The 2024-2025 College Football season is down to the final few weeks of the season as fans and college football experts wait to see which of the playoff teams take home the National Championship. While we all have to wait for that team to be crowned, the time is now to take a look at the best college football players in the country as the focus begins to shift to the upcoming NFL Combine as well as the 2025 NFL Draft. One of those top college football players is the two-way star Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes who currently ranks at the top of the Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings list while also ranking among the top wide receivers in the game.

Hunter, who is expected to be one of the first players drafted during the 2025 NFL Draft put together a stellar final season for head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes team.

The standout cornerback took home a long list of awards this past season including the Paun Hornung Award for the best two-way player, as well as the 2024 Heisman Trophy Award edging out star running back Ashton Jeanty.

Joining Hunter among the best cornerbacks in college football includes Jahdae Barron of the Texas Longhorns, Will Johnson of the Michigan Wolverines, Avieon Terrell of the Clemson Tigers, and Trey Amos of the Ole Miss Rebels.

Here is a look at the Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Lamareon James

School: TCU Horned Frogs

Just missing the Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings list is the TCU Horned Frogs cornerback Lamareon James. James is an all-round terrific cornerback who brings a wide range of talent to the defensive side of the ball including matching up against opposing top teams’ wide receivers.

While the interception totals are not as impressive as other top cornerbacks around the country, it is impossible not to like what you see from the senior cornerback while being all around the football.

Over the course of the season James posted a career high 12 passes defended to go along with one interception and 34 tackles. The Horned Frogs cornerback finished the season tied for fifth in total passes defended.

Benjamin Morrison

School: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Another talented cornerback that failed to crack the ten best cornerbacks in college football is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish junior Benjamin Morrison.

For Morrison however, falling out of the Top 10 wasn’t due to his play on the field but more in line with him missing the rest of the season after appearing in just five total games for the Fighting Irish.

Morrison who suffered a season ending hip injury in the team’s win 49-7 against the Stanford Cardinals had racked up three passes defended and 20 total tackles while opposing quarterbacks avoided his side of the football field.

Over his first two seasons Morrison had posted nine interceptions, and 15 total passes defended while playing full time.

Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings

10. Raion Strader

School: Miami (OH) RedHawks

Just making the cut on the Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings list is the Miami of Ohio RedHawks cornerback Raion Strader. Strader, who may go under the radar playing for a smaller college football team did not disappoint during his sophomore season while solidifying his overall stock among the best cornerbacks in college.

The six foot Strader brings solid size and length to the position while using his physical skills and tangibles to lead the nation with 17 passes defended.

To go along with the passes defended, the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania native also added two interceptions to go along with 53 tackles over the course of the 2024-2025 College Football season.

9. A’Marion McCoy

School: Boise State Broncos

While all eyes were on another Boise State Broncos star player, A’Marion McCoy was compiling an outstanding season on the defensive side of the ball on a team that made it to the College Football Playoffs.

McCoy, who is in his second season with the Broncos capped off the best season of his career while posting a career high 60 tackles while also adding 13 passes defended, one forced fumble, one interception and one defensive touchdown. 

The 13 passes defended landed the Broncos senior cornerback tied for third in the country alongside Trey Amos of the Ole Miss Rebels. McCoy has the physical tools and skills to move up the draft board before the 2024 NFL Draft.

8. Ra’Mello Dotson

School: Kansas Jayhawks

While the Kansas Jayhawks are not typically known for their performance on the football field this trend has continued to change while stars like Ra’Mello Dotson shine between the lines.

The senior cornerback posted his best season of his collegiate career while taking home a First-Team All-Big 12 selection as well as a selection as a Third-Team All-American. Dotson who played his entire career with the Jayhawks has racked up 24 career passes defended including six during the 2024-2025 College Football season.

In addition to the passes defended, Dotson posted a career high five interceptions while bringing his career total to 12. In addition to the five touchdowns, the Jayhawks cornerback returned two interceptions for a touchdown while also forcing one fumble to go along with 49 career tackles. 

7. Jyaire Hill

School: Michigan Wolverines

When it comes to the most dynamic tandems in all college football on the defensive side of the football it is hard to look past the success of Jyaire Hill and Will Johnson of the Michigan Wolverines bring to the team’s defensive secondary.

Hill ranked near the tops of all cornerbacks graded by PFF this season just trailing his Wolverines teammate Johnson while showcasing his talents both against the pass as well as coming to the line to stop the run.

The sophomore cornerback who should continue to elevate his all-around game will look to improve on a career high 35 tackles, eight passes defended, one sack, and one interception posted during this past season.

6. Daylen Everette

School: Georgia Bulldogs

Year in and year out the Georgia Bulldogs continue to produce stud players on both sides of the football and that is the case with cornerback Daylen Everette who took on a much larger role in a very talented secondary. Everette rewarded the Bulldogs with solid play all season while posting 58 tackles, one sack, and two forced fumbles.

In addition, the Bulldogs cornerback also posted a career high 13 passes defended to go along with three interceptions including two in the team’s impressive 22-19 overtime win against the Texas Longhorns in the SEC Championship game.

Everette will bring solid size at six foot one inches at the next level while being one of the top cornerbacks selected during the 2025 NFL Draft.

5. Avieon Terrell

School: Clemson Tigers 

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings list is another talented sophomore who continues to evolve as one of the top playmakers on the defensive side of the football.

After a solid freshmen season that included posting four passes defended and one interception, Avieon Terrell excelled in his second season while becoming a stellar defender for the Tigers all season.

Over the course of the season the Atlanta, Georgia native posted career highs in nearly every category including tackles with 58, passes defended with 12, sacks with one, and interceptions with two. In addition, Terrell wreaked havoc on opposing players with the football in their hands while forcing three fumbles on the season.

4. Trey Amos

School: Ole Miss Rebels

The past few seasons have been a whirlwind tour for Trey Amos after starting his career with the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns before transferring to the Alabama Crimson Tide last season and then to the Ole Miss Rebels this season.

With the transfer portal being available, Amos was able to find a situation to allow him to shine and the six foot one inch cornerback has put together his best collegiate season.

Over the course of the season while playing his second season within a talented SEC conference, Amos posted a career high 50 tackles to go along with 13 passes defended, one forced fumble, and three interceptions.

Amos finished the season tied for third in passes defended on a Rebels defense that allowed the third fewest numbers of points allowed finishing the season allowing opponents to score just 14.4 points per game.

3. Will Johnson

School: Michigan Wolverines

The third member of the talented trio of top tier cornerbacks is Will Johnson of the Michigan Wolverines who was selected to the Second-Team All-American as well as Second-Team All-Big Ten teams.

Johnson entered the 2024-2025 College Football season on top of the world after helping to lead his Wolverines to the National Championship as well as securing the National Championship Game Defensive MVP Award.

While his season was cut short due to turf toe, the production on the field was there to start the season helping to solidify his overall rankings among the position leading into the 2025 NFL Draft.

Johnson, who has tremendous size at the cornerback position at six foot two inches finished the season posting 14 tackles to go along with two interceptions both returned for a touchdown as well as three total passes defended.

2. Jahdae Barron

School: Texas Longhorns

When it comes to the top cornerbacks in the country three players come to mind in Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes, Will Johnson of the Michigan Wolverines, and Jahdae Barron of the Texas Longhorns.

For each of these three stars the expectations are set high as each will likely hear their names called on the first night of the 2025 NFL Draft. As for Barron the senior cornerback has been a stud all season long for a Longhorns defense that allowed just 14.5 points per game over the course of the season and a spot among the College Football Playoffs.

On the season Barron finished the year posting five interceptions to go alongside 11 interceptions, 61 tackles, and one forced fumble. While the season is not over for the Longhorns, Barron will have the opportunity to add a National Championship alongside his selection as a first team All-American selection.

1. Travis Hunter

School: Colorado Buffaloes

In at number one on the Top 10 College Football Cornerbacks 2024 Rankings list is the Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Travis Hunter. Hunter was one of the most impressive all-around players in college football while playing full time on both sides of the football.

On the defensive side of the football Hunter posted 32 tackles to go along with four interceptions, one forced fumble and 11 passes defended. The Buffaloes cornerback finished tied for ninth in all of college football in passes defended and 21^st in interceptions despite opposing quarterbacks looking to avoid throwing to his side for most of the entire season.

The strong play on the defensive side of the football landed Hunter the Chuck Bednarik Award for the best all around defensive player as well as the Heisman Trophy.

Sunday Umoh

Sunday Umoh is the visionary founder and CEO of Fan Rankings LLC, a platform that merges sports passion with technology to create an engaging and interactive space for fans worldwide. With a background in Information Science and Systems and experience as a Software Engineer, Umoh has built a brand that blends analytical insights with emotional connection, offering unique coverage of Football, Basketball, MMA, and Boxing. A graduate of Morgan State University and a former collegiate Track and Field athlete, Umoh previously gained attention for his impactful Washington Wizards blog, fireerniegrunfeld.com. His journey exemplifies how technology can amplify sports fandom, with Fan Rankings setting a new standard in sports media, providing a community for fans to connect, debate, and celebrate their favorite teams and athletes.

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