Pro Football Focus recently released its Top 25 cornerbacks entering 2020 and the Buffalo Bills cornerback barely cracks the Top 10.
Pro Football Focus continues to work it’s way through position rankings ahead of the 2020 season and on Tuesday released their Top 25 cornerbacks. Even though Tre’Davious White was one of the best cornerbacks last year, the Buffalo Bills starter sneaks into the Top 10 at 10th overall.
The Bills former first-round pick had a breakout year last season most notably with six interceptions, which was tied for the league lead. He earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and for the first time in his career was named as a first-team All-Pro.
He was a key piece to a Buffalo Bills defense that finished fourth in passing yards allowed (195.2) and allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns (15).
However, with all those stats, combined with the positives Sam Morson of Pro Football Focus notes for Tre’Davious White, he ranks him as only the 10th best cornerback entering this year. The reason he doesn’t rank him higher is “hidden negatives” which he doesn’t include in his writeup.
"White’s coverage numbers were spectacular last season, as he notched six interceptions, surrendered no touchdowns all season and allowed a passer rating of just 46.3 when targeted. Still, his grade didn’t quite match those numbers because of some hidden negatives in there. Overall, White is an elite talent who is only a few plays here and there from repeating that 90.0 grade and being worthy of the All-Pro status he had last year."
The rankings are interesting when looking at the players ahead of Tre’Davious White. The Buffalo Bills corner is behind players like Byron Jones, ranked seventh, who went from the Dallas Cowboys to the Miami Dolphins this offseason. As Solomon Wilcotts wrote for Pro Football Focus earlier this offseason, the move from the zone coverage heavy scheme for the Cowboys to a man coverage scheme the Dolphins use, could be problematic for Jones.
Another interesting choice is Marcus Peters of the Baltimore Ravens, who is ranked ninth by Monson. In his write up for the Ravens’ corner, he notes that he has not allowed fewer than three touchdowns in a season and only held wide receivers he was covering to less than 500 yards once.
"Peters has always gambled a little too much, and the plays he loses on are costly, which is what separates him from the best players at the position. He has never had a season in which he allowed fewer than three touchdowns and has only surrendered fewer than 500 yards once."
Tre’Davious White has been a key piece of this Buffalo Bills secondary over the past three years. After the season he had last year, with the performance he put together, he should be much higher than 10th at the cornerback position.