Cornerback Coverage Grade Plus: Final 2021 Rankings

Overtime Heroics Editorial

554 days ago

CBCG+ is a new statistic that gives a fresh perspective on the cornerback position. You can read my inspiration for creating the statistic by clicking here. With a full season’s worth of play now calculated by CBCG+, let’s check out the results with a bigger sample size.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Cornerback Patrick Surtain, Jr. #2 of the Denver Broncos reacts to a play in the Denver Broncos vs New York Giants game at MetLife Stadium on September 12, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)

Introduction to Cornerback Coverage Grade Plus: CBCG+

Using three advanced statistics and weighting them differently, I have created Cornerback Coverage Grade Plus. CBCG+ is based on the following three stats.

Completion percentage allowed on targets
Yards per time targeted
Passer rating allowed when targeted

These three stats truly show how dominant a cornerback is on a down-to-down basis. They show how often corners allow targets to become completions and demonstrate how many yards they are allowing. They also take into account overall quarterback play when targeting specific cornerbacks.

The combination of these three statistics paints the best possible picture of the cornerback position in today’s NFL. CBCG+ is still an imperfect method as it still can not take into account things like non-targeted plays and who the cornerback is covering. However, it does give the best available way to rate cornerbacks based on their entire body of work.

It focuses on play-to-play consistency using advanced data. That makes it completely statistic-based and objective. I hope CBCG+ can help fans better judge the cornerback position as a whole. A CBCG+ under 40 is considered elite, while 45-55 is the average range, where the bulk of the players fall. Without further ado, here are the CBCG+ rankings for the entire 2021 NFL season.

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 22: Rasul Douglas #29 of the Green Bay Packers breaks up a pass to Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The 49ers defeated the Packers 13-10. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

CBCG+ Leaderboard 2021

*Updated for complete 2021 NFL Season

*Minimum 50 targets

*Ranked in order of CBCG+ (lowest is best)

Player, Team \|	Targets \|	CBCG+
1. Rasul Douglas, GB	64 \|	33.3
2. J.C. Jackson, NE	106 \|	34.0
3. Jamel Dean, TB	66 \|	34.4
4. AJ Terrell, ATL	86 \|	38.6
5. Tre"Davious White, BUF	64 \|	38.9
6. Trevon Diggs, DAL	103 \|	39.0
7. Patrick Surtain II, DEN	96 \|	39.3
8. D.J. Reed, SEA	88 \|	40.4
9. Adoree" Jackson, NYG	73 \|	42.0
10. Eric Stokes, GB	97 \|	42.0
11. Emmanuel Moseley, SF	55 \|	42.6
12. Kristian Fulton, TEN	72 \|	43.2
13. Xavien Howard, MIA	93 \|	44.0
14. Cameron Dantzler, MIN	74 \|	44.5
15. Greedy Williams, CLE	67 \|	45.3
16. Taron Johnson, BUF	69 \|	45.4
17. Levi Wallace, BUF	81 \|	45.5
18. Jalen Ramsey, LAR	98 \|	45.6
19. Charvarius Ward, KC	76 \|	45.8
20. Anthony Brown, DAL	122 \|	46.2
21. Chidobe Awuzie, CIN	91 \|	46.2
22. Darius Slay, PHI	85 \|	46.5
23. Anthony Averett, BAL	101 \|	46.8
24. Robert Alford, ARZ	57 \|	47.2
25. Patrick Peterson, MIN	76 \|	47.2
26. Denzel Ward, CLE	78 \|	47.5
27. Amani Oruwariye, DET	77 \|	47.9
28. Ronald Darby, WAS	70 \|	48.6
29. Nik Needham, MIA	63 \|	48.6
30. Carlton Davis, TB	70 \|	48.8
31. Michael Davis, LAC	86 \|	48.9
32. Isaiah Rodgers, IND	65 \|	49.3
33. Brandin Echols, NYJ	75 \|	49.7
34. Sidney Jones, SEA	77 \|	50.2
35. Eli Apple, CIN	78 \|	51.5
36. Greg Newsome II, CLE	62 \|	51.6
37. Donte Jackson, CAR	67 \|	52.1
38. Tavon Young, BAL	58 \|	52.1
39. Casey Hayward Jr., LV	56 \|	52.2
40. Brandon Facyson, LV	81 \|	52.3
41. Marshon Lattimore, NO	106 \|	52.7
42. Rashad Fenton, KC	54 \|	52.8
43. Marlon Humphrey, BAL	84 \|	53.4
44. Kenny Moore II, IND	121 \|	53.4
45. Byron Murphy Jr., ARZ	98 \|	53.5
46. Chris Harris Jr., LAC	55 \|	53.6
47. Paulson Adebo, NO	89 \|	53.8
48. James Bradberry, NYG	115 \|	54.0
49. Darious Williams, LAR	92 \|	54.8
50. Desmond King, HOU	100 \|	55.4
51. Xavier Rhodes, IND	61 \|	55.4
52. Mike Hughes, KC	61 \|	55.6
53. Chandon Sullivan, GB	67 \|	55.7
54. William Jackson, WAS	66 \|	55.7
55. Asante Samuel Jr., LAC	58 \|	55.7
56. Joe Haden, PIT	55 \|	55.8
57. L"Jarius Sneed, KC	80 \|	56.0
58. Sean Murphy-Bunting, TB	54 \|	56.1
59. Janoris Jenkins, NO	90 \|	56.1
60. Avonte Maddox, PHI	74 \|	56.2
61. Byron Jones, MIA	90 \|	56.2
62. Tyson Campbell, JAX	81 \|	56.3
63. Jaylon Johnson, CHI	72 \|	56.5
64. Kendall Fuller, WAS	113 \|	56.8
65. Jourdan Lewis, DAL	76 \|	56.9
66. Jalen Mills, NE	65 \|	58.2
67. James Pierre, PIT	53 \|	58.2
68. Elijah Molden, TEN	61 \|	58.8
69. Bryce Hall, NYJ	109 \|	59.1
70. Mike Hilton, CIN	85 \|	59.8
71. Cameron Sutton, PIT	72 \|	60.1
72. Nate Hobbs, LV	62 \|	60.3
73. AJ Parker, DET	55 \|	60.3
74. Bashaud Breeland, MIN	88 \|	60.5
75. Steven Nelson, PHI	72 \|	61.0
76. Michael Carter II, NYJ	73 \|	61.2
77. Fabian Moreau, ATL	88 \|	61.7
78. Josh Norman, SF	60 \|	62.1
79. Tevaughn Campbell, LAC	61 \|	62.3
80. Shaquill Griffin, JAX	66 \|	62.5
81. Kyle Fuller, DEN	67 \|	64.1
82. Keith Taylor, CAR	51 \|	64.1
83. Mackensie Alexander, MIN	70 \|	64.7
84. Marco Wilson, ARZ	74 \|	66.3