This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/Cybotnic-Rebooted on 2025-08-14 03:00:10+00:00.
Hello! Last time we ranked the top off ball linebacker prospects since the merger of the AFC and NFC in 1970. This time, we will be moving the the defensive backfield with the cornerback position! It’s a position that, compared to the other 3 positions we’ve done so far, boomed MUCH more recently, with only 1 player we had in consideration being from before 1989 (shoutout to Mike Haynes for being the only cornerback to go top 7 before 1989, though he does narrowly miss the cut), so that means that their are going to be a lot more names people on this sub are going to recognize! Fun stuff, and with that, let’s get these suckers ranked!
#10: Quentin Jammer, Texas
The 5th overall pick of the 2002 NFL draft, Jammer is probably the least flawed #10 prospect we’ve seen on this series so far. His biggest fault is that he fell in the draft, from consensus #3 to the Lions all the way down to #5 to the Chargers. Huge fall, I know, but it does sort of hurt his case in a less top heavy 2002 draft. Still, the resume is all there: unanimous all-american in 2001, he ended up finishing his career in Texas with 7 ints and 57 deflections, and locked up #1 receivers all around the Big-12.
His problems mainly come from his deep speed. He ran a 4.49, which while not bad, especially for the time, did leave him somewhat open to speedy receivers at the next level. The thought was that his technique in press would lead to him still being really good at the next level.
#9: Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
Wait, I thought we just ranked Quinetin Jammer? Yes, with the 3rd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, Okudah and Jammer are probably the most similar prospects we’ve looked at so far: both spent much of the predraft process behind a #1 QB and a #2 Edge, both ended their college careers as unanimous all americans, both had insane tape locking up #1 WRs in their conference, both thrived as press man corners and in technique, and both had concerns about deep speed.
The one edge that Okudah has over Jammer is that he did not fall in the draft like Jammer did, even if it was just slightly. He was projected at 3, and he went at 3. The 2020 draft was also just very similar to the 2002 draft where outside of the top 2 players, it was a tossup outside of the QBs.
#8: Morris Claiborne, LSU
The 6th overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft, we’re going in hot with a member of an insane 2010 LSU secondary with CBs Patrick Peterson and himself, along with S Tyrann Matthieu. His case is more so built off of his 2011 season, however, where he got unanimous all american honor at CB, winning both the SEC DPOY and Jim Thorpe award, one of the few players on this list to do so. He ended up with 6 ints on the year, with 1 returned for a touchdown, and was described as one of the best coverage specialists scouts had ever seen.
2012s general class strength (at the time of the draft) was also a huge plus for Claiborne, with the best RB prospect since McFadden in Trent Richardson, the best OT prospect since Jake Long in Matt Kalil, and a top end WR prospect in Justin Blackmon, along with 2 elite franchise QBs in Andrew Luck and RGIII. That is absolutely acceptable players to go below, especially in a group of prospects with only 7 players going top 4.
#7: Champ Bailey, Georgia
The 7th overall pick of the 1999 NFL draft, Bailey already takes over the latest selection we’ve seen on this series thus far. While 7th overall is a tough pill to take with how many other higher taken players exist at the position, the fact that 3 QBs were taken and he was also behind 3 prospects who (if I was doing lists for the offensive positions) would be top 10 on their own lists, he more than owns this one with how strong the competition is and how he was right in the mix of it with all of them.
And as a college player? He is one of the best of all time, earning near unanimous all american honors, along with winning the Bednarik and ended up 7th in heisman voting, the first player so far to get heisman recognition. He ended up getting 3 INTs in his final season, along with playing a lot of snaps on offense and special teams. He also has easily the best deep speed we’ve seen from a prospect so far, with the instincts to boot. If it wasn’t for him slightly slipping in draft position, he would probably be a bit higher on this list.
#6: Travis Hunter, Colorado
The 2nd overall pick of this past 2025 NFL draft, Hunter is the most edge case of any of the players we’ve looked at, as while a lot of people and teams viewed him as a primarily CB prospect, a lot also saw him primarily as a WR, and some even thought he could be a 2 way player at the next level. Still, one thing remained across all 3 groups: All saw him as the #2 or #3 pick, which is a showing of his talent.
He’s one of the best athletes at either positions we’ve seen, his combination of deep speed and agility being an insane game breaker. On defense in college, he was only targeted 41 times in coverage with 23 completions for 222 yards, 1 TDs, and 4 INTs his final season. That season, he also won the heisman, won of only 2 DBs to do so in the modern era, being a 2 time consensus all american, 1 time unanimous, and winning the Bednarik, Lott, and Hornung awards along with the Heisman. His only really mark against him as a prospect is that there was disagreement over whether he would even play the position in the pros, which, even with all the stuff above, is still an important part.
#5: Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
The 5th overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft, Ramsey is another one where projection of position means that we do unfortunately have to hold him back from being truly generational. Still, he is a really close edge case that, if he had played more CB in college, we would probably have him higher. He also fell slightly in the draft just like Jammer, going from the consensus #3 pick all the way to #5 with Bosa and Elliot jumping him.
A consensus all american in 2015, Ramsey played primarily free safety with the Florida State Seminoles. At that position, he was rarely thrown out, only notching 9 pass deflections his final year in college, always a good sign. While probably the least decorated college player on this list, he showed some of the best coverage abilities seen thus far. Where he shined above everyone else so far, however, was his athletic ability, putting up elite numbers at the combine, a 9.92 RAS. The only thing really brining him down was his lack of CB tape meant that a lot of people viewed him as more of a FS prospect than a CB.
#4: Patrick Peterson, LSU
The 5th overall pick of the 2011 NFL draft, Peterson is the first player so far I would describe as generational. He didn’t really have any flaws as a prospect. He was elite in college, getting unanimous all american honors, and winning the Bednarik, Thorpe, and Tatum trophies, finishing his senior season with 4 INTs while barely being thrown to. That’s not even including that he also has one of the best ever combines for a CB, having elite deep speed and agilities.
His draft position is also favorable here, putting him behind a really damn good QB prospect in Cam Newton, the best EDGE since Mario Williams in Von Miller, an elite DT prospect in Marcell Dareus, and the best WR since Calvin Johnson in AJ Green being the only players going ahead of him. Again, really good company.
#3: Shawn Springs, Ohio State
The 3rd overall pick of the 1997 NFL draft, Springs is the start of a 3 year stretch of elite CB prospects including himself and Bailey from 1997-1999. A consensus all american in 1996, Springs was lauded for his coverage ability, quite possibly being the best pure coverage prospect in draft history. Because of this dominance, he wasn’t really thrown to at all his final year, going statless, but the year before he did get 5 INTs with 1 pick 6. He was a part of a big 3 grouping in that draft with fellow Buckeye Orlando Pace and DT Darrell Russell. He didn’t participate in the combine drills, but was described as pretty athletic himself.
#2: Deion Sanders, Florida State
The 5th overall pick of the 1989 NFL draft, Sanders is probably the closest thing to a movement we will ever see at the CB position. Both in college and in the NFL, he was one of the most electrifying players we have ever seen, at a position that was just emerging as the passing game started to take over in the mid 80s. A 2 time unanimous all american and winner of the Jim Thorpe award, Sanders ended up getting 8th in heisman voting in 1988, Deion Sanders ended up having 4, 4, and 5 interceptions in his final 3 college seasons, with 2 pick 6s in his final year.
He combines his insane college resume with an elite athletic profile, being one of the fastest players ever, and his insane coverage ability never before this seen, and you get one of the best NFL draft prospects ever. That just begs the question though: Who could be ranked higher?
#1: Charles Woodson, Michigan
The 4th overall pick of the 1998 NFL draft, Woodson is probably the best college DB of all time. He was the other DB to win a heisman trophy, winning it over such names as Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf, and Randy M…
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