent years.

To combat the high-flying passing attacks in today’s NFL, more and more teams have turned to the cornerback position.

While often not as celebrated as other defensive positions, high-level cornerback play is essential to shutting down elite quarterbacks and their connection with their top wide receivers. Luckily, the league has seen an influx of top-tier cornerback talent in recent years, making it more than ready for this challenge.

From newcomers to established vets and coverage savants to stout run defenders, here are the 10 best cornerbacks in the NFL today.

1 Sauce Gardner

Gardner’s career is off to a historically great start

It’s rare that a cornerback is this dominant in their earliest years in the NFL. Sauce Gardner, who was taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, has been a First-Team All-Pro selection in each of his first two seasons with the New York Jets and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Opposing offenses are already giving Gardner the superstar treatment and rarely throw his way, much like it used to go with Deion Sanders.

His interception numbers aren’t high at all, as he’s only picked off two passes in his career, but forcing a team to throw away from a certain side of the field for an entire game is more valuable than a handful of turnovers.

2 Jalen Ramsey

Ramsey hopes to return to his All-Pro self in 2024

Jalen Ramsey missed the first half of the 2023 season, his first with the Miami Dolphins, and it’s clear from watching his tape that he was coming off a serious injury.

Playing for a new team while being less than 100% makes it difficult to scrutinize Ramsey. Even if he’s no longer the best cornerback in the game, he remains better than most. And with a full offseason to prepare for the 2024 campaign, the former Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams superstar could return to his All-Pro form.

Ramsey’s tackling and football sense give him a strong foundation and should allow him to continue playing at a high level even as he approaches 30. The outspoken cornerback’s play will be pivotal to a Miami team with high hopes this season.

3 Patrick Surtain II

Surtain has been a lone bright spot in Denver

The disaster that was the Russell Wilson experiment dominated the headlines involving the Denver Broncos this past season, so much so that Patrick Surtain II emerging into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL went under the radar.

Surtain, taken ninth overall by the Broncos in 2021, is a pure football player who is as technically proficient as they come. Although his 2023 campaign was a touch of a step back from his All-Pro campaign the previous season, Surtain is far too young and too talented to have already maxed out. Even if the interceptions stay relatively low, the 24-year-old is a game-changer for Denver.

4 Jaylon Johnson

Johnson is coming off the best season of his career

Jaylon Johnson couldn’t have broken out at a better time. After three years of good but not great cornerback play, he made his first Pro Bowl and was a Second-Team All-Pro in 2023.

Johnson’s play, which included four interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, earned him a four-year, $76 million contract this offseason, making him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. The Utah alum has the talent to continue performing at a high level, and at 25, he very much fits the ascending Chicago Bears timeline.

The key aspect of Johnson’s game to monitor going forward is his on-ball production. After only hauling one interception in his first three seasons, Johnson, as mentioned, recorded four in 2023. If this newfound ability to generate takeaways persists, the best may be yet to come.

5 Trent McDuffie

McDuffie was instrumental to Kansas City’s success

While not as high-profile of a player as some of his teammates, at least for now, Trent McDuffie was instrumental in the Kansas City Chiefs’ run to the Super Bowl this past season. He lined up in the slot and on the outside during the 2023 campaign and further demonstrated his versatility when he was used in blitz packages.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to get funky, and having a smooth mover who plays bigger than his listed size and weight has done wonders for Kansas City’s defense. With L’Jarius Sneed gone, McDuffie may play more on the outside, but even if he stays in the slot, he’s a bonafide difference-maker.

6 DaRon Bland

Bland’s ball skills more than compensate for his mishaps in man coverage

DaRon Bland of the Dallas Cowboys may be the most polarizing player on this list. He was the ultimate boom-or-bust corner this past year, one who gave up a lot of yardage but also led the league in interceptions with nine and broke an NFL record for interceptions returned for a touchdown, taking five to the house. Bland’s game, however, goes beyond his ball skills and ability as a returner.

He was a very good tackler and was valuable as a run defender. Because of his reliance on splash plays a season ago, Bland is difficult to rank and will need to be stickier in coverage to be a perennial All-Pro. Additionally, the return of Trevon Diggs may change how offenses choose to play Bland and the Cowboys’ defense.

7 L’Jarius Sneed

Sneed looks to replicate his recent play in Tennessee

Without the cap space to extend both, the Chiefs ultimately chose Chris Jones over L’Jarius Sneed, which was very understandable.

Sneed will now suit up for the Tennessee Titans, with whom he will look to pick up where he left off in 2023 with Kansas City. This past season, the Louisiana Tech product didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage and often covered the opposing team’s top receiver.

A new system will give Sneed the chance to show he’s not just a system product, and his newfound notoriety could result in the 27-year-old’s first Pro Bowl.

8 Marshon Lattimore

Lattimore’s dwindling health has caused his reputation to slip in recent years

When he’s on the field and fully healthy, Marshon Lattimore is a sensational athlete and one of the most complete corners in the game. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered him in recent years.

Lattimore was solid for the New Orleans Saints in 2023 but lacked the juice that made him a star early in his career. The 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year still has the traits to produce at a high level, but another year lost to injury or inconsistent play could spell the end of Lattimore’s time on this list.

9 Charvarius Ward

Ward was a leading force for San Francisco’s defense

Since joining the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, Charvarius Ward has seen growth in almost every aspect of his game. He’s been a leader in San Francisco’s secondary and hauled in a career-high five interceptions in 2023.

The 49ers’ defense wasn’t as stable last year following the departure of DeMeco Ryans, but Ward was mostly unaffected. He remains San Francisco’s most complete corner due to his willingness to get his hands dirty in the run game. Expect Ward to continue being a defensive leader for the Niners in 2024.

10 Derek Stingley Jr.

Stingley has the talent to take a leap in 2024

In virtually any other draft class, Derek Stingley Jr., who was taken third overall by the Houston Texans in 2022, would be the star cornerback. However, the constant comparisons to McDuffie and Gardner have stopped Stingley from getting his due.

In DeMeco Ryans’ defense this past year, Stingley looked like the player who tormented offenses as a true freshman at LSU. He showed great feel in zone coverage, coming away with five interceptions, and is quietly one of Houston’s most important young pieces on the defensive side of the ball.

That said, the only way Stingley can reach his potential is if he stays on the field, which has been a struggle for him since his college days. This may be viewed as a projection, but we’re taking a swing at Stingley’s talent and tape, both of which suggest a Pro Bowl season could be on the horizon.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.