2024 Top 10 Cornerback Unit Rankings: Ohio State claims the top spot with Oregon, Iowa and Michigan in the mix
With spring practice in the books and the second transfer portal window closed, it’s time to kickstart our summer series evaluating 2024 positional unit rankings.
I debuted the series with a look at the 10 best quarterback rooms, and then ranked Top 10 running back units in 2024, the best tight end rooms and the top receiver units this fall. We concluded the offensive side of the ball with the big uglies, ranking the Top 10 offensive line units this season.
This week, we take a swing at the best defensive rooms. On Monday, I released my (semi-controversial???) Top 10 defensive line/edge units, which were extremely difficult to rank. Yesterday, I released the Top 10 linebacker rooms, and today it’s time to shine some light on the best cornerback units (nickel/star position included).
Notably, much like the quarterback position, this is not a ranking of singular individual talents. So before Colorado fans go crazy, fair warning: The Buffs didn’t make the Top 10 despite Travis Hunter being one of the best CBs in the nation. Hunter is awesome but the rest of Colorado’s cornerback unit (transfers and all) remains highly suspect after they finished 109th nationally in yards per attempt allowed in 2023.
So without further ado, the Top 10 cornerback units in 2024:
1. Ohio State
The Buckeyes arguably have the best total secondary in college football this fall, and it starts with their cornerback trio Denzel Burke, a potential 1st Round pick in 2025, nickel Jordan Hancock and Davison Igbinosun — all starters in 2023 on a unit that had the No. 1 pass defense in the nation.
OSU doesn’t lack depth, either, as Jermaine Matthews Jr. flashed as a freshman and has earned more playing time this season, while Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Calvin Simpson-Hunt are backups with high upside. The Buckeyes also signed several corners in their 2024 class, with Aaron Scott Jr. a near-fringe 5-star recruit (No. 35 overall) and a player talented enough to push for immediate snaps.
2. Oregon
The Ducks had the stickiest pass defense in the Pac-12 last season, and although they lost Khyree Jackson, the unit shouldn’t suffer much of a drop-off thanks to some big-time portal additions by Dan Lanning.
Oregon added the No. 1 corner (and No. 11 overall prospect) from the portal in Washington’s Jabbar Muhammad. The senior earned All-Pac 12 honors on the nation’s title runner-up after finishing fourth nationally with 14 passes defended. Muhammad also added a pair of sacks and three interceptions. The Ducks also brought UTSA corner Cam Alexander, who has blazing speed and was the MVP of the Roadrunners’ bowl game, and JUCO Sione Laulea III.
Returning incumbents include Jahlil Florence, who missed the spring with an injury but returns after seeing steady playing time in 2023, and nickel Nikko Reed. Dontae Manning is the highest-ranked corner to ever sign with Oregon, and while he hasn’t lived up to his prospect billing, he still provides solid depth. The Ducks also have intriguing young corners like Rodrick Pleasant (a true speedster) and true freshman Ivy Obidegwu.
3. Iowa
Cooper DeJean was a Day 2 NFL Draft pick and one of the best players in college football in 2023, but like the best ears of corn, Iowa keeps churning out great cornerbacks.
Nickel/star Sebastian Castro is the new leader for the Hawkeyes’ secondary, as the senior had 67 tackles, 10 PBUs and three interceptions last season. Castro had one of the nation’s best yards per coverage snap — ranking No. 3 nationally. Jemari Harris started opposite of DeJean last season and has plenty of experience.
The Hawkeyes have a pair of sophomores — John Nestor and Deshaun Lee — competing for the CB2 spot opposite of Harris. Both saw spot duty on Iowa’s No. 2-ranked pass defense (just 5.1 yards per attempt) in 2023.
4. Michigan
The Wolverines lost all sorts of talent off last season’s national title team, but first-year head coach Sherrone Moore can at least sleep easy with his returning DL duo and perhaps the nation’s best cornerback Will Johnson.
The former 5-star prospect has absolutely fulfilled his recruiting prowess, allowing just a 42% completion rate as a sophomore in 2023. Johnson had four picks, 27 tackles and zero touchdowns allowed, and will lead Michigan’s new-look defense this fall. The Wolverines have sophomore Jyaire Hill and veteran Keshaun Harris battling for the starting spot opposite of Johnson. Hill is 6-foot-2, former blue-chip recruit with the speed and physicality to match up with the top wideouts in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Harris faired well in 2023 in relief of Johnson, especially as a run defender. Michigan also returns junior nickel Zeke Berry, who grabbed the starting spot this spring.
5. Florida State
The ‘Noles lost a pair of NFL Draft picks at corner, yet still return one of the better overall units thanks to the return of seniors Fentrell Cypress and AZ Thomas Jr — both of whom also could’ve gone to the draft but hope to improve their stock in 2024.
Cypress had a bit of a regression season after an All-ACC year at Virginia in 2022, but the hope is he’ll look more comfortable working with Pat Surtain for another year. He had a strong spring, as did Thomas, who some have said is the most improved player on the entire team this offseason.
FSU also brought in Alabama transfer Earl Little Jr., who immediately grabbed the nickel spot away from Greedy Vance Jr., who opted to transfer rather than be a backup.
6. Notre Dame
Benjamin Morrison missed a chunk of the spring with a shoulder injury, but when healthy, the junior is among the best cover corners in the country. As a freshman in 2022, Morrison had six interceptions and he followed up that up with a sophomore season where he had 13 PBUs and three more picks. Also a sound tackler, Morrison is viewed as a potential Top 10 pick in next year’s draft.
Opposite of Morrison, Notre Dame has several options including Christian Gray and Jaden Mickey, both of whom started the spring game with Morrison sidelined. Mickey had a pick-six in the scrimmage and was one of Notre Dame’s spring standouts.
The Irish also brought in Arizona State transfer Jordan Clark, a veteran who projects to start at nickel-back.
7. NC State
The Wolfpack have one of the more underrated cornerback rooms in the country in 2024, as Aydan White flirted with transferring this offseason but decided to remain in Raleigh. The two-time All-ACC standout is a legitimate Thorpe Award candidate after a junior season where he had two interceptions and double-digit PBUs.
NC State grabbed a trio of potential starters/contributors from the portal in Maryland corner Corey Coley Jr., Ohio State safety/nickel Ja’Had Carter and Villanova corner Devon Marshall.
Coley Jr. will battle with Brandon Cisse, a sophomore who saw spot duty as a newcomer in 2023, for the CB2 spot, while Carter, a former Freshman All-American at Syracuse, could slide right into the starting STAR/nickel role.
8. Georgia
The Bulldogs must replace a pair of multi-year starters in corner Kamari Lassiter and star Tykee Smith, who led the team in tackles (70) in 2024. But while there’s uncertainty about the unit’s experience this fall, UGA isn’t short on upside, length or athleticism at the position.
Daylen Everette is back after starting every game in 2023 as a sophomore, and his job isn’t even guaranteed with the likes of sophomores Julian Humphrey and Daniel Harris both vying for starting roles. Georgia also inked the No. 1 corner in the 2024 class in 5-star Ellis Robinson, who spent the entire spring with the 2s but impressed.
Former 5-star safety Joenel Aguero transitioned to nickel/star this offseason, and the sophomore projects as the starter this fall.
9. Kentucky
The Wildcats return both starting cornerbacks from 2023, headlined by Maxwell Hairston, who was a breakout playmaker last season. Hairston led the SEC with five interceptions including two pick-sixes. Former Ohio State transfer Jantzen Dunn is also back.
This offseason, UK added Alabama transfer corner Kristian Story, as well as potential nickel-back DJ Waller from Michigan — a rangy 6-3, 200-pound sophomore who was pushing for a starting spot for the Wolverines before making the move to change schools.
10. Texas A&M
Despite a multitude of departures out of College Station, the Aggies’ secondary remains in good shape, led by the return of corner Tyreek Chappell and several transfer portal additions.
Chappell can be a hit-or-miss at times but he still led the Aggies with double-digit PBUs and has played in Mike Elko’s defense previously. TAMU also brought in transfers BJ Mayes from UAB, Dezz Ricks from Alabama and Jaydon Hill from Florida. All three stand to provide a combination of experience, upside and upgrade for a pass defense that was middling in 2023.
Best of the Rest: Virginia Tech, Baylor, Penn State, Florida, Ole Miss