PFF ranks Patrick Surtain II the second-best defensive back under 25

It’s “projection” season in the NFL and there are rankings galore out there here in May. Pro Football Focus has been prolific with ranking various NFL things, so I have another one of their rankings to cover on Monday. However, with Pat Surtain II getting a big mention, I wanted to hit this one first.

Trevor Sikkema of PFF ranked the Top 25 players under 25 and Patrick Surtain was the second-best defensive back to show up on that list and the only Denver Broncos player to make the cut.

7. CB PATRICK SURTAIN II, DENVER BRONCOS

Surtain’s 66.3 coverage grade in 2021 was solid for a rookie (don’t let Sauce Gardner’s grade this past year skew your thoughts of an expected rookie year for young cornerbacks). But his 86.7 coverage grade in 2022 was exactly the kind of jump into elite play we were hoping for. He allowed just 417 passing yards in coverage with eight forced incompletions.

The “best” defensive back came in fifth on the list. He is Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets. I’d have swapped them to be honest, but I think there is no doubt that Surtain is going to be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL for years to come.