BEST RATED TACKLING DEFENSIVE BACKS 2027 NFL Draft

2027 BEST RATED TACKLING DEFENSIVE BACKS

For a defensive back the tackling grade is about what happens after the catch and in run support: open-field tackles made against tackles missed, and yards given up after contact. A corner who misses in space turns a five-yard completion into a touchdown. Eric Berry (Tennessee) and Tyrann Mathieu (LSU) tackled like linebackers.

The table ranks this year’s draft-eligible defensive backs by tackling grade, alongside run defense, zone coverage, man and press coverage, and overall rating.

2027 Defensive Backs ranked by TACKLING

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

Jaylen
McClain

S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
97 90 72 80
84.8
2

Ify
Obidegwu

CB
Oregon   Mascot
Oregon Mascot
94 68 91 86
78.5
3

Koi
Perich

S
Oregon   Mascot
Oregon Mascot
93 79 69 72
84.7
4

Chris
Peal

CB
Syracuse   Mascot
Syracuse Mascot
92 76 74 77
84.7
5

Tae
Johnson

S
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
88 83 87 83
86.3
6

Kelley
Jones

CB
Mississippi State   Mascot
Mississippi State Mascot
88 74 86 82
86.7
7

Zion
Branch

S
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
85 76 72 68
74.0
8

Brice
Pollock

CB
Texas Tech   Mascot
Texas Tech Mascot
84 67 79 72
84.7
9

KP
Price

CB
Boston College   Mascot
Boston College Mascot
84 75 67 71
66.5
10

Ty
Benefield

S
LSU   Mascot
LSU Mascot
84 82 75 65
84.9
11

Marcus
Neal Jr.

S
Penn State   Mascot
Penn State Mascot
83 92 82 79
83.4
12

Ellis
Robinson IV

CB
Georgia   Mascot
Georgia Mascot
83 75 83 77
88.5
13

Jordan
Castell

S
Kentucky   Mascot
Kentucky Mascot
82 80 71 70
78.0
14

DJ
McKinney

CB
Notre Dame   Mascot
Notre Dame Mascot
82 79 71 68
83.3
15

Marquis
Gallegos

S
USC   Mascot
USC Mascot
82 60 62 63
64.5
16

Isaac
Smith

S
Mississippi State   Mascot
Mississippi State Mascot
80 80 71 78
77.0
17

Bryce
Thornton

S
Florida   Mascot
Florida Mascot
80 72 83 72
81.1
18

Matthew
Bailey

S
Illinois   Mascot
Illinois Mascot
80 75 68 82
77.0
19

Earl
Little Jr.

S
Ohio State   Mascot
Ohio State Mascot
80 82 82 77
84.4
20

Jamel
Johnson

S
TCU   Mascot
TCU Mascot
79 80 69 74
67.4