Devin McCourty: New England Patriots
McCourty was outstanding throughout the 2019 season as the Patriots fielded one of the better secondaries in NFL history, but boy, he was especially good at the start of the season. McCourty had interceptions in each of the first four games, and by the time he got his fifth pick in Week 7, he had allowed only five catches. Yes, the Pats faced some weak offenses to start the season, but the sheer statistical rarity of a defensive player taking away as many passes as he allowed over nearly half a season is simply ridiculous. McCourty didn’t have another interception after Week 7, but that’s partially because he was targeted just 21 times after that. On 624 coverage snaps last season, he allowed 19 catches on 31 targets for 130 yards and one touchdown — with five interceptions and an opponent passer rating of 41.8.
The perfect Belichick-style defender, McCourty has played every position from outside cornerback to slot defender to deep safety since the Patriots selected him with the 27th overall pick in the 2010 draft. The franchise rewarded him with a five-year, $47 million deal in 2015, and they should re-up him once more to keep that formidable defense together.