We all love best-of lists, but what if people around the NFL created their own? To preview the 2022 NFL season, we surveyed more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from edge rusher to interior offensive lineman. This is the third edition of these rankings, and there are several players who moved up or dropped from last year's lists. Today, we focus on the cornerbacks.
Here's how our process worked: Voters gave us their best 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, hundreds of interviews, research and film-study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 50 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. We had several ties, so we broke them with the help of additional voting and follow-up calls with our rankers. Each section is packed with quotes and nuggets from the voters on every guy -- even the honorable mentions.
The objective is to identify the best players right now for 2022. This is not a five-year projection or an achievement award. Who are the best players today? Pretty simple.
We rolled out a position per day over 11 days. Here's the schedule: edge rushers (July 5), defensive tackles (July 6), off-ball linebackers (July 7), cornerbacks (July 8), safeties (July 9), interior offensive linemen (July 10), quarterbacks (July 11), running backs (July 12), wide receivers (July 13), tight ends (July 14) and offensive tackles (July 15).
Cornerback is less about what you have done and more about what you're able to do. Corners who can consistently handle man coverage will get paid a premium and rank higher on lists like this. Those who put up impressive coverage numbers in zone-heavy schemes will usually be knocked by NFL voters who prioritize scheme transcendence. And getting beat is overrated.
"All the good ones do," an NFC exec said. "I'd rather a guy play a ton of man, knowing he'll give up completions but he'll compete and make plays on the ball, than one who rarely gets tested and struggles when he does."
That notion became a central theme in the voting for the top-10 cornerback list. The top name here is a well-known playmaker, but the rest of the order is not. Let's look at some of the game's top corners as ranked by execs, coaches, scouts and players around the NFL.
1. Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 7
Age: 27 | Last year's ranking: 1
Ramsey dominated the voting for a second consecutive year, but it's noteworthy a few trusted evaluators didn't have him in the top five.
"I think he's falling off and a little overrated at this point," an AFC exec said. "Super Bowl, to me, is an indication of what it's going to look like moving forward."
The voter is referring to big plays from Cincinnati's Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase with Ramsey in coverage during the title game. But most voters believe that's nitpicky and no cornerback can match Ramsey's total package. He appears on a Hall of Fame trajectory, and his four interceptions on his way to an 84.5 Pro Football Focus rating were impressive.
"He's not as good as [Darrelle] Revis or Charles Woodson, but he's the best in this era," an NFL personnel director said. "He does everything well."
One NFL exec said Ramsey's man coverage was not great in 2021, that he wasn't isolated in that matchup often and he gave up a high percentage of catches when he was. NFL Next Gen Stats' coverage numbers say Ramsey allowed a 60.2% completion percentage (56 of 93) as the nearest defender in overall coverage -- not specific to one scheme or philosophy. But a prominent NFL coach clarified: Ramsey's reputation has much to do with his lack of targets. Plus, Ramsey's switch to the inside in 2021 probably impacted his outside fundamentals a bit.
"Still a force, huge engine, fierce competitor, smart," a high-ranking NFL coach said. "Best tackler, hitter, blitzer of that group. ... He's still the best right now."
2. Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 9
Age: 26 | Last year's ranking: 7
Lattimore finished his fifth NFL season with career highs in tackles (68) and pass deflections (19) on his way to a third straight Pro Bowl. He might be flawed -- not every team loved his 2021 tape -- but he and Ramsey were the most consistent vote-getters through the process.
"He can really do it all," said an AFC exec who voted Lattimore No. 1 overall. Fifteen of Lattimore's pass deflections came in man coverage, which he plays a lot. He was known early in his career for getting up for matchups with top receivers and playing down to lesser talent, but some voters believed he improved his consistency last year.
"He got back closer to what he looked like [in his] first couple of years in the league," an NFC defensive coach said. "Hit a turning point in the season where he was really at his best and it showed up. Physical and competitive, strong as hell."
Added an AFC defensive coach: "He's a guy you can ask to take away a top guy and he does it. One of the few players who can do that."
3. Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: 10
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 6
Alexander received plenty of top-three votes despite barely playing in 2021. He missed all but four regular-season games with a right shoulder injury, but he consistently makes special plays when healthy. Alexander even gets injured with flair, shooting through the gap to knock Steelers running back Najee Harris on a fourth-down stop, resulting in the shoulder issue.
"He's urgent, aggressive in coverage, great transition speed and change of direction," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "Has great backfield vision in zone coverage. Ball skills. Plays with a physical element."
The Packers rewarded Alexander with a four-year, $84 million contract extension this offseason, and his talent seems to appreciate with time.
"He's just so smooth in everything he does," an AFC executive said. "How he plays should be taught."
As one AFC coach pointed out, the Packers have asked Alexander to handle different coverages -- press coverage in 2019, off coverage in 2020 -- and he "dominated both years."
4. Xavien Howard, Miami Dolphins
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 10
Age: 28 | Last year's ranking: 3
Voters who love physical man coverage all game long have no problem putting Howard No. 1.
"Lockdown man-to-man player but high football IQ," an NFL coordinator said. "When you play as much man as the Dolphins play, you shouldn't or wouldn't expect to have all of the ball production he does."
Added a high-ranking AFC executive: "I've seen him make too many plays on the ball over too many years not to have him high."
Howard is staking his claim as the King of Ball Production. Consider that over his past three seasons with at least 12 games played -- he missed most of 2019 -- Howard is averaging an interception every two games. That's 22 picks in 44 contests. So any time Howard walks into a season, expect eight takeaways. And coaches are impressed he can do that in man coverage, with his back to the quarterback most of the time and featured in a blitz-heavy defense.
"His pre-snap awareness of the offense, how the wide receiver stems and overall awareness of alignments tell him when to take his shots," the coordinator said.
Howard's 16 passes defended last season tied for sixth in the NFL, and per NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed a completion on 51.9% of the throws in his direction.
5. J.C. Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Out of top 10
Age: 27 | Last year's ranking: 10
Jackson most closely channels Howard as a true ball hawk, hauling in 17 interceptions in his past 33 games. That production earned him a massive five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Chargers in free agency this year.
Opposing quarterbacks averaged a 48.4 passer rating when throwing toward Jackson, who gave up 627 yards on 96 targets (50 receptions), per NFL Next Gen Stats. One AFC defensive coach said a recent All-Pro corner told him Jackson has the best ball skills he has ever seen.
"A lot of corners can track the football, but not many can catch the flash of the football," the coach said. "Now all of a sudden, the PBU [pass breakup] a good player makes, he picks that. He's one of a few that can do it consistently."
Jackson's 23 passes defended led all defensive players in 2021, and only Dallas' Trevon Diggs (11) had more interceptions than his eight.
6. Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: Out of top 10
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 8
Ward pushed for top-five status thanks to elite coverage skills and two Pro Bowls in four years.
"If the dude is healthy and on the field, he's one of the best man coverage players out there," a high-ranking NFL executive said. "He has elite footwork and fluid movement. Would knock him on instincts -- he'll probably never be a Deion Sanders, top-level anticipator. But he's got all the tools."
Ward had three interceptions and a 76.9 Pro Football Focus grade last year, but he has missed 13 games over four seasons, including at least two in each season. One AFC coach says he doesn't think Ward's toughness matches others on this list, but an AFC exec pushed back on that.
"He's actually darn tougher than given credit for; he's just small," said the exec, referring to Ward's 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame. "So it's more durability than toughness."
Over four seasons, Ward has allowed 5.9 yards per attempt as the primary defender, and his completion percentage against (53.5%) is 5.6% lower than expected, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
7. Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: Out of top 10
Age: 22 | Last year's ranking: Unranked (rookie)
Surtain could be even higher. Some voters don't love pushing second-year players into the top five, but the skill set will get him there soon enough. And multiple high-ranking execs had no problem placing Surtain No. 1 overall.
"He's a star," an NFL personnel evaluator said.
As a rookie, Surtain gave up 45 catches for 495 yards when targeted 89 times as the nearest defender (NFL Next Gen Stats), an impressive clip against the backdrop of his four interceptions. He also racked up 58 tackles and 14 pass deflections as a full-time starter.
"Dude's legit -- he's been good all of his life," a veteran NFL personnel evaluator said. "A unicorn in the sense that he's supremely talented, has great football IQ and works hard. The trifecta."
8. Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Out of top 10
Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 2
Humphrey took a sizable fall in the rankings, in part because others had a bigger 2021 season. Humphrey missed the last month of the season with a torn pectoral muscle, and in 12 games, he failed to produce at the same level as his 2020 campaign, when he had eight forced fumbles and 2.5 sacks. He finished 2021 with one forced fumble and zero sacks.
"He's more an overall disruptor with physicality than having elite ball skills like some others on the list," an AFC defensive coach said. "He's a guy you would take all day, and his all-around game is great -- he just doesn't have the ball production of some others."
For his five-year career, Humphrey has nine interceptions and 64 pass deflections.
"He gets a lot of zero coverage and the best receiver on the other team as far as assignments, and he always battles," an AFC exec said. "He's gonna get beat some but still really good. He needs to play man more than zone because he needs to be able to be physical."
Since 2017, Humphrey's targeted expected points added is minus-54.2, and he has kept his opponent completion percentage when targeted to 53.0% -- 5.3% below expectations, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
9. A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Out of top 10
Age: 23 | Last year's ranking: Unranked
Terrell struggled as a rookie but became a star in Year 2.
"His production last year was insane," an NFC scout said. "He rarely gave up an explosive play."
Terrell gave up the lowest completion percentage as the nearest defender of anyone on this list (41.1%, per NFL Next Gen Stats), allowing 30 receptions on 73 targets for 297 yards and three touchdowns. And per Next Gen Stats, his 0.6 yards allowed per snap were the lowest in the NFL among outside corners with at least 300 coverage snaps last season. And one NFL team told me it counted Terrell giving up one explosive play in man coverage all year.
What's more: The 2020 first-rounder did all this on an Atlanta defense that ranked 26th in total defense and 29th in scoring defense.
"He's the next really good one for me," an AFC coach said. "He's top three to five right now."
10. Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Out of top 10
Age: 23 | Last year's ranking: Unranked
Diggs was the toughest evaluation of the group. An 11-interception season should be enough to elevate a corner past No. 10. Instead, Diggs was in a dead-heat tie with Buffalo's Tre'Davious White, a top-10 staple who is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. Diggs won the tiebreaker -- but barely.
"He's boom-or-bust right now," an NFC defensive coach said. "I love his instincts, but if the cost is giving up a bunch of big plays, I don't love the interceptions."
Numbers tell parts of the story. NFL Next Gen Stats' nearest-defender numbers have Diggs allowing 790 yards on 46-of-86 passing for four touchdowns allowed. That's respectable in some cases, considering the number of times he's targeted. And clearly, the Dallas defense asked a lot of him from a coverage standpoint. The pressure was on after a rough rookie year, and Diggs delivered.
"I actually think he'll get better because he can learn from all those chances he took," an AFC exec said. "He's clearly got the ball skills."
An NFC defensive coach argues, however, Diggs is getting interceptions on plays that more seasoned corners would play more soundly, less risk-averse, because they know those chances can hurt the team.
Honorable mentions
Tre'Davious White, Buffalo Bills: A top-five fixture in the past, White still deserves to be in the top 10 but didn't garner enough top-five votes to surpass the younger corners. Suffering an ACL tear in his left knee in late November didn't help. "Body of work, he's still elite," an AFC defensive coach said. "He's got that toughness and technique where you know what you're getting every play. He'll just have to work his way back into form."
Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles: Slay is a nine-year vet who made his fourth Pro Bowl in 2021 and, like White, he was a fixture in the rankings the past two years. But he has 15 pass deflections since joining Philadelphia two years ago. "His ability has held up pretty well, I don't feel like he's lost a major step [at age 31]," an AFC scout said. "Love Slay. I would just take others ahead of him due to ball production."
Carlton Davis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Davis has 52 pass deflections in four seasons and plays a lot of man coverage. "He doesn't get enough credit," an AFC defensive coach said. "One of the best press corners in the National Football League. He gets up there and takes guys away. He's just overshadowed by the other stars on that defense."
Also receiving votes: Jaycee Horn (Carolina Panthers), L'Jarius Sneed (Kansas City Chiefs), Kenny Moore II (Indianapolis Colts), Stephon Gilmore (Indianapolis Colts)