There are ball hawks everywhere in the Big 10. The conference is loaded with playmaking cornerbacks and some of the most productive of them are returning for the 2023 college football campaign. Stacking the leading protagonists is no mean feat, but our 2023 Big Ten CB Rankings aim to arrange the top 20.
Big Ten CB Rankings 2023
1) Kalen King | Penn State
We’re not ready to anoint Penn State as “DBU” just yet, but there’s no denying that the Nittany Lions are consistently producing premier players at the position right now, and University Park is home to the number one player in our 2023 Big Ten CB rankings. Not only is he the best in the conference, but Kalen King may well be the best cornerback in the nation right now.
Even with 2023 NFL Draft second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. patrolling the Penn State secondary, King was a standout last fall. He comfortably led the conference with 18 pass breakups, while also adding three interceptions. The Nittany Lion star has the speed, instincts, toughness, and coverage chops to be the lockdown cornerback in college football during the 2023 season.
2) Will Johnson | Michigan
Michigan’s defense has established itself as one of the best in college football in recent seasons, and their secondary has been a key component of that success. As he enters his second season looking to build on an impressive freshman campaign, Will Johnson has the talent to be a true impact maker for the Wolverines as one of the top players in our Big Ten CB rankings.
MORE: Big Ten RB Rankings 2023
Making 14 total appearances last fall, Johnson tallied three interceptions and six breakups while earning a share of Michigan’s Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. At 6’2″ and 194 pounds, he has great size that is weaponized by agility and speed, allowing him to easily mirror any WR. He also showed physicality and ball skills in an eye-catching opening college campaign.
3) Cooper DeJean | Iowa
Iowa is the number one producer of corn in America. Yet recently, it’s become more famous for producing high-level cornerback talent. While Riley Moss was establishing himself as an NFL Draft selection last fall, Cooper DeJean was busy introducing himself to college football fans across the nation and asserting himself in our 2023 Big Ten CB Rankings.
DeJean boasted an incredible set of statistics last season — eight pass breakups, five interceptions, and three pick-sixes — but he possesses an even more impressive skill set. Standing at 6’1″ and weighing 209 pounds, as physical as you’d expect from an Iowan farmer, his ball-tracking beggars belief, and a rocket-propelled athletic profile powered those pick-sixes.
4) Denzel Burke | Ohio State
As he battled injury last fall, it’s fair to say that Denzel Burke didn’t always cover himself in glory during his sophomore season. There were plays that he would love to have back, plays that garnered negative attention online. However, don’t allow 2022 to fool you. Burke is the same player we saw during his 2021 freshman campaign, and he’s set to showcase it in 2023.
It was a down year statistically, but Burke is just one year removed from a pick-six and 12 breakups as a true freshman. The Ohio State cornerback can make beautiful plays on the ball with his combination of body control, awareness, and ball-tracking skills. Meanwhile, he’s a fluid mover with decent long speed, capable of keeping up with even the best WRs in the game.
5) Quinton Newsome | Nebraska
While there will be a lot of attention on the top four players in our 2023 Big Ten CB Rankings, don’t sleep on Nebraska cornerback Quinton Newsome being just as good as them in the upcoming season. The third-year ‘Husker earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades from the conference’s coaches after last season, and it’s easy to see why he caught their eye.
With his size (6’1″, 180 pounds) and length, it’s easy to see the attraction of Newsome as a coverage corner, and his 10 pass breakups last fall were no fluke or coincidence. Yet, the Nebraska CB adds unbelievable fluidity, speed, and physicality to his purpose-built frame, making him a multi-phase enforcer equally comfortable in the backfield and at the catch point.
6) Tahveon Nicholson | Illinois
Illinois just saw Devon Witherspoon selected as the first cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft, but what if I told you there was an equally impactful cornerback still on the Fighting Illini roster for the 2023 college football season? He might not have national recognition yet, but Tahveon Nicholson will be a household name by the time this season is over.
According to Sports Info Solutions, Nicholson gave up half the yards of his former teammate in man coverage last fall. A former two-way player in high school, his experience as a pass-catcher shows in his route understanding and ability to get his hands on the ball. Meanwhile, the 5’11”, 180-pound CB isn’t shy about being a physical presence, just like Witherspoon.
7) Justin Walley | Minnesota
After asserting himself as a playmaker in the Minnesota secondary during an impressive freshman season in 2021, Justin Walley continued his ascent among the Big Ten’s top cornerbacks with another standout display for the Gophers. Somehow, all-conference honors eluded him, but he’s earned a place near the top of our 2023 Big Ten CB Rankings.
The versatile 5’11”, 185-pound defensive back offers a physicality that belies his stature both in coverage and as a willing and able playmaker against the run game. Meanwhile, a combination of athleticism and football intelligence allows him to break on routes and make a play on the ball. Finally, his ability to catch the ball over his shoulder is wide receiver-esque.
8) Mike Sainristil | Michigan
Throw on the Michigan defense this fall if you dare. While Amorion Walker is looking likely to be the starter opposite Johnson — the second-ranked Big Ten CB in our 2023 rankings — Mike Sainristil might be the best nickel corner in all of college football. Behind impressive numbers lies an even more impressive skill set that makes him one to watch this season.
First, the numbers: 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, seven pass breakups. Now, the skill set: A former WR, he brings an agile, quick, athletic profile to the cornerback position while having the ball skills to pull off sublime pass breakups (ask Cade Stover). Meanwhile, he’s a force coming downhill to impact the game in multiple phases.
9) Ja’Quan Sheppard | Maryland
After spending his first three seasons at Cincinnati as a special-teams standout and backup cornerback, Ja’Quan Sheppard stepped up and had a standout performance for the Bearcats in 2022. Logging 50 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, his 10 pass breakups helped bring attention as an NFL Draft prospect.
Instead, he transferred to Maryland as the replacement for their NFL-bound talent, earning a spot in the top 10 of our 2023 Big Ten CB rankings. At 6’1″ and 195 pounds, Sheppard combines size, alluring physical tools, and technical excellence to emerge as a key cog for a Maryland defense that could help power a successful season for the Terrapins.
10) Max Melton | Rutgers
Rutgers might be perennially rooted to the Big Ten basement, but that doesn’t mean they don’t possess playmakers who deserve to be recognized near the top of our 2023 conference CB rankings. With 10 pass breakups and two interceptions last fall, Max Melton was one of their most productive defensive players in 2022, and he’s ready to lead the secondary this year.
MORE: Big Ten QB Rankings 2023
Melton is listed at 6’0″ and 190 pounds by Rutgers, and he plays to every inch of that size, buoyed by impressive functional length. The Scarlet Knights standout is a stellar athlete, and he’s proven to have the stop-start agility to keep even the best pass catchers honest in man coverage.
11) Johnny Dixon | Penn State
Across from the top playmaker on our 2023 Big Ten CB Rankings in the Penn State secondary stands Johnny Dixon, a 6’0″, 193-pound defensive dominator who will smack you in the mouth as a backfield disruptor but will also read your quarterback like a book and use his ball skills and body control to make eye-popping plays in coverage. A standout season awaits the senior.
12) Jermari Harris | Iowa
Jermari Harris missed the entire 2022 college football season, but he’s just one season removed from a four-interception campaign for the Hawkeyes. The Iowa CB will ensure opposition offenses have to make a difficult business decision when throwing on the Hawkeyes’ secondary with his ball skills and catch point physicality, while he’s a stellar competitor in run support.
13) Jamari Brown | Purdue
When tall, long cornerback Cory Trice headed to the NFL, Purdue already had an in-house replacement ready to roll with 6’3″, 205-pound fifth-year Jamari Brown. The Boilermaker brawler started 11 games last fall, snagging three interceptions. He’s a physical coverage force who stands for no nonsense, with his competitive toughness also let loose in opposition backfields.
14) Charles Brantley | Michigan State
After a flirtation with the transfer portal, Charles Brantley returns to East Lansing as Michigan State’s top cornerback. The 6’0″, 170-pound junior has all the attributes required to play the position at the highest level. He’s long, fast, possesses impressive ball skills—Spartans fans will never forget his one-hander against Michigan—and has excellent football IQ.
15) Malcolm Hartzog | Nebraska
Malcolm Hartzog became the first Nebraska CB to start as a true freshman since 2016, and if his performances last season are anything to go by, it won’t be the last time his name is etched into program record books. The 5’9″, 170-pound DB is more than capable of making big plays as a gnat-like irritant for any receiver. Fast, strong, and intelligent, Hartzog has elite potential.
16) Tyler Strain | Illinois
Tyler Strain ended his redshirt-freshman year with great momentum, including his first start against Mississippi State. Although listed at 5’9″, 180 pounds, Strain does a great job of elevating himself at the catch point and has the ball-tracking ability and ball skills to force breakups and snag interceptions. A larger role in 2023 should ensure significant national attention.
17) Dillon Tatum | Michigan State
Splitting time between special teams and defense as a true freshman in 2022, Dillon Tatum drew his first start in the finale against Penn State and projects as the Spartans’ starting nickel back this fall. The 5’11”, 200-pound sophomore has an alluring athletic profile with legitimate speed that makes him a dangerous multi-phase weapon. A breakout season awaits.
18) Nicholas Toomer | Indiana
Indiana tried desperately to snag Nicholas Toomer as a three-star recruit out of Sandy Creek in 2019. Four years later, the Stanford transfer will line up as their starting cornerback for the 2023 college football campaign. Toomer has size (6’2″, 185 pounds), and length and boasts impressive long speed while being a solid and reliable tackler.
19) Rod Heard II | Northwestern
An all-round enforcer for the Northwestern Wildcats, Rod Heard II tallied 67 tackles—including four for loss—with a forced fumble, two pass breakups, and one interception last fall. The 5’11”, 190-pound redshirt senior has an incredible closing burst, which allows him to make plays on the ball. Meanwhile, there are few in our Big Ten CB Rankings who can hit with equal ferocity.
20) Riccardo Hallman | Wisconsin
Wisconsin has a lot of uncertainty at cornerback heading into the 2023 college football season, but there’s no doubt that Riccardo Hallman has the potential to emerge as one of the top cornerbacks in the Big Ten. An eight-game starter last fall, he boasts great hands, shows the ability to get himself into perfect positions, and has the short-area burst to break on the ball.
