With the 2021 college football season right around the corner,Pro Football Focus' Anthony Treash recently released a ranking of the top-ten cornerbacksacross college football. Ranking the top 20 cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft Even if he does allow some separation momentarily, his make-up burst to close down that distance is freaky. Steele and Isaac Taylor-Stuart, gives USC a solid duo at corner, plus both were former five-star recruits. He was also the No. He has plenty of experience, but had just one interception and one pass defended in 2021. The top 10 cornerback rankings for the 2021 NFL Draft College Football's 20 best cornerbacks of 2021 He came up with the game-sealing pick-six against the Alabama Crimson Tide in that national title game. He had three interceptions and six passes defended. Aside from Gonzalez and Witherspoon, there are plenty more corners who are heading to the NFL in the first round. Oregon States Rejzohn Wright has excellent size and awareness and could be a great investment in later rounds. If fully healthy, Duck has star potential. How Garner holds up against some of the more athletic receivers in the SEC will be something to monitor. Among the cornerbacks in college football, Emmanuel Forbes . Godspeed to the SEC wide receivers facing these two next year. College Football's 20 best cornerbacks of 2021 March 16, 2021 Lynn Harrington Indiana's Tiawan Mullen after a 38-31 victory over Nebraska, Saturday October 26, 2019 at Memorial Stadium. From Week 3 on, the five-star recruit earned a 78.6 coverage grade and allowed only 10 catches on 30 targets and 254 coverage snaps for 93 yards. The former three-star prospect played his best game of 2020 in the finale at Texas Tech, when he generated four solo tackles and picked off a pass. All Rights Reserved. College Football: Ranking the top 10 returning CBs in 2021 and a - PFF If he bounces back from his foot injury, he'll be back in the mix as one of the top players at his position in the country. Luter was tested with 45 targets in coverage but only allowed a 26.7% catch rate and actually came up with more combined interceptions and pass breakups (14) than catches allowed (12). College Football's Top 25 Breakout Running Backs for 2021 After being the third corner behind Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant in 2021, Bush is now the leader in the secondary. Moss has been bred for Phil Parkers zone defense and is playing it a high level. TE. He earned a 76.1 coverage grade while allowing 0.68 yards per coverage snap in 2021. He recorded his second and last interception of the season against Pittsburgh. His best year came when he was a freshman, as he had four interceptions and five passes defended. 19. He broke up at least two passes in four different conference clashes. It might be jerseys or whatever, but this is the biggest corner Ive ever seen. He was even ejected for targeting against Minnesota. Colts select Kansas State CB Julius Brents with No. 44 overall pick in For his success on the field, Forbes earned Freshman All-SEC honors. Ricks' physicality at the line of scrimmage and catch point make him a difficult cornerback to beat outright. 6. Which cornerbacks will matter in the 2021 NFL Draft, and what's the college perspective on all of the top prospects?. That puts him in the company of several stars, including 2022 first-round picks Derek Stingley Jr., Kaiir Elam and Trent McDuffie and NFL talents Adoree Jackson, Carlton Davis and Patrick Surtain II. Seven Mizzou football players to watch in the 2024 NFL draft Reed, New York Jets 19) Tyson Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars 20) Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers 21) Tariq Woolen, Seattle Seahawks 22) Desmond King II, Houston Texans 23) Kader Kohou, Miami Dolphins 24) Cameron Sutton, Pittsburgh Steelers Seahawks take Witherspoon at No. 5, Smith-Njigba at No. 20 The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder also had an interception against Army and bowl win over Louisiana Tech. Steele racked up 10 total stops, including six solo and broke up two passes in the win over rival UCLA. He tallied four solo tackles in the opener against Coastal Carolina. He has All-America potential in 2022. He followed up that performance with seven stops, including five solo and 2.5 sacks in the victory at Rutgers. As a true freshman Moore started the first 11 games of Alabamas National Championship season and earned second-team All-SEC. Floridas defense struggled in 2021 and Marshalls emergence can really help them improve this season. He finished the year with four interceptions and five passes defended. He finished the season with nine pass breakups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and 14 passing stops. Eligibility restrictions apply. Top 25 College Football Cornerbacks - The Game Haus A formation in which 5 defensive backs are in the field (one in the slot). Please logout and login again. 2021. The 2019 four-star recruit allowed the fourth-lowest catch rate in the Power Five over that span at 42%. Cornerback is a great position for NFL development if players have speed and a sense of where the ball is headed, a lot of the rest can be coached. Turner took on a starting spot for the first time in his Michigan career in Week 8 this past season and performed at a high level from that point forward. Before his injury-riddled 2021 campaign, Ricks produced at an extraordinarily high level for a true freshman. The Mississippi native recorded a season-high, eight total tackles against Auburn. In the 2021 NFL Draft, five cornerbacks were drafted in the first round, including two that were selected as top-ten picks. He has the length and strength to give wide receivers a problem at the line at 6-foot-2 and 205-pounds but also rare long speed for that size. Leinweber's Top 22 Cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft Senior Scout Lorenz Leinweber gives you his top 22 cornerbacks in this class. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Tre Avery, Rutgers: The former Ohio State recruit broke up a pass in seven of the Scarlet Knights first eight games last season. The 2020 JUCO product even earned a 97.8 PFF grade in single coverage this past year the highest mark in the country by more than five grading points. . 6. Here's a look at 25 of the top defensive players heading into the 2021 college football season. These are the current college football recruiting rankings but they arent the final rankings, and they will be updated periodically. He presents good size for an outside corner, but hes at his best clicking and closing on routes in off zone-coverage. He was also the No. Coby Bryant, Cincinnati: Hes a big reason why the Bearcats defense only allowed seven passing touchdowns last season. But the 2022 NFL Draft deadline is approaching for those who are eligible, so we now know who among college footballs top talents will be leaving and returning for this season. In terms of total ball-production, Joey Porter Jr. is right up there at the top of the list for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Ricks' physicality at the line of scrimmage and catch point makes him a difficult cornerback to beat outright. He recorded his first interception of the year against Arkansas State. First Take - Top Cornerbacks for the 2021 NFL Draft - Sports Illustrated Entering his junior year at Indiana in 2021, Mullen has totaled 65 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 17 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions in 18 games over his first two seasons. Your login session has expired. Luter missed the final two outings due to injury, but we wont let that take away from what he did in 10 games as a starter this past season. The former three-star prospect earned first-team All-AAC and Bryants return gives Cincinnatis secondary instant credibility. 48 ranked overall player in the recruiting class of 2019. Grimes is a 2022 breakout candidate who has a sky-high ceiling. Like Jobe, Elam also tied for the SEC lead in pass breakups with 11 last season. Canteen tallied 34 solo tackles and broke up 10 passes in 13 games. These 2022 college football recruiting rankings have been compiled after sifting through well over 2,000 names and even more video clips and highlight reels of the best high school football players in the country. No need to fear, Riley Moss is staying here for a final year, Top 5 cornerbacks in college football right now. His long arms are a major asset when stabbing at the pecs of receivers to throw off their release, plus then he displays light feet and impressive fluidity for a fairly tall corner. "He is just one of three outside corners in the Power Five who has generated a coverage grade above 75.0 in both man and zone coverage since 2019. We are ranking some of the top returning players at each position and naming one sleeper who could make some noise this season. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. Brendan Radley-Hiles, Washington: The one-time Nebraska commit started 32 games over the past three seasons with Oklahoma and racked up 115 tackles and three interceptions during that span. 2021 Top Cornerback Recruits - 247Sports Luter missed the final two outings due to injury, but we wont let that take away from what he did in 10 games as a starter. With Greg Schiano on the sidelines in year two, expect Rutgers to continue improving, especially in the secondary. Best returning Pac-12 corner https://t.co/tqqNiToeoJ, Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) January 1, 2022. A technique in which the CB shows press coverage before the snap and immediately drops off as the ball is snapped. The Big-12 has two players ranked, while the Big 10, ACC, and Pac-12 each have one player ranked. He tallied six total stops, including five solo at Alabama. Notre Dames first game is against Ohio State, who has the premier wide receiver room in the country, so Hart has to be prepared in week 1. 4. 51 overall recruit was the highest-graded outside corner in the country. Lets take a look at some of this years CB prospects. Coaches put them out on an island because they are the most trusted defenders on the field. He had two interceptions and seven passes defended. Chase Lucas, Arizona State: He generated 15 tackles and broke up five passes in four games and earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors for the Sun Devils last season. 2023 NFL draft preview: Cornerbacks - dailyherald.com Giants select cornerback Tre Hawkins in sixth round of 2023 NFL Draft. 2023 NFL Draft Prospect - cornerbacks Rankings - CBSSports.com Power Rankings are PFFs NCAA power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. The 2018 two-star recruit earned an 81.5 coverage grade last season. However, keeping Shipley - a five-star prospect in the 2021 signing . And that's not all, as McDuffie might also be the best tackling cornerback in college football. Trice is returning to Purdue for his fifth season after his fourth season was cut short. He also added 39 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games during his 2020 campaign with the Gators. Bryant picked off two passes and had three solo tackles in the win over South Florida. The Ducks will have one of the best secondaries in the league this fall. We are on to the 2022 season, where teams across the country will compete for a chance to play for the College Football Playoff National Championship at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Theres still a lot to be figured out between now and then with team rosters and depth charts the transfer portal deadline is months away. 15 Best Cornerbacks in College Football in 2023. Eli Ricks, LSU: Last season he delivered on all the hype that he arrived with as a five-star recruit. When Stevenson was left on an island, he almost always came out on top. "Hes at his best at the line of scrimmage playing in press coverage when he's allowed to rely on his length and physicality," Treash wrote. "Armed with a mirror ability that is as good as it gets at the position, the TCU cornerback routinely found himself playing the ball well at the catch point," Treash wrote. The Bayou Bengals will have arguably the most talented secondary in the SEC this fall, but will need to improve after finishing dead last in the FBS in passing yards allowed. 2023 NFL Draft Grades: Raiders Trade Up And Select Michael Mayer No. "Of all the Power Five corners who have played at least 200 coverage snaps in press coverage in the last five years, Jobes 2020 season ranked fourth in yards per coverage snap allowed in press at 0.4. Not to mention the six-foot-one, 195-pounder had four solo tackles apiece against Missouri and Auburn. Some FCS games are graded after the season has completed to provide additional data for draft prospects of interest. Moss struggled in Iowas bowl game against Kentucky, but had a fantastic season otherwise in 2021. Darrell Luters name should be in any conversation about the most underrated player in college football. Garner has been one of the best cornerbacks at the Group of Five level over the last couple of seasons at Louisiana and now is taking the leap to the Power Five to join Brian Kellys LSU Tigers. Georgias Kelee Ringo, Michigans DJ Turner, and Kansas States Julius Brents will all go early as well. Here are the top five cornerbacks in college football right now: Coming into the year with Georgias Kelee Ringo, LSU-to-Alabama transfer Eli Ricks and Cam Smith as the trio at the top in terms of draft prospects for next year, I feel like the latter has really established himself as the top guy in the group. The Georgia native tallied seven total tackles in the win at Georgia Tech. South Carolina Corner Cam Smith really took off last year and exploded onto the scene with 11 pass breakups. And Turner did that despite playing a decent amount of press-man and being picked on with the 13th-highest target rate among that group at 17.4%. College Football: Ranking the top 25 cornerbacks ahead of Week 10 - PFF One of his interceptions was returned for a touchdown. Did Steph Curry cook up the best Game 7 performance ever? In 2021, Grimes allowed 15 yards or less in eight of 13 games, but he surrendered 60 or more yards in the other five outings. 2020 College Football Top Recruiting Classes . Playing a ton of soft press and cover-three bail, Williams trusts his speed as receivers push vertically. 2021 High School Pos Rankings State Rankings. Dont underestimate this 5-foot-9, 177-pound corner hes going to play far more physically than his size suggests.". CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. Two of the top three corners happen to play on the same team. The Baylor product is on the smaller end of the position at 5-foot-10, 188 pounds, but he makes up for it with his great all-around athleticism. At 6-foot-4 he is a unique corner for the Wildcats to utilize, as he has great length. Oregon has one of the top cornerback duos in college football, and arguably the best secondary in the nation, so it's no surprise one of their cornerbacks made it onto my list. Thats not even half of that entire groups average.". For clarification, these lists are based on where these young men are today as college football players. Copyright 2008-2021 Drafttek.com. I like how he actively approaches blockers and disengages when the ball comes his way. In seven games,Stingley was targeted 30 times, allowing just seven first downs while forcing five incompletions. Alabama and Tennessee gave him fits, and there were some late-reaction plays that led to positive plays for the opposition. Hell be a great addition to the Huskies. The former four-star prospect broke up at least one pass in six of Oregons seven games. His physique and length can really throw off receivers at the line and negate easy access to the inside. Luters name should be in any conversation surrounding college football's most underrated player. video for When should Pirates fans buy into this team? KeiTrel Clark, Louisville: The former two-star prospect was a one-time Liberty recruit. PFF ranks college football's top ten cornerbacks for the 2021 season He has received plenty of playing time over his three years at Auburn and Pritchett is now a leader on the team. Leinweber's Top 22 Cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft (Photo: M. Samek, 247Sports) 2020 stats: 26 tackles (1 for loss), 1 interception, 1 pass defended. McMillan followed up that performance with an additional five solo stops and an interception at Georgia State.The 5-foot-10, 161-pounder also picked off a pass against Tulane. Note: While projection of what a player can be is taken into account, most rankings are from what has been seen on the field so far.