BEST MAN/PRESS COVERAGE DEFENSIVE BACKS 2026 NFL Draft

2026 BEST MAN/PRESS COVERAGE DEFENSIVE BACKS

The prowess in man-to-man coverage can elevate a defensive back's status from reliable to elite. Historically, figures like Darrelle Revis (Pittsburgh) and Patrick Peterson (LSU) have showcased a clinic in neutralizing their assigned receivers, affording their defensive coordinators the luxury of tactical flexibility.

Dive into the specifics below, highlighting the present-day defensive backs who are epitomizing excellence in man-to-man coverage at the collegiate level. Utilize metrics such as completion percentage allowed, passer rating when targeted, and successful coverage snap rate to illuminate how these players are minimizing the impact of opposing receivers, thereby asserting their dominance in isolated coverage scenarios.

2026 Defensive Backs ranked by MAN/PRESS

RANK Player Pos Team TACKLING RUN DEFENSE ZONE MAN/PRESS Rating
1

Caleb
Downs

S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
81 90 91 93
90.6
2

D'Angelo
Ponds

CB
Indiana   Mascot
Indiana Mascot
87 87 96 85
80.8
3

Jermaine
Mathews Jr.

CB
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
65 64 84 83
88.8
4

Jermod
McCoy

CB
Tennessee   Mascot
Tennessee Mascot
78 84 88 82
85.0
5

Kayin
Lee

CB
Auburn   Mascot
Auburn Mascot
74 73 75 81
81.5
6

Dijon
Johnson

CB
Florida   Mascot
Florida Mascot
72 72 83 81
85.6
7

Avieon
Terrell

CB
Clemson   Mascot
Clemson Mascot
70 81 85 80
85.7
8

Jalon
Kilgore

S
South Carolina   Mascot
South Carolina Mascot
83 74 79 80
81.3
9

Jyaire
Hill

CB
Michigan   Mascot
Michigan Mascot
75 69 79 80
90.0
10

Malik
Muhammad

CB
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
69 80 85 79
88.7
11

Dillon
Thieneman

S
Purdue   Mascot
Purdue Mascot
77 75 71 77
85.6
12

Isaac
Smith

S
Mississippi State   Mascot
Mississippi State Mascot
98 91 73 76
88.1
13

Samuel
Omosigho

S
Oklahoma   Mascot
Oklahoma Mascot
80 80 80 76
87.5
14

Jaylon
Braxton

CB
Arkansas   Mascot
Arkansas Mascot
68 65 78 73
80.2
15

Elliot
Washington I...

CB
Penn State   Mascot
Penn State Mascot
77 78 74 71
86.8
16

Christian
Gray

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
59 72 63 70
73.0
17

Smith
Snowden

CB
Utah   Mascot
Utah Mascot
63 79 76 68
87.8
18

Khalil
Barnes

S
Clemson   Mascot
Clemson Mascot
75 67 65 68
76.0
19

Jacobe
Johnson

CB
Oklahoma   Mascot
Oklahoma Mascot
83 79 66 68
83.6
20

Derek
Williams Jr....

S
Texas   Mascot
Texas Mascot
80 84 73 68
74.0