Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. leaves Jets' Sauce Gardner, Dolphins' Jalen Ramsey off top 5 NFL CBs list
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. had a good rookie campaign last season with his impact in Pittsburgh's secondary. While he may not be a top five NFL cornerback yet, he gave his take on who he believes are the league's five best cornerbacks.
Porter was asked by NFL insider Jordan Schultz who he thinks are the five best corners in the league. His list included some of the best talent at the position while leaving out some notable names such as Sauce Gardner and Jalen Ramsey.
Here are Porter Jr.'s top five corners:
"There's a lot of corners," Porter said. "I think (L'Jarius) Sneed, (Trent) McDuffie, I feel like he's a baller. Jaylon Johnson from the Bears, I think he's a dog. (Patrick) Surtain's like that already. You know Surtain. And I'll probably throw me in there. Obviously, gotta throw my name."
Porter's list is interesting.
It's sort of a no-brainer that he threw himself on there, as players often do that when asked about a top five list. Sneed and McDuffie have been the CB duo for the Kansas City Chiefs for the last two seasons. Surtain, a 2023 Pro Bowler, is viewed by most as a top five cornerback. And Johnson, who signed a four-year, $76 million contract extension in March, has emerged as an elite corner in the last few years and was also a Pro Bowler in 2023.
Should Sauce Gardner and Jalen Ramsey be considered top five cornerbacks in the NFL?
Opinions will always be opinions, but most people would include at least Sauce Garnder or Jalen Ramsey on their top five list, if not both.
Gardner is off to a historic start to his young career. In his first two seasons in the NFL, he's earned back-to-back first-team All-Pro selections, while leading the league in pass deflections his rookie season with the New York Jets. The 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year is one of the league's best cover corners.
Ramsey, of the Miami Dolphins, is coming off of his seventh-straight Pro Bowl selection from last season despite playing just 10 games. Entering Year Nine, Ramsey may be past his prime, but he is still one of the NFL's best corners, including being one of its best cover corners as well as one of its most physical corners.
Who do you think are the top five best cornerbacks in today's game?