With the NFL making it difficult to play defense these days, having great cover corners is a non-negotiable. It’s fair to say there’s a cornerback shortage in the league today as teams struggle year after year to cover the top receivers in the league.
We’re finally starting to see elite cornerbacks getting paid in a similar stratosphere of the top receivers in the league, and the “shutdown” corner has gone from being nearly extinct to arguably on the rise.
Approaching the 2025 NFL season, which teams are the haves and which are the have-nots when it comes to the cornerback position? Some teams have better trios than duos, but we’re going to look at the top cornerback duos all across the league and rank them worst to best for 2025.
Ranking the NFL’s best cornerback duos for the 2025 season
32. Miami Dolphins: Kader Kohou & Cam Smith
After the Jalen Ramsey trade, the Miami Dolphins are in a bit of trouble at the cornerback position. This isn’t just about having recognizable names, but players to build around. The Dolphins’ best cornerback is slot corner Kader Kohou, an extremely underrated player with 28 passes broken up through his first three NFL seasons. Cam Smith is a former second-round pick who has a chance to prove himself with a huge opportunity in 2025.
31. Las Vegas Raiders: Eric Stokes & Jakorian Bennett
The Las Vegas Raiders were strong contender for the bottom spot on this list, but the prior production from Erik Stokes gives them a bit higher of a ceiling than the Dolphins. Stokes was a bust for the Packers but is solid when he’s able to actually stay on the field. Jakorian Bennett has missed 10 games over his first two NFL seasons, but has some intriguing skills and could take a big step forward this season.
30. Minnesota Vikings: Jeff Okudah & Isaiah Rodgers
The Minnesota Vikings have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL but the cornerback position is the weak link in the chain. If this team fails to meet expectations in 2025, don’t say we didn’t tell you so. The duo of Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers is a worthwhile shot for the Vikings to take because both have talent, but the floor is extremely low here. This duo was another strong contender for worst in the league.
29. Los Angeles Rams: Darious Williams & Ahkello Witherspoon
We know not even the Rams are pleased with this cornerback duo because they were contenders to trade for Jalen Ramsey. If we had to classify it this way, I would say the Rams have the “best of the worst” cornerback duos in the NFL. Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon have proven themselves capable, but the ceiling is lower than most duos around the league and the floor is also lower than most. They need the pass rush to be elite to be at their best.
28. Arizona Cardinals: Max Melton & Will Johnson OR Garrett Williams & Starling Thomas
To be fair, this is a significant projection. Max Melton barely played over 50 percent of the Cardinals’ snaps last season and Will Johnson is an unproven rookie. The Cardinals are undoubtedly getting the benefit of the doubt here in this ranking based on the projection of their younger guys, but if you want to rank last year’s duo of Garrett Williams and Starling Thomas, I don’t think they’d be any higher on the list.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tyson Campbell & Jarrian Jones
Maybe as we reassess the cornerback position around the league when the season gets going, the Jaguars will have to factor Travis Hunter here. For the time being, it doesn’t look like Hunter is going to be the CB2 in Jacksonville, but we’ll see. Tyson Campbell has missed significant time over the last couple of seasons and isn’t playing as well as he’s proven capable of, but he’s a solid player and Jarrian Jones was impressive as a rookie with eight passes broken up.
26. Green Bay Packers: Nate Hobbs & Keisean Nixon
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is always the type to go after needs each offseason and try to kill them with fire. He will often spend two or three draft picks on positions of need in order to fix certain areas of a roster, but that has curiously not happened with the cornerback position. Even with the situations of Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, and Rasul Douglas looking obvious, this spot has been neglected. As a result, the Packers are taking a big risk on the duo of Nate Hobbs and Keisean Nixon this coming season.
25. Indianapolis Colts: Charvarius Ward & Jaylon Jones
Charvarius Ward is coming off of one of the worst seasons we’ve seen from him as a pro, but his circumstances off the field (losing a child) make that a bit more understandable. Ward left San Francisco for a change of scenery for he and his family, and I like his fit with the Colts’ secondary. Jaylon Jones has been an ascending player who has completely out-played his 7th-round draft status.
24. Cincinnati Bengals: Cam Taylor-Britt & DJ Turner
The Cincinnati Bengals have invested plenty in their secondary in terms of NFL Draft capital, but things haven’t exactly been great on the field in terms of the results of those investments. They are hoping a change at defensive coordinator (Al Golden taking over for Lou Anarumo) can help, and he’s got some talent to work with. Cam Taylor-Britt is their best player in the secondary and DJ Turner could take a huge leap forward this season.
23. San Francisco 49ers: Deommodore Lenoir & Renardo Green
Deommodore Lenoir has been a really underrated player the last couple of years for the 49ers, allowing a QB rating into his coverage of 75.2 in 2023 and 71.4 last year. If Renardo Green can live up to his billing as a former second-round pick, the Niners could jump up this list higher than any other team at the bottom of the league. Green had 13 passes broken up last year as a rookie, and the 49ers bringing back Robert Saleh could take these guys to the next level.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zyon McCollum & Jamel Dean
Over the course of his first three NFL seasons, Zyon McCollum has really shown tremendous improvement. He’s allowed a completion percentage of less than 60 into his coverage in each of the last two seasons and had a career-best 17 passes broken up (along with his first two interceptions) in 2024. Jamel Dean has been an effective CB2 for Todd Bowles and while he might only give you 13 or 14 total games, he’s going to be solid when he’s out there.
21. Atlanta Falcons: AJ Terrell & Mike Hughes/Dee Alford
There was a period of time where it felt like AJ Terrell was going to compete annually for the title of NFL’s best cornerback, and while he hasn’t been that good, he’s still one of the more reliable players in the league at an important position. Both Mike Hughes and Dee Alford played nearly the exact same number of snaps for Atlanta’s defense last year, and neither guy is spectacular. Alford had 11 passes broken up and has something to build on as a young player while Hughes kind of just is what he is at this point.
20. Tennessee Titans: L’Jarius Sneed & Jarvis Brownlee
After only playing five games last year in his first year as a Titan, it’s safe to say that L’Jarius Sneed was one of the biggest offseason acquisition disappointments in the NFL in 2024. He has a chance to bounce back in 2025, however, and his reputation is good enough that we can still consider him one of the better all-around defensive backs in the NFL. Jarvis Brownlee was a gem for the Titans as a rookie, leading their defense in snaps played and breaking up nine passes with seven tackles for loss.
19. Carolina Panthers: Jaycee Horn & Mike Jackson
Even though Jaycee Horn has dealt with injury issues throughout the majority of his NFL career to this point, he’s undoubtedly one of the league’s top talents at the cornerback position and just made his first career Pro Bowl last year. The Panthers don’t have much to write home about defensively, but they paid Horn like one of the best defensive backs in history and Mike Jackson was solid for them last season, starting all 17 games and breaking up a career-high 17 passes.
18. Buffalo Bills: Christian Benford & Maxwell Hairston
The Buffalo Bills have been searching high and low for help at the cornerback position over the last handful of years, and they’ve struggled to find any staple pieces for that cornerback group. But Christian Benford is one of the better-kept secrets in the NFL with 10 passes broken up in each of the last two years as well as two forced fumbles and two interceptions each season. Maxwell Hairston is a talented first-round pick who was a pick-six machine at Kentucky. He’s a projection, but a good one for this defense.
17. New York Giants: Paulson Adebo & Deonte Banks
The New York Giants have a case as one of the most talented cornerback trios in the NFL, but you’ve got to choose two between Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks, and Andru Phillips. And at this point, it would be an assumption no matter what, but if Adebo and Banks play the majority of snaps, they should form a great duo for the Giants. Adebo was one of the more underrated offseason acquisitions in 2024 and could be a great fit behind one of the best defensive fronts in football. If Banks doesn’t benefit from that as well, it would be a shock.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Ramsey & Darius Slay
The Pittsburgh Steelers would have had the best duo in the league if this were 2022 or maybe even 2023. But the duo of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay is one of the oldest in the entire league. And that can be to their advantage because experience does matter, but at what point are things going to completely fall off? These are two guys who have earned respect for what they’ve done to this point, but at the same time, both guys have been discussed in the “should he move to safety?” category.
15. Washington Commanders: Marshon Lattimore, Mike Sainristil
We’re really giving the Commanders the benefit of the doubt here. They sent signals that their cornerback position group wasn’t good enough last year by making the in-season trade for Marshon Lattimore, but Lattimore is still unreliable with his health issues, missing 15 games over the last two seasons. Mike Sainristil was phenomenal for Dan Quinn as a rookie last season, breaking up 14 passes with two interceptions and playing great in the slot.
14. Los Angeles Chargers: Donte Jackson & Tarheeb Still
The Los Angeles Chargers made the curious decision to move on from Kristian Fulton after he played well for them and their #1 overall defense last season, but getting Donte Jackson in free agency was not a bad deal for them as he had a career-high five interceptions in 2024 for the Steelers, allowing with allowing less than 60 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed. Tarheeb Still was one of the biggest steals of the 2024 NFL Draft class with four interceptions and 10 passes broken up in just 14 games.
13. Detroit Lions: DJ Reed & Terrion Arnold
DJ Reed has been one of the most underrated and consistent cornerbacks in the NFL over the last handful of years, and could be a huge addition to the Detroit Lions’ defense in 2025 after three years with the New York Jets. Reed is doing the heavy lifting for the Lions here, but Terrion Arnold was a 1st-round pick in 2024 and was tested plenty. He allowed less than 56 percent of passes into his coverage to be completed and had a really solid 10 passes broken up.
12. Dallas Cowboys: DaRon Bland & Trevon Diggs
At their best, this Dallas Cowboys cornerback duo should easily be in the top 10, but we don’t know what we’re getting from DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs this year. Especially with Diggs and his injury issues. Both of these guys have proven they can make a lot of plays on the ball, but they’ve also proven they are “feast or famine” types of players at corner. They’ll take the ball away a lot, but they’ll also give up a lot of yards. Regardless of their volatility, the Cowboys desperately need them both to be healthy.
11. New Orleans Saints: Alontae Taylor & Kool-Aid McKinstry
Regardless of what people say about the New Orleans Saints’ roster right now, you can’t really argue that they don’t have some outstanding players in the secondary. Alontae Taylor has been an absolute football magnet in his time with the team, breaking up 30 passes over the last two seasons. Kool-Aid McKinstry had a really promising rookie year with six passes broken up and a completion percentage allowed into his coverage of just 54.8 percent. This duo has the potential to be elite going forward.
10. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent McDuffie & Kristian Fulton
The Kansas City Chiefs moved on from L’Jarius Sneed last year and that predictably didn’t go great. Trent McDuffie continues to be one of the best overall cornerbacks in the game, and Kansas City is hopeful that Kristian Fulton can pick up where he left off with the Chargers last year. Fulton has struggled to stay healthy, but he showed some good things in 15 games played for the Chargers last year despite allowing five touchdowns. He’s a good risk-reward option for Steve Spagnuolo, even if Trent McDuffie is still carrying most of the weight at that position.
9. Chicago Bears: Jaylon Johnson & Tyrique Stevenson
The Chicago Bears might have the most underrated defensive back group in the league, and if they start having more team success, I think you’ll hear a lot more about the duo of Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson. Stevenson was a second-round pick in 2023 and looks like one of the best players from that crop. He has six interceptions in his first two NFL seasons and showed improvement last season overall. Johnson is well-established as one of the best in the league and has been selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls.
8. Baltimore Ravens: Marlon Humphrey & Jaire Alexander
The Baltimore Ravens might have a case as the best secondary in the entire NFL overall, and if they’re not #1 overall, they’re easily #2. A big reason for that is their group of cornerbacks, and you have to pick the two with the longest track record at this point. Sorry to Nate Wiggins for the time being. Marlon Humphrey and Jaire Alexander could be the best cornerback duo in the NFL if they can both stay healthy. And that’s been easier said than done, especially in Alexander’s case, in recent years. But this is a duo that could help Baltimore win a Super Bowl this season.
7. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell & Cooper DeJean
Speaking of duos that helped teams win Super Bowls, the Philadelphia Eagles abandoned an odd NFL Draft philosophy in which they hadn’t taken a corner in the first round since the early 2000s, and they absolutely nailed it with Quinyon Mitchell last season. The Eagles landing Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the 2024 NFL Draft was absolute thievery on the part of GM Howie Roseman, and while DeJean is not a traditional outside corner, he and Mitchell form one of the better duos in the game right now, and they are perfect fits for Vic Fangio’s defense.
6. New York Jets: Sauce Gardner & Brandon Stephens
The New York Jets just made Sauce Gardner the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, and they’ve paired him up with Brandon Stephens after losing DJ Reed to the Lions in free agency. Even if Gardner is carrying most of the weight here, Stephens is still a good player who has 21 passes broken up over the last two seasons. The Jets will need Gardner to step up in a big way not only because he got paid, but because they are going to need him to make more plays on the ball and create more takeaways with an offense in a state of transition.
5. New England Patriots: Christian Gonzalez & Carlton Davis
We didn’t get to see much of him in his rookie year because of injury, but everyone knows what Christian Gonzalez brings to the table, and everyone is still scratching their heads that the Patriots were able to get him as late as they did in the 2023 NFL Draft. Gonzalez was a second-team All-Pro last season and finished 5th in the NFL in Comeback Player of the Year voting. The addition of Carlton Davis on the other side of the field gives the Patriots an enviable cornerback duo and something to really build on defensively.
4. Seattle Seahawks: Riq Woolen & Devon Witherspoon
Devon Witherspoon made the Pro Bowl this past year and the Seahawks have one of the top ballhawks in the game in Riq Woolen, who led the team in passes defensed and interceptions again this past season. These two guys are physically very gifted, but they play with great instincts and are always a threat to make plays on the ball. There aren’t many teams out there with young cornerback duos this talented and decorated so early on in their careers.
3. Cleveland Browns: Denzel Ward & Martin Emerson
It wasn’t the best year for the duo of Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson in 2024, but this is a duo that most teams would take if they could heading into the 2025 season. It’s crazy to think that Ward is now 28 years old, but he’s clearly established as one of the best corners in the game. He has at least two interceptions every year of his NFL career, despite teams not really testing him a ton. Emerson will be looking to return to the form we saw from him in 2023, especially because he’s in a contract year this year.
2. Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr. & Kamari Lassiter
There is a case to be made for Derek Stingley Jr. as the best cornerback in the NFL. There are a few corners in the game today where throwing their direction is a net negative for the opposing offense, and Stingley is one of those guys. He has made teams pay for throwing the ball his direction more than most over the past two seasons, breaking up 31 passes over the last two years as well as picking off 10 of them. He added a pair of interceptions in the playoffs for the Texans as well. Kamari Lassiter is not just along for the ride here, but is an ascending player who had three interceptions and 10 passes broken up as a rookie in 2024.
1. Denver Broncos: Pat Surtain II & Riley Moss
Pat Surtain won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in the 2024 season after completely locking up everyone he faced. Surtain has a reputation as being the best cornerback in the NFL, and he lives up to it on a weekly basis. Not only does PS2 have some of the best ball skills in the league, but he plays with elite technique and locks up all types of receivers. The Broncos got a breakout season last year from second-year player Riley Moss, who had eight passes broken up and an interception. An injury and a rough game against Tee Higgins were the only down moments in an otherwise outstanding year for him in his first year as a starter.