BEST MAN/PRESS COVERAGE DEFENSIVE BACKS 2026 NFL Draft

2026 BEST MAN/PRESS COVERAGE DEFENSIVE BACKS

The prowess in man-to-man coverage can elevate a defensive back's status from reliable to elite. Historically, figures like Darrelle Revis (Pittsburgh) and Patrick Peterson (LSU) have showcased a clinic in neutralizing their assigned receivers, affording their defensive coordinators the luxury of tactical flexibility.

Dive into the specifics below, highlighting the present-day defensive backs who are epitomizing excellence in man-to-man coverage at the collegiate level. Utilize metrics such as completion percentage allowed, passer rating when targeted, and successful coverage snap rate to illuminate how these players are minimizing the impact of opposing receivers, thereby asserting their dominance in isolated coverage scenarios.

2026 Defensive Backs ranked by MAN/PRESS

RANK Player Pos Team TACKLING RUN DEFENSE ZONE MAN/PRESS Rating
1

Caleb
Downs

S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
91 93 91 96
90.6
2

Jermod
McCoy

CB
Tennessee   Mascot
Tennessee Mascot
82 83 95 92
85.0
3

Kamari
Ramsey

S
USC   Mascot
USC Mascot
63 65 86 91
86.9
4

Michael
Taaffe

S
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
59 74 93 91
83.0
5

D'Angelo
Ponds

CB
Indiana   Mascot
Indiana Mascot
88 86 94 86
80.8
6

Jyaire
Hill

CB
Michigan   Mascot
Michigan Mascot
79 72 79 85
90.0
7

Josh
Moten

CB
Marshall   Mascot
Marshall Mascot
65 67 82 80
83.8
8

Ricardo
Hallman

CB
Wisconsin   Mascot
Wisconsin Mascot
42 55 75 79
81.9
9

Kayin
Lee

CB
Auburn   Mascot
Auburn Mascot
70 72 68 78
81.5
10

Malik
Muhammad

CB
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
68 77 82 78
88.7
11

Isaac
Smith

S
Mississippi State   Mascot
Mississippi State Mascot
100 93 73 78
88.1
12

Dillon
Thieneman

S
Purdue   Mascot
Purdue Mascot
80 76 73 77
85.6
13

Ethan
O'Connor

CB
Washington State   Mascot
Washington State Mascot
56 79 80 77
82.6
14

Christian
Gray

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
73 69 69 76
73.0
15

Will
Lee III

CB
Texas A&M   Mascot
Texas A&M Mascot
77 55 70 76
81.2
16

Chandler
Rivers

CB
Duke   Mascot
Duke Mascot
73 73 82 76
82.3
17

Samuel
Omosigho

S
Oklahoma   Mascot
Oklahoma Mascot
77 88 77 76
87.5
18

Tacario
Davis

CB
Arizona   Mascot
Arizona Mascot
82 61 67 75
84.7
19

Malik
Hartford

S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
65 73 80 75
83.1
20

Avieon
Terrell

CB
Clemson   Mascot
Clemson Mascot
65 90 79 75
85.7