1. Chris Harris Jr., Denver Broncos
In today's NFL, there's no cornerback more important—and rarer—than one who can shut down opposing receivers from anywhere on the field—whether outside or in the slot. And over the last five years, Harris has been the only cornerback to do it at a Pro Bowl level in both spots. That's why he's No. 1 on this list—wherever you put him on the field, he's going to make life miserable for whoever he's covering.
Undrafted out of Kansas in 2011, Harris worked his way up the depth chart in his early years, becoming the best slot cornerback in the business by 2013. That was the start of a three-year span in which opposing quarterbacks who targeted Harris in the slot came away with no touchdowns and six interceptions.
When the Broncos gave Harris a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension in December 2014, it was thought he'd move outside more often, which he has. Now, he's paired with Talib, and he and Talib are the most stingy and formidable cornerback duo in the league. At the end of last season, Harris and Talib combined had allowed just 681 yards and two touchdowns on 141 targets, per Pro Football Focus. That would be an amazing season for one cornerback, let alone two.
What makes Harris so effectively versatile? First, start with his mental game. He can read quarterbacks as he's trailing receivers, and he has an innate sense of what's about to happen. When you watch Harris on tape, it seems he's always in the right place. Harris' short-area route awareness—so crucial to playing the slot at a high level—is perhaps unparalleled. He has the requisite skills for the outside corner position as well—size (5'10", 199 lbs), downfield speed and the body control to jump routes and deflect passes, which adds to his peerless versatility.
Inside or outside, Harris is the best cornerback in the league, and he has been as long as he's been given the chance.
5. Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos
Talib missed three games with a lower back injury last season and had to deal with the aftereffects of accidentally shooting himself in the leg last June, but when he was healthy, he was the same cornerback he's been throughout his time in Denver. Talib was the only No. 1 cornerback not to allow a touchdown last season, and only Minnesota's Rhodes allowed a lower opponents' passer rating than Talib's 46.7. He surrendered just 36 catches on 73 targets for 372 yards and made three picks.
More than most cornerbacks on this list, Talib doesn't need safety help—he's savvy and athletic enough to follow the league's most talented receivers around the field no matter what routes they're running. He's aggressive, but he's developed a discipline that allows him to use that to his advantage. He's best in man coverage, where he can deploy his 6'1", 205-pound frame to track routes and gum up receivers at the line of scrimmage, but he's experienced enough to implement zone concepts as well.
Talib has always been a gambler in coverage—he has so much faith in his ability, and he seems to enjoy baiting quarterbacks into making throws they think are to open receivers, but then Talib will swoop in for a deflection or interception. Talib wasn't always disciplined on or off the field early in his career in Tampa Bay, but like a lot of players, he underwent a transformation with the Patriots, for whom he played in 2012 and 2013, and he's carried that to Denver, where he was a linchpin in Wade Phillips' defenses.
