There are many talented defensive backs in the NFL today, with stars such as Sauce Gardner, Antoine Winfield Jr., Kyle Hamilton, and Patrick Surtain II headlining the best young players in the secondary. Among those players, however, who was the highest-ranked defensive back in Pro Football Network’s NFL Top 100 List, and how many cornerbacks and safeties made the cut?
Defensive Backs in PFN’s NFL Top 100 List
1) Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets (20th overall)
Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, only three defenders have earned first-team All-Pro nods in each of their first two seasons: Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, Micah Parsons, and Sauce Gardner, who’s on an early Hall of Fame track with the New York Jets.
NFL quarterbacks were terrified to throw at Gardner last year. In 2023, he was the only cornerback to start at least 14 games and receive fewer than 60 targets. Gardner only saw 55 targets in his coverage area last season as QBs avoided the former No. 4 overall pick’s zone. He’s broken up 31 pass attempts through two NFL campaigns while allowing just two touchdowns.
2) Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26th overall)
A true Swiss army knife who can do just about everything, Antoine Winfield Jr. spent roughly 60% of his 2023 snaps at free safety but also played in the box and the slot. He filled up the stat sheet for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading the league with six forced fumbles while adding six sacks and three interceptions and earning first-team All-Pro honors.
3) Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens (27th overall)
Kyle Hamilton joined Winfield as a first-team All-Pro in 2023 and displays the same sort of versatility as the Buccaneers’ safety. Hamilton played 465 snaps in the slot, 301 as a free safety, and 236 in the box, contributing in just about every phase of the game.
MORE: 2024 NFL Defense Rankings: Which Team Is No. 1?
The Notre Dame product is an eraser in coverage who can keep up with all types of opposing pass catchers. But Hamilton also posted three sacks and 14 pressures despite rushing the passer fewer than 40 times.
4) Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos (33rd overall)
Patrick Surtain II wasn’t quite as dominant in 2023 as he was in his 2022 All-Pro season, but that’s the life of an NFL cornerback — even an elite one. The Denver Broncos’ defense was a disaster early last year, and Surtain’s coverage numbers dipped during that stretch. Still, he’s typically as reliable as any corner in the league.
While he was mentioned as a speculative trade candidate as the Broncos pursued a rookie QB, Surtain was too valuable for Sean Payton to give up. He should rebound in 2024 if the rest of Denver’s defense plays up to par. Surtain’s perfect technique lets him cover any receiver in the NFL.
5) Jalen Ramsey, CB, Miami Dolphins (36th overall)
While the Los Angeles Rams asked Jalen Ramsey to do a little bit of everything, he played almost exclusively on the boundary after being traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2023. Ramsey tore his meniscus in training camp but returned in Week 8, mainly looking like the same elite CB we’d seen in years past.
Ramsey allowed just a 53.8% completion rate and 51.1 passer rating after coming back from his knee injury. Few corners boast Ramsey’s superior blend of coverage and run-defense skills, which could make him an excellent safety when the time comes. However, a potential position change is still a few years away.
6) Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears (37th overall)
Although Jaylon Johnson flashed over his first three NFL seasons, he put all the pieces together in 2023, when he was arguably the league’s top CB. Johnson set career bests in completion rate (55.2%), yards per target (4.8), and yards per completion (8.7) last season.
The former second-rounder allowed only 195 yards and a 33.3 passer rating as the nearest defender in coverage, both of which paced the league.
7) Jessie Bates III, S, Atlanta Falcons (39th overall)
After five excellent years with the Cincinnati Bengals, Jessie Bates III joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 and put up the best campaign of his career. He registered more ball production than ever before, finishing second among safeties with six interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown in a Week 12 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Bates truly thrives in a single-high role. He can sit back and read the quarterback’s intentions while driving on dig routes and defending the post. Atlanta is changing coordinators in 2024, but Bates fits any defensive system.
8) Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs (47th overall)
With L’Jarius Sneed playing boundary corner in 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs primarily deployed Trent McDuffie in the slot. He was lethal from the inside and was critical in Kansas City’s Super Bowl win.
McDuffie broke up three passes and executed a perfect fourth-quarter slot blitz against Purdy, enabling the Chiefs to get the ball back. He’s K.C.’s most valuable defender not named Chris Jones.
9) Charvarius Ward, CB, San Francisco 49ers (48th overall)
One of the more physical corners in the game, Charvarius Ward landed a free agent payday with the 49ers in 2022 and has continued his feisty play in San Francisco. His 34 pass breakups are the second-most in the NFL over the past two seasons.
A 2023 second-team All-Pro, Ward has the length and explosion to continue flourishing under new Niners DC Nick Sorensen.
10) L’Jarius Sneed, CB, Tennessee Titans (50th overall)
One of the more versatile corners in the NFL, L’Jarius Sneed spent most of his time in the slot early in his Chiefs career before playing almost every snap on the perimeter in 2023.
MORE: Try PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator
The transition took, as Sneed didn’t allow a receiving touchdown in his coverage area until the Buffalo Bills’ Khalil Shakir scored on him in the Divisional Round. Can he remain a lockdown CB1 after joining the Tennessee Titans?
11) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Pittsburgh Steelers (57th overall)
Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming off his least productive season as a pro, but injuries were largely to blame for his down year. Provided Fitzpatrick stays healthy next year, the 27-year-old should return to his elite level of play. He has a nose for the football, but his coverage consistency is that of an elite free safety.
Fitzpatrick boasts the length, range, and trigger to cover serious ground on the back end, and he’s not afraid to come forward and hit, either.
12) DaRon Bland, CB, Dallas Cowboys (75th overall)
Sure, DaRon Bland can be beaten at times, but he posted nine interceptions and an NFL-record five pick-sixes while earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2023.
Shifting from the slot to the perimeter after fellow Dallas Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs’ season-ending injury, Bland was among the most dangerous defensive backs in the game. He’s a turnover waiting to happen.
13) Jevon Holland, S, Miami Dolphins (79th overall)
Jevon Holland might have given us the most comical play from the 2023 NFL season when he intercepted Jets QB Tim Boyle’s end-of-half Hail Mary attempt and returned it for a 99-yard touchdown.
That was Holland’s first pick-six and fifth interception of his career, but that ball production understates his ability as a center-field safety. Set to play in his third scheme in as many seasons under new Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, Holland needs to stay healthy after missing five complete games and parts of others with knee issues in 2023.
14) Trevon Diggs, CB, Dallas Cowboys (88th overall)
The Diggs brothers are as close in PFN’s rankings as they are in actuality. The No. 51 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Trevon Diggs was a first-team All-Pro in 2021 after leading the league with 11 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
While he tore his ACL during a Sept. 2023 practice, Diggs should be ready for training camp and re-emerge as one of the league’s most minacious defensive backs.
15) Jaire Alexander, CB, Green Bay Packers (90th overall)
Jaire Alexander’s high-end play is as good as nearly any NFL corner’s, but injuries have kept him off the field. A shoulder sprain cost him 13 games in 2021, while another shoulder issue kept Alexander on the sidelines for all but seven games in 2023.
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
However, he earned second-team All-Pro nods in 2020 and 2022, allowing a sub-70 passer rating in both seasons. If he can stay healthy, Alexander is the best player on a rebuilt Green Bay Packers defense.
16) Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers (96th overall)
Xavier McKinney should be an immediate upgrade for a revamped Packers spine. The Alabama product played the best football of his career in 2023, spending time deep, in the box, and manning the slot while playing over 1,000 defensive snaps.
McKinney allowed the fifth-lowest passer rating (52.1) among safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps.
17) Denzel Ward, CB, Cleveland Browns (97th overall)
The No. 4 overall pick in 2018, Denzel Ward was one of the more consistent players for what became an uber-elite Cleveland Browns defense under coordinator Jim Schwartz.
While Ward missed time with a shoulder injury, he still made his third career Pro Bowl after allowing a 56.2 passer rating and one touchdown on 66 targets. Run defense isn’t the most essential trait for an NFL corner, but Ward looked better in that area after struggling with tackling in 2022.