This is a tough look for FOX Sports NFL reporters Ben Arthur, Greg Auman, David Helman, Henry McKenna, Eric D. Williams, Ralph Vacchiano, and Carmen Vitali — the panel who voted on a top-10 ranking of the NFL’s cornerbacks, only to overlook the best player at the position: New Orleans superstar Marshon Lattimore.
An earlier version of the article included his NFC South rivals A.J. Terrell and Jaycee Horn as honorable mentions, but it was later edited to include Lattimore as an honorable mention as well. Try to be quicker on the trigger next time, guys.
Every player on their list has given up more yards and defended fewer passes than Lattimore through the first three games, and multiple players who aren’t even available right now due to injuries were given the nod ahead of him; boom-or-bust fantasy football favorites like Trevon Diggs and Jalen Ramsey who give up as many big plays as they make with their ball skills.
That can’t be said about Lattimore. He’s been remarkably consistent to start the 2023 season even if FOX Sports’ writers haven’t been paying attention to him. Lattimore currently ranks second in the league with 6 passes defensed and an interception, trailing only his teammate Alontae Taylor and ranking ahead of every player on this list.
Pro Football Focus charting has found that no player has logged as many snaps in coverage as Lattimore (136) while allowing fewer yards (54). Next-best would be Kendall Fuller, who has given up just 26 yards on 120 reps in coverage. And unlike Lattimore, Fuller has been penalized this season. The referees have yet to throw a flag on No. 23.
Nobody is playing at as high a level as Lattimore right now. He’s in for a high-profile matchup with Tampa Bay Buccaneers pugilist Mike Evans this weekend, whose frustrations with Lattimore’s tough-to-beat coverage have gotten the better of him in recent years; Evans has twice gotten himself ejected and suspended for starting fights with Lattimore after failing to get open against him. If analysts aren’t impressed by that, maybe they should stop gassing Evans up as a future Hall of Famer. Otherwise they need to start giving Lattimore the respect he’s due.
[lawrence-auto-related count=4]