Teams are frantically hoping they’ve made the right selections for their roster in their bid to unseat the Los Angeles Rams as NFL players come out of their summer vacation with several weeks of relaxation behind them. Making sure the pass rush and secondary are top-notch—the latter requiring the presence of at least one strong cornerback to aid the cause—will be a crucial component of achieving that goal, with fans full-on betting on NFL Picks for the new season.
Now that everything is out of the way, let’s look at a list of the top cornerbacks in the league—players that consistently affect game results and set the bar high for their position. You may believe that some of these races were decided by a photo finish, but not everyone can make a top 10 list, and that is the purpose.
Marshon Lattimore
Since joining the Saints as the 11th overall choice in the 2017 NFL Draft, Lattimore has been their best CB, and anybody doubting this fact ought to get a head injury evaluated as soon as possible. Lattimore has been given a berth at the Pro Bowl in all but one of his years in the NFL, and he was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first year in the league (2017). His extension, which he signed in 2021, was for five years and $97.6 million.
J.C. Jackson
The addition of Jackson makes the Chargers’ defense even more psychotic, as if they weren’t already in crazy mode after dealing for Khalil Mack as a reply to the Denver Broncos’ acquisition of Russell Wilson, strengthening them on the field and in NFL Predictions. Jackson didn’t just put up stats for this Patriots team, but he did so while operating in the shadow of Stephon Gilmore. It wasn’t until Gilmore was no longer on the team that everyone was forced to admit how powerful Jackson really was.
This defensive back has already recorded a career-high 23 pass breakups and has also amassed a total of 25 interceptions throughout the course of his first four seasons. Of those 25 interceptions, 17 have been recorded in just the last two seasons. Jackson is now scheduled to line up behind Mack and Joey Bosa, and he will also be playing in the secondary with Derwin James, Nasir Adderley, and Asante Samuel Jr.
Xavien Howard
The Dolphins made the right choice, just like you should, by betting, according to NFL Expert Picks. When you have a talented player like Howard on your team, and he feels disrespected by certain contractual things, you make it a priority to remedy those problems. The Dolphins can now go back to enjoying the benefits of having what is widely considered to be the top cornerback in all of the NFL now that matters have been resolved in that regard and Howard has been handed a new contract.
You’d be surprised to find someone who makes a bigger and more consistent impact at the CB position than Howard, and that was before they added Byron Jones as help through the free agency a couple of off-seasons ago. If it weren’t for Ramsey, you’d be hard-pressed to name anyone who makes an impact at the position better than Howard. Since 2019, he has not dealt with any significant injuries, and the fact that he has recorded 15 interceptions over the past two seasons, in addition to receiving coverage grades that are frequently in the A+ range, demonstrates that he is one of the most well-rounded cornerbacks that we have ever had the pleasure of watching.
Jalen Ramsey
To answer your question, yes, Ramsey will continue to wear the crown for another campaign. We will not act as if he is not the top cornerback in the NFL. The fact that he is so consistent and has actually gotten better with age — a comment that should not be taken lightly when considering that he achieved All-Pro honors as early as Year 2 — only deepens the point to keep him on the seat, and anyone waiting for Ramsey 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.
Furthermore, what Ramsey was able to achieve in 2021—with two damaged shoulders—is really insane, and now that he’s had those ailments corrected, what level may he reach for the reigning Super Bowl champion Rams in 2022? None of us can wait to find out.
