Nobody is under more pressure on defense than the cornerbacks. All it takes is one wrong step and the wide receiver is in the endzone, celebrating. Worse still, these wide receivers they have to cover are blazing fast, can jump ridiculous heights, and have hands that, figurately and literally speaking, have glue on them.
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How is a cornerback supposed to thrive under such conditions? Simply put, they have to be faster, jump higher, and have better hands. It's a tall order, but some of the league's best defenders do it regularly. For gamers of Madden NFL 22, they should note that a team with poor cornerback play has never won the Super Bowl and likely never will.
Byron Jones - 88
A longtime Dallas great, Byron Jones found himself in Miami last year. He picked up right where he left off, picking up two interceptions during the season. Jones is getting even better as time goes on, despite his dwindling tackle totals. The issue remains in place that quarterbacks have stopped throwing to whoever Jones is covering. When they do try, Jones makes them regret it. He only has a few highlights to his name because QBs are too scared to give him any more opportunities.
Kendall Fuller - 89
As a third-round selection in the 2016 draft, the expectations of Kendall Fuller were moderate at best. Making an NFL roster might have been considered the biggest success he could have hoped for. But ten picks and a Super Bowl championship later (he had a key interception late in that game), there seems to be no ceiling for Fuller, who just finished a big year for Washington and has only picked up momentum. Any day now, one can imagine he'll finally be tagged for his first Pro Bowl.
Denzel Ward - 89
Seven interceptions in three years might seem like a great number for most players, but it could have been even higher for Denzel Ward, who has yet to start more than twelve games in a season. The Browns are loaded with players who are superstars that seem out of sync on offense. Their defense is likely just one healthy season from Ward away from getting into the playoffs.
James Bradberry IV - 90
Despite having ten other corners drafted before him in the 2016 draft, few corners have been as effective as James Bradberry IV has been during that span of time. When Carolina badly needed help in the secondary, this second-round pick played like a first-round talent.
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Unfortunately for the Panthers, they sold low on Bradberry, letting him slip away to the Giants last year, where he played well enough to go to his first Pro Bowl. New York is rebuilding, but they have an excellent cornerback to build around on defense.
Xavien Howard - 91
Usually, it's hard to say a player in the 90s has been disrespected, but Xavien Howard has twice, in the last three seasons, led the league in interceptions, including last year. Apparently the ratings folks aren't watching enough Miami games. The tackle totals are climbing annually for the Pro Bowl corner, too. He's a weapon that the Dolphins are hoping to keep around as he enters a big contract year for the team.
Marlon Humphrey - 92
Who would football fans assume forced the most fumbles last year? A defensive lineman? An outside linebacker? Maybe an inside linebacker? Nope, the league's best at knocking the ball lose was cornerback Marlon Humphrey with eight forced fumbles. Even the game's best halfbacks have to watch the ball with Humphrey on the field for the Ravens. Quarterbacks aren't safe, either; Humphrey managed to get 2.5 sacks last year. These are unorthodox stats for a corner, to be sure, but Humphrey breaks the traditional cornerback mold.
Tre'Davious White - 93
The more quarterbacks test him, the better Tre'Davious White looks out there. In only four seasons, he's amassed fifteen picks and four forced fumbles, acting as a turnover fountain for the Bills. Players are familiar with the calls for Madden to change, but one has to wonder when offenses will change their game in the actual NFL. Will they keep being punished by White or will they finally realize that throwing in his direction isn't a smart move?
Jaire Alexander - 95
In only three years, Jaire Alexander has become one of the league's scariest defenders, capable of getting in a sack as well as a pick. So far, quarterbacks have opted to avoid whoever the youngster is covering.
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It's hard to know what Alexander's true talents are or which of Madden's many X-Factors he will receive. It's unfortunate for him statistically, but Green Bay is happy to delete one receiver from the field of play every Sunday.
Stephon Gilmore - 97
Two years ago, Gilmore set the league on fire when he got Defensive Player of the Year, an award almost always reserved for sack leaders. But in 2019, he deserved it, pulling down a league-leading six picks, returning two of them for touchdowns. Gilmore left for the Patriots after five years with Buffalo when they refused to sign him. New England cashed in with a Super Bowl victory during his second year with the team. No matter how much receivers have improved, Gilmore has been a step ahead for his entire career.
Jalen Ramsey - 99
The only place Jalen Ramsey doesn't impress is on the stat sheet. Over the past few years, he's been dealing with injuries. But that's not even the entire story of why this 99 rated player doesn't astonish on paper. Frankly, quarterbacks, even the best QBs in the game, have learned to stop throwing to players covered by Ramsey. He racked up nine interceptions during his first three years, which is all it took for passers to ditch the idea altogether.