A year ago, the answer to this question was simple.
Byron Jones. Case closed.
But unfortunately for the Cowboys pass defense, Jones is off to Miami to play with the Dolphins, and the Dallas secondary is now the home of some new faces. Faces, of course, which include rookies Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson, as well as Daryl Worley and Maurice Canady.
But who is CB1? Who is the top dog in this relatively young and somewhat unproven cornerback room? DallasCowboys.com took to ranking them, with Jourdan Lewis coming out on top as the leader of the pack.
Lewis is likely the fan favorite of the bunch, and for some good reason. He's been the playmaker of this group, even in limited time, and has a certain attitude about him that makes him an incredibly competitive player. Still, his 5'10” frame has brought questions to his game, fair or unfair.
Lewis' fellow 2017 draft mate, Chidobe Awuzie, also has a claim for this top spot. After all, Awuzie has been the starting boundary corner opposite Byron Jones for the past two seasons. And despite the lack of turnovers, and some struggles overall with the ball in the air, there's no denying Awuzie's coverage ability.
You could also make a nice case for the veteran of this room, Anthony Brown. Brown missed seven games due to injury last season, but he's been a consistent presence in the Dallas secondary since entering the league in 2016.
Yes, he had some up and down moments during his sophomore season, but Brown bounced back in a big way during his 2018 campaign. Despite what Cowboys fans want to believe, Anthony Brown beat out Jourdan Lewis for the starting slot cornerback job back to back offseasons. That means something.
As mentioned, the Cowboys also made a concerted effort to add external talent to their cornerback depth. Daryl Worley is a veteran who despite being traded from Carolina after just two seasons, became somewhat of a Pro Football Focus darling with the Raiders.
Speaking of PFF, newest Cowboy Maurice Canady has also earned PFF love during his limited stints with the Ravens and Jets.
https://twitter.com/PFF_Cowboys/status/1243591112243040256
Sensing a trend?
Alabama rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs is the wildcard in all of these preseason rankings. He has the ability to finish the 2020 season as the best Cowboys cornerback, but he also has flaws which could hold back during his rookie campaign.
With all that being said, here's how I would rank the top five Cowboys cornerbacks heading into the 2020 season. Let me hear your list in the comment section below.
- Chidobe Awuzie
- Anthony Brown
- Jourdan Lewis
- Trevon Diggs
- Daryl Worley
Of course, this is subject to change once we finally get some actual football to watch.
