Marshon Lattimore in, Paulson Adebo out

Who are the best cornerbacks in the NFL? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler set out to answer that by polling nearly 80 team executives, coaches, and scouts to rank their top 10 players at the position. And while New Orleans Saints corner Paulson Adebo didn’t make the list, his teammate Marshon Lattimore was included as an honorary mention.

Here’s what Fowler’s sources told him about Lattimore:

Across 90 games, Lattimore has recorded 66 pass breakups, 15 interceptions and 5 forced fumbles. “Still love the physicality and the man-coverage traits but he’s no longer an ascending player and he’s missed a lot of time in recent years,” an NFL personnel evaluator said.

A couple of freak accidents forced Lattimore to miss a lot of time — he suffered a lacerated kidney in 2022 and an injured ankle in 2023 that sidelined him for 17 games over the last two years. But he’s still a highly respected talent. There aren’t many corners with his combination of football acumen, overall athleticism, and playmaking ability.

Still, it’s a little surprising to see Adebo not receive a single vote. He was arguably the Saints’ best defensive back last season, having recovered well from a 2022 campaign derailed by injuries and penalties. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions, and his 18 passes defensed were most on the team by a healthy margin. Adebo also forced a pair of fumbles with two recoveries. He’s peaking at the right time with free agency coming up in 2025.