The Seattle Seahawks built a championship defense around versatility in 2025, and one of its most movable pieces is now getting the NFL’s top billing at his position.
Pro Football Focus ranked Devon Witherspoon as the No. 1 cornerback in the league entering the 2026 season, putting the three-time Pro Bowler at the top of its latest positional rankings.
The ranking leaned heavily on the wide range of ways Witherspoon affects a game.
PFF noted that he played a career-high 461 snaps on the outside last season while having the ability to move back into the slot. He finished with one interception, eight pass breakups and 13 pressures, with his work against the run helping separate him from the rest of the position.
“All of that production, combined with the fact that he’s an elite run defender, makes Witherspoon one of the most valuable players in the NFL,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote.
With a stout defense coming off a Super Bowl title, the No. 1 ranking gives another indication of how difficult Witherspoon has become to replace within Mike Macdonald’s scheme.
Witherspoon’s Run Defense Separated Him
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 14: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts is tackled by Devon Witherspoon #21 and Julian Love #20 of the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter at Lumen Field on December 14, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
Coverage typically drives the discussion around cornerbacks, but Witherspoon’s willingness to attack ball carriers has become one of his defining traits.
In its Top 101 evaluation of the 2025 NFL season, PFF credited Witherspoon with a 90.1 run-defense grade, tied for first among NFL cornerbacks. He also led the position in pressures and finished third with an 83.6 coverage grade.
Those numbers matched the identity of a Seattle defense that consistently shut down opposing rushing attacks.
The Seahawks held opponents to a league-low 3.7 yards per carry last season and went through the entire regular season without allowing an individual 100-yard rusher.
The streak reached a franchise-record 25 games late in the season.
Witherspoon played only 12 regular-season games because of injuries, yet he still finished with 72 tackles, including 48 solo stops. He added seven passes defensed and an interception.
His performance earned him second-team AP All-Pro honors and a third straight Pro Bowl selection. Seattle also exercised his fifth-year option in March, keeping the former No. 5 overall pick under contract through the 2027 season.
That contract situation allows the Seahawks another year of control beyond 2026, though his continued rise could eventually create a big extension decision.
Witherspoon’s Versatility Helped in Super Bowl Run
GettySeattle Seahawks’ cornerback #21 Devon Witherspoon tackles New England Patriots’ quarterback #10 Drake Maye after he throws the football during Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
Witherspoon’s value became especially noteworthy when the Seahawks needed their defense most.
In the NFC Championship Game, he broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone with the Rams threatening to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. Seattle held on for a 31-27 win to advance to Super Bowl LX.
Two weeks later, Witherspoon was one of the primary disruptors in Seattle’s 29-13 championship win over the New England Patriots.
He recorded four tackles and three quarterback hits, while his pressure on Drake Maye helped produce Uchenna Nwosu’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. He was also credited with a sack in the game.
PFF’s latest ranking highlighted that Super Bowl performance while pointing to Witherspoon’s 13 pressures from the 2025 season.
The numbers fit the role Seattle has created for him.
He can cover outside, work from the slot, blitz and become an extra presence against the run without forcing Macdonald to change personnel.
His exceptional skill set helped Witherspoon finish 2025 as PFF’s highest-graded cornerback.
Entering 2026 at the top of the position altogether, the expectation for his play is off the charts.
Can he answer the bell again?
Seattle Seahawks’ ‘Elite Run Defender’ Lands No. 1 NFL Ranking