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Now a month into the 2022 college football season, I decided it was time to rank the five best players for each position at this very moment. For clarification, these lists are based on where these young men are today as college football players. I’m in the business of projecting forward and evaluating them as draft prospects, but for this exercise, I tried to isolate them from their team and purely judge them on who can help win games at the CFB level right now.
Here are the top five cornerbacks in college football right now:
#1. Cam Smith, South Carolina
Coming into the year with Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, LSU-to-Alabama transfer Eli Ricks and Cam Smith as the trio at the top in terms of draft prospects for next year, I feel like the latter has really established himself as the top guy in the group. Especially considering how well he’s played for an otherwise so-so South Carolina Gamecocks team.
He pretty much picked up right where Jaycee Horn left off in 2021, as he picked off three passes, broke up 11 more and finished with an 89.7 PFF coverage grade. His usage is already very similar, in terms of being a true press-man boundary corner (who’ll line up on the opposing X receiver), showing great balance and physicality to deny guys to attack the edges of his frame.
For a lanky outside corner, he doesn’t look uncomfortable playing off and getting in a back-pedal. His range as a zone defender makes it very tough to get the ball over him, even when he’s mid-pointing smash concepts and such. He has the confidence to turn his head and make plays on the ball when tangles up with the receiver down the field. He’s more than willing to race up against running and screen plays while shooting his hips through tackles to take down guys reliably.
#2. Garrett Williams, Syracuse
Another guy who has really stood out in that spot this season is Garrett Williams. Obviously with the Syracuse Orange being 4-0 at this point, there’s plenty of credit to go around. In terms of who is currently playing his position at the highest level, the standout corner has really made an impression on me. Playing a ton of soft press and cover-three bail, Williams trusts his speed as receivers push vertically.
His long arms are a major asset when stabbing at the pecs of receivers to throw off their release, plus then he displays light feet and impressive fluidity for a fairly tall corner. He doesn’t panic down the field and makes some great high-point plays on the ball. It was his length and technique to counter back-shoulder fades that really stood out a few times on tape. He rapidly accelerates upfield against quick completions and maintains vision through blockers. Williams has already broken up three passes, intercepted two, forced and recovered a fumble each.
#3. Riley Moss, Iowa
When talking about play-makers at the cornerback spot, Riley Moss at Iowa has been as good at it as anybody since the start of the 2021 college football season. Last year, he had five PBUs and four picks, of which he returned two to the house, along with putting up three tackles for loss. He presents good size for an outside corner, but he’s at his best clicking and closing on routes in off zone-coverage.
You just love his play-making skills as the flat defender in cover-two, where he can sink and get his hands on passes over his head. I’ve seen him bend with receivers down the post when having to stick to them and track the ball as if he was the receiver for an interception as well. I like how he actively approaches blockers and disengages when the ball comes his way. He makes sure to somehow get the ball carrier to the ground, where he can wrap around the knees or clutch a leg.
#4. Kelee Ringo, Georgia
This is where the aforementioned Kelee Ringo finally comes up. Being part of such an incredible Georgia Bulldogs defense, it’s tough for individual players to get their shine, but it’s hard to miss Ringo. It might be jerseys or whatever, but this is the biggest corner I’ve ever seen. I thought he was a linebacker when I first saw him step on the field.
His physique and length can really throw off receivers at the line and negate easy access to the inside. Even if he does allow some separation momentarily, his make-up burst to close down that distance is freaky. Last season, he allowed a completion percentage of just 40.7%. He came up with the game-sealing pick-six against the Alabama Crimson Tide in that national title game. His size also allows him to rip through the outside of tight-ends with no receivers to his size and he forcefully brings ball-carriers to the ground.
#5. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
In terms of total ball-production, Joey Porter Jr. is right up there at the top of the list for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He has already broken up nine passes (more than double his four from a year ago) with six of those coming in Penn State’s season-opener against Purdue. I was just talking about the biggest corner I’ve probably ever seen on a college football field, so now it’s appropriate to mention that this guy may be the longest.
Not only are those long arms a legit make-up tool, but they also make it very tough for receivers to hold onto the ball as he rakes through their hands. The son of former Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker Joey Sr. can stay sticky vertically and horizontally in trail technique. For his height, he also redirects forward as receivers break in front of him when he does play off pretty well. He’s not flying up in run support and wants to make every tackle necessary, but his pursuit speed across the field is definitely an asset.
Honorable mentions: Clark Phillips III (Utah), Tyrique Stevenson (Miami), Storm Duck (North Carolina), D’Shawn Jamison (Texas) & Steven Gilmore (Marshall)
You can check out all my other college football positional rankings here or as one piece on halilsrealfootballtalk.com
