Marlon Humphrey can emerge as the NFL’s top cornerback in 2020

Right now the cornerback position in the NFL has a clear top dog in Stephon Gilmore, who is coming off an extremely impressive 2019 season in which he was awarded Defensive Player of the Year. Marlon Humphrey is currently behind him, but not by much.

After only three seasons in the NFL, Humphrey has already totaled seven interceptions and 40 defended passes, putting him ahead of where Gilmore was at this time. Humphrey has already established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL by being one of four cornerbacks named to the First-Team All-Pro, alongside Gilmore, Tre’Davious White, and fellow Raven Marcus Peters.

Humphrey is on a trajectory that only points upward, and seeing as he was arguably the second best cornerback in the league last season, there’s only one more mountain to climb.

He has already shined at the top of his class in certain areas, such as being the only one of the aforementioned players with three fumble recoveries and two fumbles returned for touchdowns in 2019. Not only that, but he also only allowed 440 yards last season, while Stephon Gilmore allowed just under 600.

Humphrey only nab three interceptions last season, however he was also sent to blitz 37 times in 2019, compared to Tre’Davious White’s six blitz attempts and Stephon Gilmore’s whopping zero. He has a wonderful sense for always going for the big play, and sometimes literally fighting the biggest guy on the other team.

Marlon has time on his side, and if he steps up in 2020 to deliver the season he’s projected to, there will be no doubt who the top cornerback in the league is.