Patrick Surtain II finds himself in rarified air in just his third career year. The young defensive back was voted as the best cornerback coming into this NFL season among NFL executives, coaches, scouts, and players. The survey was conducted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and was told this by a high-ranking official about Patrick Surtain II:
“He’s a true matchup guy vs. the best players. Premium ability on press or off coverage. Outstanding open-field tackler. Solid ball skills. Plays with confidence. Really, really smart. And plays disciplined so he doesn’t give anything away.”
Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets finished a close second. However, the general consensus around the league seemingly still favors the third-year Broncos defensive back.
Patrick Surtain II Voted Best Defensive Back Heading Into Season
Patrick Surtain II’s Numbers From Last Season
Despite Denver’s less than stellar season, Surtain still had a year for the books. Many already consider him the best player on the team. He finished with 10 pass breakups to go along with a 12.5 percent target rate in at least 201 coverage snaps. This was the lowest rate among all defensive backs. On top of this, Surtain also recorded two interceptions and also had a forced fumble.
The Pro Bowler also possesses a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 86.8 which was a massive jump from the grade he received as a rookie. For context, this is the same grade that Jalen Ramsey, who is still widely considered top-five at this position, finished with this past year. Patrick Surtain II wins this contest among his NFL peers this summer, but he is not without his fair share of competition.
Other Defensive Backs Who Received First Place Votes
Coming in a very close second place was Sauce Gardner. Gardner had one of the best rookie seasons for a cornerback in NFL history and finished with a PFF grade of 87.9. The rookie only allowed 20.2 receiving yards per game to couple with 20 pass breakups. Other notable defensive backs who received first place votes in this survey include Jalen Ramsey, who came in third place, Jaire Alexander, Marlon Humphrey, and Marshon Lattimore. This is some steep competition at this position. As a result, this makes Patrick Surtain II’s first place finish all the more impressive as training camp looms closer and closer.
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