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
84 85 88 94
90.6
2

D'Angelo
Ponds

CB
Indiana   Mascot
Indiana Mascot
91 91 94 87
80.8
3

Jermod
McCoy

CB
Tennessee   Mascot
Tennessee Mascot
83 85 91 83
85.0
4

Jyaire
Hill

CB
Michigan   Mascot
Michigan Mascot
76 70 78 81
90.0
5

Malik
Muhammad

CB
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
67 79 85 80
88.7
6

Dillon
Thieneman

S
Purdue   Mascot
Purdue Mascot
84 82 80 79
85.6
7

Kayin
Lee

CB
Auburn   Mascot
Auburn Mascot
73 74 68 79
81.5
8

Isaac
Smith

S
Mississippi State   Mascot
Mississippi State Mascot
98 91 75 78
88.1
9

Avieon
Terrell

CB
Clemson   Mascot
Clemson Mascot
62 89 82 76
85.7
10

Jalon
Kilgore

CB
South Carolina   Mascot
South Carolina Mascot
72 79 79 75
81.3
11

Malik
Hartford

S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
65 73 80 75
83.1
12

Samuel
Omosigho

S
Oklahoma   Mascot
Oklahoma Mascot
69 83 75 74
87.5
13

Christian
Gray

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
66 72 66 74
73.0
14

Ethan
O'Connor

CB
Washington State   Mascot
Washington State Mascot
54 79 76 74
82.6
15

Jaylon
Braxton

CB
Arkansas   Mascot
Arkansas Mascot
68 65 78 73
80.2
16

Jermaine
Mathews Jr.

CB
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
69 70 79 73
88.8
17

Smith
Snowden

CB
Utah   Mascot
Utah Mascot
49 77 76 72
87.8
18

Dijon
Johnson

CB
Florida   Mascot
Florida Mascot
62 72 72 70
85.6
19

Elliot
Washington I...

CB
Penn State   Mascot
Penn State Mascot
84 85 75 69
86.8
20

Derek
Williams Jr....

S
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
80 84 73 68
74.0