Patrick Surtain, was not the first cornerback taken in the draft, but he is thought by many to be the best cornerback (and some say best defender) in the 2021 draft. This got me thinking about how often rookie CBs have been elite as rookies in the NFL. So I searched for CBs who have made the Pro Bowl in their rookie season. While the Pro Bowl may not be the best measure of “elite” it is at least a measure of “eliteness.”
Since the merger there have been nine rookies CBs who have made the Pro Bowl (so about one every five years, but it’s been happening much more frequently lately).