Top Five Cornerbacks in the NFL

There is nothing in all football like playing cornerback - and anyone who has ever played the sport, knows full well how lonely and isolated the position can be. Not only that, but there are far more opportunities to be a scapegoat than to be a hero.

Having said that, there is nothing like having one of the best cornerbacks in football; a guy who can cover any receiver in the league one-on-one and allow for the defensive coordinator to have more freedom to blitz with his safeties and linebackers.

Oh yeah, having a 'shut down' cornerback is a luxury that can't be overstated. But who are the best corners in the league - the guys you just don't want to throw the ball near for fear of a costly interception?

Here they are - the top five cornerbacks in the NFL.

Champ Bailey
Bailey appeared to be slowing down a little just a couple of years ago it seems, but he has bounced back better than the NBA's old basketball, which should be making its own comeback right around the start of the new year.

Bailey has been the consummate corner once again the last couple of years and really allows the Denver Broncos the luxury of knowing that whomever Bailey is guarding, will be locked up all game in a virtual one-on-one dogfight. With five interceptions right now, Bailey is still showing there isn't a better corner in the game today.

CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS
Year Team Tk Ast Sck Stf FF FR PD Int Yds TD
1999 WAS 61 5 1 1 0 0 17 5 55 0
2000 WAS 52 5 0 0 0 1 14 5 48 0
2001 WAS 49 2 0 0 1 1 18 3 17 0
2002 WAS 62 6 0 2 0 1 24 3 2 0
2003 WAS 67 4 0 2.5 1 2 9 2 2 0
2004 DEN 68 13 0 4 0 0 12 3 0 0
2005 DEN 60 6 0 1.5 1 0 23 8 139 0
2006 DEN 34 10 0 1.5 0 0 10 5 35 0
Totals: 453 51 1 12.5 3 5 127 34 298 3

DeAngelo Hall 4 picks
Hall was expected to be a star when he entered the league just a couple of seasons ago and he is certainly living up to that billing now. Hall has blanketed several big name receivers this year in what now looks like it could be a superb - and lengthy - career for Hall.

CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS
Year Team Tk Ast Sck Stf FF FR PD Int Yds TD
2004 ATL 30 6 0.5 0 1 0 6 2 50 0
2005 ATL 59 7 0 0 1 3 10 6 177 0
2006 ATL 23 3 0 0 0 0 11 4 131 0
Totals: 112 16 0.5 0 2 3 27 12 358 2

Ronde Barber
While Barber isn't the tallest corner in the league - or the fastest - he is still as steady as a rock and a big time playmaker as well. No, he doesn't put up eye-opening numbers as far as interceptions are concerned, except for 2001 that is, but Barber doesn't get beat much either. And by the way, Barber's annual interception numbers are probably so low because no one wants to throw the ball to the guy he's guarding.

CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS
Year Team Tk Ast Sck Stf FF FR PD Int Yds TD
1997 TB 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1998 TB 59 11 3 2 2 0 10 2 67 0
1999 TB 54 16 1 2.5 0 0 19 2 60 0
2000 TB 67 15 5.5 1.5 1 1 13 2 46 0
2001 TB 56 13 1 3.5 1 2 24 10 86 0
2002 TB 63 12 3 3 0 0 20 2 9 0
2003 TB 80 19 1.5 5 3 1 6 2 53 0
2004 TB 77 15 3 5.5 2 2 13 3 23 0
2005 TB 82 16 2 1.5 0 1 20 5 105 0
2006 TB 56 9 0 1.5 1 0 5 2 103 0
Totals: 598 126 20 26 10 7 130 30 552 5

Lito Shepard
Now in his fifth season, Shepard has proven himself to be one of the league's elite cornerbacks the past three seasons and has actually gotten better the last couple of years with maturity. If you've watched the Eagles the last two years, you know how invaluable he is to the success of a team that just recently seemed to feature one of the most formidable secondaries in the league.

CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS
Year Team Tk Ast Sck Stf FF FR PD Int Yds TD
2002 PHI 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2003 PHI 44 6 0 0 1 0 18 1 34 0
2004 PHI 52 4 1 1.5 0 0 15 5 172 0
2005 PHI 28 4 1 0 1 0 9 3 72 0
2006 PHI 14 4 0 0 0 0 10 3 131 0
Totals: 143 20 2 1.5 2 0 52 12 409 3

Ricky Manning Jr.
I've liked Manning ever since I saw him pick of Eagles quarterback, Donovan McNabb three times in the NFC Championship game as a rookie in 2003.

Manning's nose for the ball is nearly unmatched by any corner in the league - and although he is often dwarfed by many of the league's taller receivers, you'd never know it by the way he goes after the ball - and gets it.

CAREER DEFENSIVE STATS
Year Team Tk Ast Sck Stf FF FR PD Int Yds TD
2003 CAR 48 6 0 0.5 2 1 7 3 33 0
2004 CAR 50 10 0 2 0 0 9 4 46 0
2005 CAR 27 6 0 2.5 0 3 6 2 20 0
2006 CHI 13 3 0 0.5 0 2 7 4 59 0
Totals: 138 25 0 5.5 2 6 29 13 158 1