The best quarterbacks in the NFL reside in the AFC, so it's only fitting that the best cornerbacks in the NFL also reside in the AFC.
From reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and two-time All-Pro Sauce Gardner to breakout stars Derek Stingley Jr. and Christian Gonzalez, the position is extraordinarily strong in the conference that forces defenses to deal with Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen.
Change is coming after Jalen Ramsey, Jaire Alexander, and L'Jarius Sneed all ranked among the five highest-rated cornerbacks in Madden 25. While there is no member of the "99 club" at the position in this year's game, plenty of standout cornerbacks are on the ascent.
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Here's a first look at Madden 26 cornerback ratings, including rises for Stingley, Gonzalez, and more.
MORE: Complete Madden 26 ratings tracker
Madden 26 cornerback ratings
Here's the list of top-10 cornerbacks in Madden 26:
| Rating(overall) | Player | Team |
| 97 | Patrick Surtain II | Broncos |
| 95 | Christian Gonzalez | Patriots |
| 94 | Jalen Ramsey | Steelers |
| 94 | Sauce Gardner | Jets |
| 94 | Trent McDuffie | Chiefs |
| 93 | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans |
| 92 | Marlon Humphrey | Ravens |
| 91 | Jaire Alexander | Ravens |
| 90 | Denzel Ward | Browns |
| 89 | Jaylon Johnson | Bears |
For a complete list of cornerback ratings, visit EA's website.
MORE: When does Madden 26 come out?
Madden 26 CB speed ratings
Here's how the top 10 cornerbacks rank in Madden 26 according to their speed rating:
| Rating (speed) | Player | Team |
| 96 | Christian Gonzalez | Patriots |
| 96 | Darian Porter | Raiders |
| 96 | Maxwell Hairston | Bills |
| 96 | DJ Turner II | Bengals |
| 96 | Nate Wiggins | Ravens |
| 95 | Alontae Taylor | Saints |
| 95 | Ameer Speed | Bears |
| 95 | Eric Stokes | Raiders |
| 95 | Isaiah Bolden | Patriots |
| 95 | Jakorian Bennett | Raiders |
MORE: Why was Saquon Barkley chosen for Madden 26 cover?
Madden 26 CB man coverage ratings
Here are the top 10 cornerbacks in Madden 26 ranked by their man coverage rating.
| Rating | Player | Team |
| 98 | Patrick Surtain II | Broncos |
| 96 | Sauce Gardner | Jets |
| 96 | Christian Gonzalez | Patriots |
| 95 | Trent McDuffie | Chiefs |
| 95 | Jaire Alexander | Ravens |
| 93 | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans |
| 93 | Marlon Humphrey | Ravens |
| 92 | Denzel Ward | Browns |
| 91 | Jalen Ramsey | Steelers |
| 90 | Jaylon Johnson | Bears |
MORE: Early look at Madden 26 new features
Madden 26 CB zone coverage ratings
Finally, here are the top 10 cornerbacks ranked by their zone coverage rating:
| Rating | Player | Team |
| 97 | Patrick Surtain II | Broncos |
| 95 | Sauce Gardner | Jets |
| 95 | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans |
| 95 | Jaylon Johnson | Bears |
| 94 | Jaire Alexander | Ravens |
| 94 | DaRon Bland | Cowboys |
| 93 | A.J. Terrell Jr. | Falcons |
| 92 | Trent McDuffie | Chiefs |
| 91 | Charvarius Ward | Colts |
| 91 | Darius Slay Jr. | Steelers |