BEST RUN DEFENDING CORNERBACKS 2027 NFL Draft

2027 BEST RUN DEFENDING CORNERBACKS

Run defense grade for a cornerback scores run support on the edge: shedding a receiver’s block, forcing the run inside, and making the tackle when the play comes his way. It is a small part of the evaluation but it decides whether a corner can play in a defense that asks him to set the edge. Darrelle Revis (Pittsburgh) and Patrick Peterson (LSU) were both physical enough to do it.

The table ranks this year’s draft-eligible cornerbacks by run defense grade, alongside tackling, zone and man coverage grades, and overall rating.

2027 Cornerbacks ranked by RUN DEFENSE

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

John
Nestor

CB
Minnesota   Mascot
Minnesota Mascot
71 93 89 90
84.5
2

Kylin
Jackson

CB
TCU   Mascot
TCU Mascot
59 87 59 68
63.6
3

Jalen
Mayo

CB
Houston   Mascot
Houston Mascot
65 86 79 76
84.6
4

Eli
Bowen

CB
Oklahoma   Mascot
Oklahoma Mascot
69 85 77 70
81.4
5

Jay'Vion
Cole

CB
Arizona   Mascot
Arizona Mascot
70 83 79 76
81.1
6

Jyaire
Hill

CB
Michigan   Mascot
Michigan Mascot
66 80 81 79
84.7
7

Bryce
West

CB
Wisconsin   Mascot
Wisconsin Mascot
59 79 68 63
68.5
8

Jamari
Sharpe

CB
Indiana   Mascot
Indiana Mascot
78 79 77 72
84.8
9

DJ
McKinney

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
82 79 71 68
83.3
10

Dashawn
Spears

CB
LSU   Mascot
LSU Mascot
76 78 88 76
84.6
11

Chris
Peal

CB
Syracuse   Mascot
Syracuse Mascot
93 77 77 80
84.7
12

Leonard
Moore

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
63 77 86 92
89.5
13

Raion
Strader

CB
Pittsburgh   Mascot
Pittsburgh Mascot
67 77 70 71
65.5
14

John
Curry

CB
Texas Tech   Mascot
Texas Tech Mascot
65 77 83 79
81.1
15

Emmanuel
Karnley

CB
Washington   Mascot
Washington Mascot
59 77 72 71
78.0
16

Xavier
Lucas

CB
Miami   Mascot
Miami Mascot
77 77 77 77
75.0
17

Ellis
Robinson IV

CB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
79 76 84 74
88.5
18

Christian
Gray

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
72 75 64 51
82.7
19

Jayden
Bellamy

CB
UCF   Mascot
UCF Mascot
74 75 79 65
80.0
20

Terhyon
Nichols

CB
Kentucky   Mascot
Kentucky Mascot
60 73 69 64
66.7