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The cornerback is the ultimate NFL swag position. The greats are sent out on an island, one vs. one, against the opposing offense's best wide receiver, and they are expected to take away half of the field. And the craziest thing is, they do.
The life of the NFL cornerback is one lived on the edge. They are often the loudest guys out there, using every trick in the book to get in their opponent's head and shut them down. Watching their footwork and ball skills lays bare just how difficult of a role they have. Not to mention their job has been getting consistently more challenging due to rule changes and competitive balancing over the last 50+ years.
Good cornerback play is often silent and taken for granted because the ball never goes their way. Meanwhile, bad cornerback play pops off the TV so much that even the most casual NFL fan can see it. The best cornerback play can be the most electric moment of the game, so here are the 25 best cornerbacks to ever do it.
25. Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey has been one of the biggest personalities in the NFL over the last decade. For seven years, he has put forward a solid case to be the best cornerback in the league. His blend of length, size, and speed allows him to match up against any wide receiver in the league. In his second year in the league, he came into his own, earning his first All-Pro selection. That 2017 season was the best Jacksonville Jaguars team of the last two decades, and Ramsey headed an elite defense that almost carried a pretty lousy offense led by Blake Bortles past the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots. Since then, he has only continued to contribute to great defenses around the league, and will look to do so again this year with the Miami Dolphins.
24. Albert Lewis
The first of many great cornerbacks from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the AFC West, on this list is Albert Lewis. Lewis played 16 years in the NFL, 11 of which came with the Kansas City Chiefs and five with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. He was big (6'2), fast (sub 4.4 speed), and had incredible bounce (38-inch vertical leap). His frame and physique allowed him to disrupt all kinds of wide receivers, yet he was also a standout on special teams. During his career, he blocked 11 punts and a field goal, the former of which is an NFL record. Lewis impacted the game in two phases more than most NFL players did in one.
23. Dick LeBeau
Better known to younger fans as the Defensive Coordinator of the great Pittsburgh Steelers defenses of the 2000s, Dick LeBeau was an excellent cornerback in his own right. LeBeau racked up 62 interceptions during his 14-year career with the Detroit Lions. While his teams often ended up stuck under Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers machine of the 1960s, LeBeau had the Lions right there with them as much as he could. He would be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 2010.
22. Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Williams made his living shutting down wide receivers across the league at an elite level in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the greatest players to ever wear an Arizona Cardinals jersey, Williams was a steal in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft. By 1994, he would find himself leading the league in interceptions with nine. 1994 also kickstarted a streak of six straight Pro Bowl selections for Williams. It's been hard to succeed on a franchise like the Cardinals, but Williams was one of the best to ever do it.
21. Lem Barney
Lem Barney wasn't the first Detroit Lions cornerback to enter the league and immediately put quarterbacks on notice, but he certainly left his mark. Ten interceptions, three returned for touchdowns, and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors marked Barney's first year in the league. From 1967-1970 Barney snagged an eye-watering 32 picks, and these were also his first four seasons in the league, which is the second-highest total across a player's first four years in the NFL. Barney's reputation as a ballhawk eventually caught on, but he still snagged multiple interceptions every season he played.
20. Lester Hayes
The peak of Lester Hayes' career perfectly matches up with the Raiders Super Bowl wins in 1980 and 1983. In 1980, Hayes led the league in interceptions on his way to his first Pro Bowl selection and Defensive Player of the Year honors, and it's also worth mentioning he snagged another five interceptions in the playoffs. In 1983, Hayes had his fourth Pro Bowl season (out of five), locking down receivers and adding two picks in the postseason (one pick-six) on his way to his second championship.
19. Roger Wehrli
Roger Wehrli is another great cornerback victimized by the Cardinals franchise, only when Wehrli was playing they were still in St. Louis. Despite coming into the league in 1969, over two decades after their last playoff appearance, Wehrli was a lights-out defender. Wehrli used his track-star speed to mark opposing wideouts out of the game and earned seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections for his strong play. Wehrli also helped the Cardinals to their first three playoff appearances since after World War II, which ended being the only three playoff appearances during the franchises' stay in St. Louis. After their postseason appearance in 1982, Wehrli's final season of his career, the Cardinals would embark on another lengthy playoff drought, showing just how important he was to them.
18. Mel Renfro
Mel Renfro came into the league, was one of the best cornerbacks, and remained one of the best for his entire career. He played 14 years for the Dallas Cowboys, helping them to their two Super Bowl wins in the 1970s. Renfro was a Pro Bowler for the first ten years of his career, with an impressive level of consistent greatness few have matched before or since. Like many great cornerbacks on this list, Renfro played multiple positions across the secondary, although he interestingly started at safety before transitioning to the corner rather than vice versa.
17. Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson had the misfortune of finding his way onto the San Francisco 49ers about a decade too early to contribute to their success in the 1980s. But don't tell him that. Johnson was the best player on the 1970-72 teams that won their division three straight years. The Niners came within a game of their first Super Bowl appearance two years in a row in 1970 and 1971, and it would be another decade before Bill Walsh's teams would eventually make it to the promised land. In each of those three years, Johnson was a first-team All-Pro, and his strong play during the 70s helped him earn a spot on the Hall of Fame's 1970s All-Decade team.
16. Ty Law
Before Tom Brady became the greatest player in the history of the NFL, the early 2000s New England Patriots led by solid quarterback play and an excellent defense. And a massive part of that success in the early 2000s hinged on Ty Law. Law played on the outside for the Patriots for ten years, playing a role in their four Super Bowl appearances and three titles during that time. Throughout his entire 15-year career, Law was an outstanding shutdown corner on many of the league's best defenses.
15. Charles Woodson
Peyton Manning will always be remembered first from the 1998 NFL Draft, but Charles Woodson, who beat him out for the previous year's Heisman trophy, should probably be second on that list. Woodson split his time across the Raiders and Green Bay Packers and became a beloved member of both franchises, as he won DRoY with Oakland and DPoY with Green Bay. He'd help lead the Packers and the Raiders to a Super Bowl appearance each, with his trip in Green Bay yielding his only championship ring. Woodson was an excellent corner who played at an extremely high level for a long time.
14. Richard Sherman
In an increasingly unfair defensive environment, Richard Sherman captained one of the best defenses of the offense-focused era in NFL history. Sherman led the Legion of Boom and a young Russell Wilson to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, and one common-sense Pete Carroll decision prevented the Seattle Seahawks from winning back-to-back titles. Sherman embodied what a modern cornerback needed to be. He was confident to the point of arrogance, had incredible athleticism to compete with the receivers he had to guard, and had the highest football IQ on the field whenever he was on it.
13. Herb Adderley
Herb Adderley was one of the league's premier defenders across the 1960s and early 1970s. Playing first for Vince Lombardi's Packers and then Tom Landry's Cowboys, he helped his teams win five NFL Championships and three Super Bowls during his career. He almost didn't get his shot in the NFL, but when he did, he never looked back. Adderley became a fixture on the outside for the Packers, using his size, quickness, and ball skills to become one of the best to play the position. In his first six years as a starter, he was either a first-team All-Pro, selected to the Pro Bowl, or both. When he left for Dallas, he held the Packers record for most pick-sixes all time with seven, including an NFL single-season record with three in 1965. He tacked on two more elite seasons of play with the Cowboys and a Super Bowl title in 1971.
12. Patrick Peterson
Patrick Peterson's physical attributes have always been elite, but it's his mental preparation and commitment to being the best that has made him stand out among his peers. Peterson was drafted by the Cardinals in 2011 and made the Pro Bowl eight straight seasons to start his career. Peterson helped keep the Cardinals relevant in one of the toughest divisions of the 2010s by leading an excellent defense. He could blanket any receiver in the league, and if you did give him the ball, he was incredibly hard to stop when returning an interception, so much so that he made a name for himself as one of the premier return specialists in the league as well.
11. Mike Haynes
Mike Haynes split his time evenly with seven years each with the Patriots and Raiders. Haynes found more individual success in New England, winning DRoY in 1976 and Pro Bowl honors in six of seven seasons. Then with the Raiders, he helped bolster a defense on the tail end of its competitive window to their third Super Bowl title in franchise history in 1983. Haynes would continue to play cornerback at a high level, though, as he led the league in interception return yardage the following year, proving himself to be an effective offensive weapon even though he played defense.
10. Ronde Barber
Ronde Barber played 16 years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and retired as possibly the most beloved player in team history. Barber's rise to greatness mirrored the franchise's climb to their first Super Bowl title in 2002. Barber won the DPoY award in 2001, leading the league in picks with ten. The following year, he helped lead a swarming defense to overwhelm league MVP QB Rich Gannon in the Super Bowl, and had another two interceptions during the team's path to the big game as well.
9. Darrelle Revis
“Revis Island” thrived in an era and division featuring some of the most prolific passing offenses in NFL history. In 2009 Darrelle Revis allowed a truly heinous 29.1 passer rating on 127 targets across the regular and postseason. Revis was a one-man army sent to the NFL to provide a handicap to increasingly effective passing games. Revis faced off against some of the most impressive wide-receiving talents to play the game, as guys like Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Calvin Johnson, and more all stepped up to “Revis Island” and were marked out of games. To play cornerback in the 21st century is an enormous challenge. To thrive is even harder. And to play it the way that Revis did is almost impossible.
8. Willie Brown
Like many other greats on this list, Willie Brown helped anchor one of the best defenses of his era. While he came into the league and spent four years with the Denver Broncos, he is most known for his 12 years with the Raiders. Brown helped lead the Raiders to their first period of league-wide prominence, locking down the AFL in 1967. Those Raiders wouldn't get the job done in Super Bowl II, but nine years later, in Super Bowl XI, after arguably being the best player in the league in 1973 (see: Pro-Football Reference), Brown delivered a 75-yard pick-six to seal the franchise's first Super Bowl title. He had incredible longevity but loved the moment, finishing his career with three separate postseason pick-sixes.
7. Champ Bailey
Champ Bailey spent 15 years humbling quarterbacks and wide receivers across the league. He started in Washington, then got swapped to the Broncos in a huge deal involving running back Clinton Portis. Bailey was a fixture in Denver, helping power them back to AFC relevance after the end of the John Elway days. Bailey's 100-yard interception return against Tom Brady's Patriots helped end the first era of Patriot dominance and get the Broncos to the cusp of a Super Bowl appearance. Bailey was consistently called on to cover all kinds of different receivers and he could always do it. Even in his last year, in the AFC Championship game, he gave up just one reception for four yards as he finally made it to the Super Bowl.
6. Darrell Green
Darrell Green played 20 years with Washington, spanning most of the 1980s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s. During that time, he helped Washington win two Super Bowl titles and put himself at the front of the conversation for best player in franchise history. Green was blazing fast, which he used to great effect in coverage and as a returner. His humility often overshadows his superhuman feats, including recording more games played than any other defender in league history (295) and recording an interception in 19 consecutive seasons.
5. Ronnie Lott
Bill Walsh's West Coast offense, Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice are the enduring memories of the 1980s and 1990s in San Francisco 49ers history. But “defense wins championships” is the saying for a reason, and Ronnie Lott was the heart behind that 49ers defense. Lott played all over the secondary for San Francisco, and he could do everything too. He could run with anyone, drop back into a zone, blitz, hit, and had great hands. Lott wouldn't often give a window for the ball to arrive his way, but if it did, and he made contact with you, it wasn't ending in a completion, and opposing wideouts would be lucky if the play didn't end in an interception. Lott led the charge against high-powered offenses in the 1980s and 1990s and often came out on top.
4. Mel Blount
Mel Blount was so good at his job you can trace back decades of league-wide rule changes encouraging offense to him. The Mel Blount rule was put in place to allow receivers more freedom to move beyond the line of scrimmage because he was so physically dominant and overpowering that receivers like Cris Collinsworth considered it a success if they made it five or ten yards downfield against him. Blount backed up the impressive Steel Curtain's front seven by erasing opposing passing games on his way to four Super Bowls in six years with the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers. Blount spearheaded the 1975 Steelers team on their way back to the Super Bowl, winning Defensive Player of the Year and leading the league with 11 interceptions.
3. Dick “Night Train” Lane
How do you cement yourself as an NFL legend? Well, if you're Dick “Night Train” Lane, you set a league record lasting over seven decades. His 14 interceptions in his 1952 rookie year are still the most all-time in a single NFL season. Quarterbacks seemed to learn from that season, and quickly stopped trying to throw against Lane as much. “Night Train” was “a man amongst boys,” at 6'1 and almost 200 lbs. He was too big, fast, and physical for the guys he played against.
2. Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders was lightning on a gridiron. “Primetime” was must-see TV. He was an extraordinary athlete with the football brain to match. He would blanket opposing receivers before giving you just enough of a window to think you had an open throw before taking it away. And once he had the ball…watch out. Sanders is one of the most electric players of all time with the ball in his hands and was just as much an offensive weapon after securing a takeaway as he was a defensive asset. The 1994 DPoY was a perennial Pro Bowler and All-Pro, and teams game-planned to avoid his half of the field so they wouldn't even be tempted into throwing the ball his way. His unmatched swagger and confidence only made it more fun when teams fell for his traps and let him assert the full force of his talent and skill in the game.
1. Rod Woodson
Rod Woodson doesn't get enough credit. He led some excellent Steelers teams that couldn't quite win the Super Bowl before getting over the hump on one of the greatest defenses ever with the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. Woodson was the complete package at corner, though. He won DPoY in 1993, and in 1995, after tearing his ACL in Week 1 of the season, he somehow managed to return to play in Super Bowl XXX just four months later. Woodson was a first-team All-Pro in three different decades (the late 1980s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s), and like many of these great cornerbacks, Woodson would play and transition to other positions across the secondary during his career, another testament to his skill, longevity, and football IQ.
