Ranking the NFL's top 10 cornerbacks for 2022: Execs, coaches, players make their picks for the best corners

[kurtfaulk]

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The NFL's best cornerbacks: We asked 50 execs, coaches and scouts to rank the top 10

Who are the best corners in the NFL? Execs, coaches, scouts and players from around the league ranked their top 10 in our annual summer series.

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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."

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[LouisvilleRam]

I wonder who had Ramsey ranked 7th?

 

[kurtfaulk]

I wonder who had Ramsey ranked 7th?

Probably the Bengals exec who thought Higgins made a great play to beat Ramsey for a td.

The only mistake Ramsey made in the superbowl was at the beginning of the last drive where he took the low percentage option and let chase make 20 easy extra yards. But on the last play he had chase locked down. Not that Burrow was looking at him but the option wasn't there.

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[Karate61]

Probably the Bengals exec who thought Higgins made a great play to beat Ramsey for a td.

The only mistake Ramsey made in the superbowl was at the beginning of the last drive where he took the low percentage option and let chase make 20 easy extra yards. But on the last play he had chase locked down. Not that Burrow was looking at him but the option wasn't there.

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Here's a pic of that play. Locked down!

 

[Merlin]

"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."

I don't fully disagree with this. He's aging at a position that favors the young studs. He's not gonna snuff out a guy like Chase going forward. Metcalf will probably start getting the better of him more than he has, which is to say Ramsey has beat him pretty good. Ramsey already is at that stage where he's gotta clutch a little bit vs those younger stud wideouts so it's not gonna get better.

But he's still got a couple years of being in that top third at the least even if he slips a little. I think he'll be ok vs anything but the very top group of wideouts which is still damn good.

Oh and he is in a class by himself in run support. The dude is physical and doesn't back down and I love that in a player.

 

[blackbart]

Considering he was apparently playing hurt last year I think he might be even better this year. 27 is not really aging even for a CB, he’s got a couple of years before that happens.

Whoever thought he didn’t play well in the SB is pretty hard to please. No one who knows anything about football thinks he gave up a TD. They either hate Ramsey or the Rams or both.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I think he’ll be better in 2022. As stated in the above, Ramsey wasn’t challenged much due to his reputation, especially on deep balls. As a result, I think Ramsey took that for granted and his go route technique became rusty. He mentioned technique a lot in post-SuperBowl interviews when he was asked about the Evans and Chase catches. He knows teams will try that more this season and will be ready for them.

 

[MachS]

The voter is referring to big plays from Cincinnati's Tee Higgins

What a fucking joke. Anyone that says Ramsey got beat on that TD can suck a dick. Objective football fans know the truth. The long Chase pass as well as the route he sort of jumped on the last drive were both bad plays. But cannot call that blatant bullshit facemask a bad play. Worst missed call in SB history. The fact we withstood that play and an OBJ injury and still won the game is still so insane.

 

[dang]

What a fucking joke. Anyone that says Ramsey got beat on that TD can suck a dick. Objective football fans know the truth. The long Chase pass as well as the route he sort of jumped on the last drive were both bad plays. But cannot call that blatant bullshit facemask a bad play. Worst missed call in SB history. The fact we withstood that play and an OBJ injury and still won the game is still so insane.

Still waiting for a full admission the blatant face mask was a missed call. If not a missed call then then someone better be monitoring some off shore Carribean bank accounts.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Ramsey's switch to the inside in 2021 probably impacted his outside fundamentals a bit.

If we are going to pick on Ramsey, this makes some sense.

Considering he was apparently playing hurt last year I think he might be even better this year. 27 is not really aging even for a CB, he’s got a couple of years before that happens.

Whoever thought he didn’t play well in the SB is pretty hard to please. No one who knows anything about football thinks he gave up a TD. They either hate Ramsey or the Rams or both.

RB, WR, and CB you run around a lot. These positions favor the young.

To your point… Ramsey is only 27 (young for a CB) and technique will make up for some loss in speed as he gets older.

My worry with a guy like Ramsey isn’t his play dropping off, it’s the accumulated wear and tear on his legs. He’s been a mostly healthy player… so hamstrings, quads, stuff like that as he gets older need to be managed.

 

[snackdaddy]

DB seems to be the position some guys can play longer than other positions. But not the guys using pure athletic ability. The guys who are playing at a high level into their 30's are usually the more cerebral guys who rely on their technique and experience. Ramsey should be one of those guys.

 

[majrleaged]

DB seems to be the position some guys can play longer than other positions. But not the guys using pure athletic ability. The guys who are playing at a high level into their 30's are usually the more cerebral guys who rely on their technique and experience. Ramsey should be one of those guys.

This would be true if he was used just as a corner and then safety later in his career. Problem for me is, and I have said this many times, I don't like using him elsewhere. He takes away the best and that is enough for me. It is like using your best receiver as a punt returner. Or sending your QB out on a route in the middle of the field, not the end zone. If Kupp was accurate Stafford looked like he was about to get laid out. The risk reward is not worth it.