Introducing the CFB Saturdays College Football CB Rankings

Over the next few weeks we will be unveiling our College Football player rankings by position. Today we will take a look at our College Football CB rankings. A few notes before we discuss the rankings themselves.

• The rankings will be updated throughout the season.
• Players who have not played college football are not eligible for the rankings.
• Players are graded on their college ability, not their pro potential.
• We are judging players on their film, production and physical tools.

You can view the college football CB rankings here.

*Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech) has opted out of the 2020 season and has been removed from this list. Farley would have been Top 5 in our rankings.

Top of the Class

Derek Stingley (LSU) is the top dog and is not much of a surprise here. Stingley made an immediate impact as a true freshman for the national champions last season with his elite coverage skills. At 6’1″ 194 lbs, he has good size for the position, but his length is even more impressive. Stingley is a natural with very fluid hips and excellent closing speed. He is not afraid to get physical with receivers and has the composure needed to consistently make plays on the ball in 50/50 situations. We don’t expect Stingley to be tested by opposing offenses often this season, but when they do, Stingley will have no issues making plays with his ball skills. There is room for improvement as he gains more experience at the collegiate level, but Stingley has the tools, experience, and skills that set him apart from others at the position.

Shaun Wade (Ohio State) is the second player in our rankings and headlines a group that is just a notch below Stingley. Wade has the position versatility that defensive coordinators covet when defending modern spread attacks, having played the nickel for Ohio State this past season. Wade was asked to play the nickel, but was on the field for a majority of the Buckeyes snaps (the outside corners were 1st rounders Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette). At 6’1″ 194 lbs, Wade is not your prototypical nickel corner but he did an excellent job of covering smaller and quicker slot receivers. A very physical player, Wade is not afraid to come up in run support and is an excellent blitzer. Look for him to make a smooth transition to the outside and continue locking down receivers as the Buckeyes best cornerback this season.

Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) comes in at #3 and brings elite physical tools to the position. Listed at 6’2″ 203 lbs, Surtain has the speed and natural hip flexibility needed to be a top cover man. He did have an up and down sophomore campaign, but demonstrated more consistent play by season’s end. Productivity was not an issue as he recorded 42 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 2 INTs, 8 PBU, and 3 FF in 2019. Surtain uses his tremendous length and natural athleticism to stick with receivers and make plays on the ball. With two seasons of extensive play and tutelage under Nick Saban under his belt, Surtain is poised for his best season yet.

Shaun Jolly (Appalachian State) is the next man up in our list at #4. Jolly lacks prototypical size (5’9″ 175) but is a well put together player that looks and plays bigger than his listing. Jolly is very fast and shows tremendous instincts and closing speed needed to break up passes. His ball skills are elite and perhaps the most impressive part of his game. Not only does Jolly look to intercept the ball, but he is looking to take it to the house (2 TDs in 2019). Jolly plays on the outside for his squad and is a dominant force despite his lack of height. This past season he posted 45 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 5 INTs, 8 PBU, and 1 FF. Get to know Shaun Jolly in 2020.

The Next Group

Elijah Molden (Washington) is the last player rated “elite” (grade of 9) and comes in at the fifth spot in our rankings. Molden is as instinctive as they come, and is a player that can do it all. Molden can cover, although the Huskies play a ton of zone, and is a tremendous tackler for the position. A playmaker in every respect of the word, Molden totaled 79 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 4 INTs, 13 PBU, and 3 FF in 2019. Molden’s intelligence as a player is easily identified on film, as he knows where to go, and gets there in a hurry. His excellent ball skills cannot be understated, and make him a player opposing quarterbacks must be careful not to test too often. A nickel corner who does not leave the field, Molden is among the nation’s elite at the position.

Jevon Holland (Oregon) checks in at #6. Versatility is the name of Holland’s game as he plays corner (primarily nickel) and safety for the Ducks defense. Holland is a very gifted player that can man up receivers and has the intelligence to excel in zone coverage as well. At 6’1″ 196 lbs, he has an ideal, long frame and the athleticism to stick with receivers. One of the most physical players on this list, Holland is a hard hitter that loves to mix it up. As productive as they come, Holland recorded 66 tackles, 4 INTS, 4 PBU, 4.5 TFL, and 2 TDs in 2019. Holland has been productive since his freshman season and is poised to have his best season yet as a junior in 2020.

Israel Mukuamu (South Carolina) is next on the list in the seventh spot. At 6’4″ 205 lbs, Mukuamu has freakish size and length for the position. Even more impressive is the fact that he plays a true cornerback on the outside and shows the fluidity and natural movement skills needed to be successful on an island. As a sophomore Mukuamu took a step forward in his development, making plays in coverage and showing the ability to come up and tackle in run support. His excellent ball skills were on display this past season as he recorded 4 INTs, and 9 PBU. Mukuamu has a knack for making plays and should continue to develop towards his very high ceiling with more reps.

Camryn Bynum (California) is the 8th player in our rankings and another tenacious defender. Bynum plays with phenomenal instincts and intelligence on the field and truly understands his role within the Golden Bears tough defense. Bynum shows the ability to play man and zone coverage and be effective in both roles and is one of the better cornerbacks in the country when it comes to making plays on the ball (9 PBU in 2019, 10 PBU in 2018). At 6’0 195 lbs, has solid size for the position but longer arms than his listing would suggest. That length coupled with his elite instincts and understanding of the position makes him one of the best returning cover men in the nation.

Don’t Sleep On These Guys

Isaac Taylor-Stuart (USC) is currently ranked at #11 in our rankings and we love his upside. At 6’2″ 205 lbs, Taylor-Stuart has excellent size to go along with his elite speed (4.30 40 as a recruit). The tools are elite, and as we see with many young corners, production and consistency tend to improve with playing experience. 2019 was Taylor-Stuart’s first collegiate experience in a major role, and he flashed his immense upside. He will need to continue to improve his technique and consistency but he has displayed the raw ability needed to be a big time corner in college. We expect Taylor-Stuart to deliver on his promise in 2020 and make a case to climb up these rankings.

Bryce Thompson (Tennessee) comes in at #12 in our rankings. The Volunteers’ cover man was suspended to start the season after having an excellent freshman season. That led to a bit of a slow start and Thompson took some lumps early, but he got the rust out and was his usual self by season’s end. Thompson is not the biggest cornerback on this list (5’11” 181 lbs) but makes up for it with his ultra-competitive nature. He is scrappy, he is tough, and he has the closing speed and instincts needed to cover top tier receivers. Despite the late start to the season, Thompson was still able to record 3 INTs and made his presence felt on an underrated Tennessee defense.

Paulson Adebo (Stanford) is the next man up at #13 in our rankings. Adebo is a tremendous athlete and arguably the most productive player on this list. At 6’1″ 190 lbs, Adebo has the length and size of a prototypical cornerback, but his amazing instincts make him the player that he is. Adebo has the talent to shutdown opponents top receiving threats and is an elite playmaker on the ball. Despite not finishing the season due to injury Adebo was able to record 4 INTs, and 10 PBU in nine games this past season. In a full season in 2018, he was credited with 4 INTs and a ridiculous 19 PBU. Adebo opted to skip the NFL Draft and return for another season in 2020, a major win for Stanford.

Damar Hamlin (Pittsburgh) is ranked 15th in our rankings and is another versatile player in the defensive backfield. Hamlin plays just about everywhere for the Panthers defense and makes plays wherever he is slotted. Hamlin can play man, the deep safety, and has the anticipation and discipline to make plays in zone coverage. At 6’1 195 lbs, Hamlin is another cornerback with ideal size for the position. His fluidity and natural movement allow him to stick with the opposition in coverage. Hamlin is a big hitter who looks to make his presence felt any opportunity he gets. In 2019 he had a very productive season recording 84 tackles, 1 INTs, 10 PBU, and 2.5 TFL.

AJ Parker (Kansas State) checks in at #24 on our list but is a player that should not be overlooked. Parker has solid, but not ideal, size for the position at 5’11” 178 lbs, but more than makes up for it with his play. He is a tenacious cover man who makes life miserable for opposing receivers with his ability to turn his hips and close space in a hurry when the ball is in the air. Parker clearly lives for the big match ups and his competitive nature shines when he plays the Big 12’s better programs. Parker’s ball skills were on display this past season as he recorded a team leading 3 INTs and 5 PBU. If you don’t know AJ Parker already, then get to know the rising senior heading into the 2020 season.

Click here for the Top 25 CB Rankings.

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