With 2025 NFL training camps on the horizon, the league’s true insiders made their voices heard. ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help us rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions, from quarterback to cornerback and all positions in between. This was the sixth edition of these rankings, and as usual, several players moved up or fell off last year’s lists.
A reminder of the rankings process: Voters gave us their best 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed helped us break any ties.
Each section included quotes and nuggets from the voters on every ranked player — even the honorable mentions. The objective was to identify the best players for 2025. This was not a five-year projection or a career achievement award. Who are the best players today?
We rolled out a position per day over 11 days. The schedule: running backs (July 7), defensive tackles (July 8), edge rushers (July 9), safeties (July 10), tight ends (July 11), interior offensive linemen (July 12), offensive tackles (July 13), quarterbacks (July 14), off-ball linebackers (July 15), wide receivers (July 16), cornerbacks (July 17).
Youth has cornered the market. The changing of the guard — er, cover — is a big theme in this year’s top 10 cornerbacks, which features one player older than 26 and six players 24 or younger.
Several staples from recent top 10 lists have fallen out of the elite; half of the list is still on a rookie contract. It seems that handling the rigors of matching the best receivers stride for stride requires fresh legs.
Many evaluators complained last year that the league did not feature a true shutdown corner like the ones you see in Hall of Fame induction ceremonies or NFL Films features. This year, at least two players fit that mold.
Also, there’s more pushback than ever on placing nickel corner into a separate category. The heavy usage of 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) — and the college game infiltrating the NFL — has influenced bigger defensive backs with ball skills playing inside instead of out.
“That’s why you might see a Jalen Ramsey or a Marlon Humphrey play more inside later in their career — get your good players more active in the game,” an NFL secondary coach said.
Several young slot corners, such as Philadelphia’s Cooper DeJean and New Orleans’ Alontae Taylor, got consideration for the top 10 but play primarily inside. They might make the jump into the ranking next year, but for now, here’s the NFL’s top 10 corners based on voting from executives, coaches and scouts.
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 4
Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: 1
Surtain’s grip on the top spot was stronger this time around, as he earned nearly 90% of the first-place votes compared to slightly above 50% last summer. He has clearly separated himself from the field.
“Complete package — size, speed, good tackler, good ball skills, smart and instinctive,” an AFC executive said.
On 56 targets, Surtain produced a strong 19.6% ball-hawking rate with 11 pass deflections and four interceptions. His 5.5 yards allowed per target was top five in the league and he gave up just two touchdowns all season.
Surtain frequently shadowed opposing No. 1 receivers but showed “no drop-off” in his play as a result, an NFL coordinator noted.
“You bring pressure as a defense and he can handle it all,” the coordinator said. “Technician. Doesn’t get bored doing it the right way. Extremely patient and big. Can affect a lot of things with technique and speed and is always in control.”
While some evaluators saw slippage in his play in 2023, that was not the case last season. Opposing quarterbacks produced a 59.1 passer rating when targeting him, the second-best clip in the league (minimum 50 targets) and markedly better than the previous year’s 102.5 rating.
Surtain did play in softer zone coverages that attached “nearest defender” to him loosely in 2023, but he was more of a classic man cover this past season. The results were impressive, giving Denver its best cover man since Hall of Famer Champ Bailey.
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 4
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: 10
Stingley and Jets corner Sauce Gardner went back-to-back early in the first round of the 2022 draft. While Gardner had the edge through the first two years, Stingley is winning the head-to-head battle after a banner third season.
Now one of the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback at $30 million per year, Stingley allowed 4.9 yards per target last season, the fewest among outside cornerbacks with a minimum of 30 targets. He allowed 42 completions on 90 targets, including 18 passes defended. Opposing quarterbacks produced a 56.9 passer rating against him, which topped the league among corners with at least 50 targets defended.
The ball production — 10 interceptions and 31 passes defended since 2023 — has elevated him to elite status on his way to first-team All-Pro.
“Best ball skills in the league, in my opinion,” an NFC personnel evaluator said. “Some of the INTs and tracking the ball in the air, it’s rare. That pick against Tyreek [Hill], 99% of DBs in league aren’t making that play.”
The interception that evaluator referenced happened in Week 15, when Stingley ran stride for stride with Hill on a go ball and contorted his body to make the diving pick. It sealed a 20-12 win for the Texans.
“He’s physical, a lot thicker than he looks, movement skills explosive,” an NFC assistant coach said. “He has always had this in his game, he just had a slow start to his career due to injury.”
Highest ranking: 2 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 28 | Last year’s ranking: 2
Ward has rare athletic traits that are perfectly suited for pass coverage. One thing holding him back was durability, but he appears to have turned a corner after a career-high 16 games last season.
Ward was one of the bright spots of a disappointing Browns season, leading the NFL with 19 pass deflections. His 26.4% ball-hawking rate led all defenders, and though his 10.1 yards allowed per target is not ideal, he deflected every fourth pass attempt in his area.
“Man coverage ability — premier guy in this area,” a high-ranking NFL executive said.
Ward’s 17 interceptions and 95 pass deflections have led to four Pro Bowl berths in his seven-year career. He has never had more than three picks in a single season, but as one NFL personnel evaluator noted, Ward easily could have had five picks in 2024. He failed to finish a few plays.
“Really good feet, smooth, comfortable with the ball in the air,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “He’s been good for a long time. Has God-given talent that you can’t really match.”
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: 10
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: 6
McDuffie has emerged as one of the league’s most versatile corners. In 2023, he often played from the slot, disrupting opposing offenses with three sacks and five forced fumbles. In 2024, he was featured more on the outside, due in part to injuries.
McDuffie aligned as a wide cornerback on a career-high 82.6% of snaps in 2024 — his previous career high was 66.8% as a rookie in 2022. He was up to the challenge of playing outside, producing 11 pass deflections and two interceptions on 90 targets.
“Elite instincts to key/diagnose. Understands all the leverages you need to play within the playcall,” an NFL coordinator said. “He has movement and strength to defend smaller players and enough speed and leaping ability to defend bigger players. Strong tackler. Complete player.”
McDuffie is also part of that accomplished 2022 draft class with three players (Stingley, Gardner, McDuffie) on this year’s top 10. All three have been named a first-team All-Pro. McDuffie was one of three cornerbacks on every ballot.
“His versatility has been so valuable to [the Chiefs],” a veteran NFL assistant coach said. “There are instances where he can struggle to finish on contested catches vs. bigger receivers, but overall, he is very solid, has great instincts and technique and is very smart.”
The concern surrounding McDuffie is simple: His size (5-foot-11, 193 pounds) gives him a disadvantage compared to his peers.
“He does give something up to bigger receivers, but he literally does everything else so well, so I don’t knock him for that,” an NFC executive said.
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: 3
Gardner remains one of the more polarizing players in the league. He reached superstardom as a rookie, wasting no time entering the conversation for the NFL’s best cornerback. He made back-to-back All-Pro teams from 2022-23, but some evaluators have had problems with his play for the past two seasons.
“Needs a bounce-back year in 2025,” a veteran AFC personnel staffer said. “Lots of missed tackles and penalties and didn’t make many plays last year. Too much, too soon and thought the NFL was easy.”
Gardner had a respectable 2024 season, holding quarterbacks to an 83.3 passer rating when targeted. He gave up one touchdown and recorded nine pass deflections on 51 targets. And Pro Football Focus recently named him the league’s top corner. This is not a sentiment the league shares.
As multiple scouts noted, officials flagged his handsy coverage for holding more frequently in 2024. He committed 10 penalties (one declined) last year compared to seven over the previous two seasons combined, according to NFLPenalties.com.
“I like his game, really good feet, long, good at the catch point — but he was getting put in conversations that I didn’t think were legitimate or fair,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “When I watch the film, I see a top-10 cornerback. I don’t see the top three.”
One NFC personnel evaluator said he’s got shades of Richard Sherman to his game — without the ball production yet. The Jets are hoping their new defense, with coach Aaron Glenn and coordinator Steve Wilks asking him to play more man coverage, will bring out his best. He’ll be asked to do a lot after signing a four-year, $120.4-million extension this week.
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 23 | Last year’s ranking: Honorable mention
Gonzalez caught the league’s full attention as an honorable mention last year despite missing 13 games with a shoulder injury in 2023.
He reached top-10 status after his second-year performance, as expected, allowing 46 of 86 targets to be completed as the nearest defender in coverage. That 53.5% completion percentage was the third-lowest among 33 players with at least 75 targets coming their way.
“I think Gonzo is the next great one,” a veteran NFL assistant said. “Skills, patience, length. He’s the closest thing to Pat [Surtain II]. Smooth, big athlete, travels a lot, can matchup against the best guy.”
Gonzalez isn’t known as a big thumper, though most corners aren’t. Physicality is an area where he could improve.
“He’ll tackle, but I wouldn’t call him physical,” an NFL coordinator said. “But he’s got the size and coverage skills to put him on the outside and he can handle himself, and he can also come up and play run support and play within the construct of the defense.”
Highest ranking: 3 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 25 | Last year’s ranking: 4
Healthy for a full season for the first time in his career, Horn put together a complete performance. His 68 tackles (five for loss), two sacks and 13 pass deflections reminded scouts why they saw him as a top-10 talent in the 2021 draft.
He appeared on around half the ballots, but many of his votes were in the top three.
“His only thing is health,” an NFC personnel evaluator said. “When he’s been on the field the past three years, he’s been good. Can play inside and out, urgent and physical in the run game.”
That physicality shows up from the sideline on Sundays. One NFC offensive coach said it’s hard to run a “duo” play — designed to get the running back to the second level, matched up against the corner on the outside — against Carolina because of Horn.
“That’s supposed to be the worst tackler of the (defense) — not him,” the coach said. “He’ll clean that up.”
Horn gave up 5.56 passing yards per target, a solid clip among this top 10. He was rewarded this offseason with a four-year, $100 million contract.
Added an NFL coordinator: “Excellent in bump man [coverage], a very good blitzer and tackler.”
Highest ranking: 4 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 26 | Last year’s ranking: 8
Johnson was one of the most consistent corners over the past two years with a combined six interceptions and 18 pass deflections. His ball production dipped slightly in 2024, but he was more disruptive around the line of scrimmage with seven tackles for loss.
“Really good zone awareness. Sticky,” an NFL coordinator said. “Versatile skill set.”
On 53 targets, Johnson allowed 32 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns with a 15.1% ball-hawking rate. In 2023, that rate was better at 17.5%, during which he gave up 162 less yards (286 total). It is worth noting that the Bears, as a team, were a mess last season, which can affect corner play.
Johnson frequently played Cover 2 under former Bears coach Matt Eberflus, but he should get more man-coverage opportunities under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
“I think it will be good for him,” the coordinator said. “He’s got good feet, gets handsy at times, but he has enough awareness at this point in career that he can make a new scheme work.”
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 23 | Last year’s ranking: N/A
Mitchell, the youngest player on this list, turns 24 tomorrow, signaling the Eagles have the outside covered for years to come.
Mitchell was stellar in the predraft process in 2024 and continued that momentum throughout his rookie season. When a receiver catches a pass in Mitchell’s vicinity, he doesn’t go far. Mitchell allowed an average of 1.5 yards after catch as the nearest defender in coverage last season, the fewest by any player with at least 30 targets. The next closest was Surtain at 1.9.
In three playoff games, Mitchell allowed seven yards after the catch on five receptions.
“Loved him coming out — heard a lot about him throughout the season, and it looked like teams tried to find ways to throw away from him,” an NFL coordinator said. “He proved to be able to handle 1s.”
This was true. The Eagles’ defense under Vic Fangio often squeezed the middle of the field, leaving corners with chunks of space to cover. Mitchell faced 76 targets as a result, yet he deflected 12 of those passes for a 15.8% ball-hawking rate. Veteran corner Darius Slay (76 targets) did help by holding up well on the other side.
“His biggest thing is confidence,” an NFL passing game coordinator said. “He barely played press in college but got in people’s pockets. He got really good at that.”
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: 9
Witherspoon has back-to-back Pro Bowls to match two consecutive top 10s to start his career — achieving the latter in close fashion. Witherspoon won a tiebreaker with former No. 1 Jalen Ramsey for the 10th spot.
Statistically, Witherspoon wasn’t as disruptive as the previous year. His pass deflections dropped from 16 to nine, sacks from 3.0 to 1.0. But he’s the classic tone-setter, the type of player you need to see in person.
He’s stout at the line, with a 90.0 run defense grade last season that ranked third among corners by Pro Football Focus. He also recorded 66 solo tackles, a solid number for a corner.
“Extremely urgent, aggressive, excellent top-down speed from the perimeter or out of the slot,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “Violent tackler, lower body twitch, good blitzer, disruptive.”
Added an NFL coordinator: “Better nickel than outside corner in my opinion but he makes splash plays. You need to account for him.”
Honorable mentions
Jalen Ramsey, Pittsburgh Steelers: Ramsey’s trade to Pittsburgh should bolster his Hall of Fame track at age 30. “He had a down year last year, but he still had flashes of being the gold standard at corner,” an NFL personnel director said. “His mix of athletic ability/fluidity, speed and movement skills at that size is rare. He can play man or zone coverage, can play inside as a nickel and has the ability to move to free safety if he wanted to.”
Pittsburgh is expected to use Ramsey all over, with slot corner or safety functionality on the inside, similar to Rod Woodson’s transition into Pittsburgh’s defense over 25 years ago. Some coaches still see a shutdown corner on the outside, but many evaluators don’t share that sentiment.
“Still a good starter but is in physical decline,” an AFC executive said. “You could make the argument he’s still top 10, but he’s just outside of it for me.”
Added another AFC evaluator: “In my opinion, he’s better in the nickel or with specialty roles at this stage.”
2:19
McAfee ecstatic about Steelers trading for Jalen Ramsey
Pat McAfee reacts to the blockbuster deal sending Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Steelers with Minkah Fitzpatrick returning to Dolphins.
Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens: “He’s best in the slot at this stage, but he’s such a natural in there, very disruptive and can get the ball, physical.” — NFL coordinator
Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys: “I think he’s made improvements as a corner. He always had the ball skills. Discipline is a little bit better. The injuries are now the primary concern.” — NFL coordinator
Byron Murphy Jr., Minnesota Vikings: “He made a lot of plays last year. You have to give him credit. He was seen as more of an inside guy to start his career, but he’s on the outside and producing in a big way.” — NFL personnel evaluator
A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons: “Prototypical cover corner with length who has a lot of disruption. But the ball production has been up and down. I think he would be more of a household name had he produced more in that area.” — NFL personnel evaluator
L’Jarius Sneed, Tennessee Titans: “I know he had a rough year with injuries and some off-the-field stuff, but he was really good for three years [in Kansas City]. The Chiefs must have known it was a good time to walk away.” — NFL personnel evaluator
Also receiving votes: Cooper DeJean (Philadelphia Eagles), DaRon Bland (Dallas Cowboys), Charvarius Ward (Indianapolis Colts), Deommodore Lenoir (San Francisco 49ers), D.J. Reed (Detroit Lions), Carlton Davis III (New England Patriots), Marshon Lattimore (Washington Commanders), Alontae Taylor (New Orleans Saints), Joey Porter Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers), Taron Johnson (Buffalo Bills), Riq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks), Jaire Alexander (Baltimore Ravens), Nate Wiggins (Baltimore Ravens)
