Top 25 cornerback rankings entering Week 7 of college football

We’ve officially hit the midway point of the 2023 season, and with that our position power rankings are beginning to take some real shape. This week’s cornerback rankings, for example, feature some familiar faces.

The players who have maintained their spots atop this list continue to strengthen their hold on their spots, while some jockeying for position continues near the bottom of the top 10 and further into the top 25.

Without any further delays, let’s take a look at who stands where in the latest edition of our top 25 cornerback rankings entering Week 7.

1. Travis Hunter, Colorado

Once again Hunter tops the list despite not playing due to a lacerated liver. That’s a real testament to just how much skill he showed during the first few weeks of the season when he was playing both ways for the Buffaloes.

Hunter should be nearing a return, though, when he’ll be able to show what he can do once more. So far this season on defense he has recorded nine tackles, an interception and two pass breakups.

2. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

After a very quiet weekend against Mississippi State, in which he recorded only one pass breakup, McKinstry was a bit more active this week in a win over Texas A&M. He recorded five stops in the victory.

McKinstry is one of the more physical defensive backs on the this list, and his leadership also ranks highly in his ranking. On the season he has 17 tackles, one tackle for a loss and four pass breakups.

3. Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri

Abrams-Draine had a busy weekend in a shootout with LSU, and he was victimized once for a touchdown pass. Still, he was quality in other reps against the Tigers, showing picture-perfect technique to break up another would-be touchdown pass. It’s the quick bounce-back ability that helps in Abrams-Draine’s case to remain near the top of the cornerback rankings.

The talented Missouri cornerback has been excellent at getting his hands on passes, recording a pass breakup for the fifth straight game. He’s got eight on the year, to go along with 28 tackles, a tackle for a loss and three interceptions.

4. Cooper DeJean, Iowa

After recording just one pass breakup and no interceptions in the first four weeks of the season, DeJean has kicked it into overdrive the past two weeks. He picked up two more pass breakups and another interception on Saturday in a win over Purdue.

DeJean’s ability to make critical plays right when Iowa needs them the most is one of the major reasons the Hawkeyes are currently 5-1 and very much in the running in the Big Ten race. He has 33 tackles, a half tackle for a loss, four pass breakups and two interceptions on the year.

5. Denzel Burke, Ohio State

The pass breakups seem to come in twos for Burke, who has now had three different games with multiple pass breakups this season. He tallied two more in a win over Maryland, arguably his most productive overall game of the season.

In addition to his two pass breakups, Burke also recorded a season-high three tackles. So far this year he has five tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and six pass breakups.

6. Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

Morrison wasn’t perfect on Saturday, surrendering a touchdown catch in a 33-20 loss to Louisville that will sting for Notre Dame for a while. Overall, though, Morrison had one of his most productive days of the season, even if it came during a forgettable result.

Against the Cardinals, the Fighting Irish cornerback recorded a season-high five tackles, while also breaking up one pass. That brought his season totals to 16 tackles, one tackle for a loss, an interception and six passes defended.

7. Willie Roberts, LA Tech

Roberts is establishing himself as one of the most disruptive cornerbacks in the country, able to get the ball off opponents in a number of ways. He didn’t have his best statistical outing against Western Kentucky, but he recorded multiple pass breakups for the third time this season.

The LA Tech defensive back really can do it all, too. He has accounted for 27 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and a whopping nine passes defended already through the first seven games of the season.

8. DJ James, Auburn

The former Oregon transfer was off this weekend, as Auburn took its bye right around the midway point of the season. That will give him a chance to rest and recuperate ahead of the second half of the season and should prove a welcome respite.

So far this season James has more often than not been in the right place at the right time in the Auburn secondary. He has 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, an interception and two pass breakups.

9. Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas

After suffering a concussion in a loss to Texas A&M the previous week, McGlothern did not suit up for this weekend’s contest against Ole Miss. He’ll likely be able to make a return for Alabama, though it’s not a certainty as he works through concussion protocol.

McGlothern earned his spot in these cornerback rankings with a well-rounded effort in the team’s first five games. He had nine tackles, two tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, two interceptions and four passes defended.

10. Khyree Jackson, Oregon

Another one of the players on a bye this week, the former Alabama transfer got a chance to rest up for some major games Oregon has coming up down the stretch that could decide a Pac-12 Championship Game berth or even a a College Football Playoff berth. That can’t hurt as he heads down the home stretch.

Jackson has been very productive already this season. He has logged 15 tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack, two interceptions and four pass breakups in just five games.

Top 25 Cornerbacks 11-25

11. Mike Sainristil, Michigan
12. TJ Tampa, Iowa State
13. Terrion Arnold, Alabama
14. Kalen King, Penn State
15. Jahdae Barron, Texas
16. Jaylin Davies, UCLA
17. Micah Abraham, Marshall
18. Josh Newton, TCU
19. Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
20. Kamal Hadden, Tennessee
21. Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State
22. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
23. Christian Roland-Wallace, USC
24. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
25. Alijah Huzzie, North Carolina

There were a number of performances from those ranked 11 to 25 in this week’s cornerback rankings that were just so-so, with some shifting down the rankings as they were picked on a little bit. Among the impressive feats were Huzzie and Hairston recording interceptions. Sainristil, Tampa, Abraham and Hairston all gave up touchdowns, though. Stay tuned to the action this weekend to see how the top players in our weekly cornerback rankings fare.