The Best Defensive Backs of All‑Time

In the Super Bowl Era

Since 1980, there have been 24 Modern-Era Defensive Backs honored by the Hall of Fame, with an average Legends Score of 43. For a list of other positions, click here.

Player	Pos	Status	Legends Score	Avg/Year
Ronnie Lott	SS		67	4.79
Rod Woodson	FS		59	3.47
Deion Sanders	CB		59	3.47
Ed Reed	S		58	4.83
Larry Wilson	FS		54	4.15
Champ Bailey	CB		54	3.6
Mike Haynes	RCB		52	3.71
Charles Woodson	CB		51	2.83
Willie Brown	CB		51	3.19
Herb Adderley	LCB		48	4
Brian Dawkins	FS		47	2.94
Jack Christiansen	S		47	5.88
Yale Lary	S		45	3.46
Dick "Night Train" Lane	CB		43	3.07
Ken Houston	SS		43	3.07
Troy Polamalu	S		43	3.58
Jimmy Johnson	LCB		41	2.56
Earl Thomas	S	Eligible 2025	40	4
LeRoy Butler	SS		39	3.25
Darrelle Revis	CB		39	3.55
Aeneas Williams	LCB		38	2.71
Richard Sherman	CB	Eligible 2027	38	3.45
Eric Weddle	S	Eligible 2027	37	2.47
Darren Sharper	DB	Eligible 2016	36	2.57
Deron Cherry	FS	Eligible 1997	36	3.27
Mel Blount	RCB		36	2.57
Cliff Harris	FS		36	3.6
Steve Atwater	FS		36	3.27
Ronde Barber	RCB		35	2.19
Patrick Peterson	CB	Active	35	2.69
Kenny Easley	SS		35	5
Eddie Meador	CB	Eligible 1976	34	2.83
Roger Wehrli	RCB		34	2.43
Jack Butler	CB		34	3.78
Joey Browner	SS	Eligible 1998	33	3.3
Eric Berry	S	Eligible 2024	32	3.56
Bobby Boyd	LCB	Eligible 1974	32	3.56
Lem Barney	LCB/P		32	2.91
Paul Krause	FS		32	2
Tyrann Mathieu	S	Active	30	2.73
Jake Scott	FS	Eligible 1984	29	3.22
Nolan Cromwell	FS	Eligible 1993	28	2.55
Carnell Lake	FS	Eligible 2007	28	2.15
Chris Harris Jr.	FS	Active	27	2.08
Darrell Green	RCB		27	1.35
Bobby Dillon	S		27	3.38
Mel Renfro	RCB		25	1.79
Johnny Robinson	FS		25	2.08
Dick Anderson	SS	Eligible 1983	25	2.5
John Lynch	SS		25	1.67
Louis Wright	LCB	Eligible 1992	24	2
Ty Law	LCB		24	1.6
Frank Minnifield	LCB	Eligible 1998	24	2.67
Donnie Shell	SS		23	1.64
Jalen Ramsey	CB	Active	22	2.75
Lester Hayes	LCB	Eligible 1992	22	2.2
Cornell Green	LCB	Eligible 1980	21	1.62
Darren Woodson	SS	Eligible 2010	20	1.54
Dave Grayson	CB	Eligible 1976	20	2
Sam Madison	RCB	Eligible 2014	20	1.67
Minkah Fitzpatrick	S	Active	19	3.17
Nnamdi Asomugha	RCB	Eligible 2019	19	1.73
George Saimes	S	Eligible 1978	19	1.9
Mark Haynes	LCB	Eligible 1995	19	1.9
Tim McDonald	SS	Eligible 2005	18	1.38
Merton Hanks	FS	Eligible 2005	18	2
Abe Woodson	RCB	Eligible 1972	18	2
Glen Edwards	FS	Eligible 1989	17	1.31
Erich Barnes	LCB	Eligible 1977	17	1.21
Eric Allen	RCB	Eligible 2007	17	1.21
Lemar Parrish	LCB	Eligible 1988	16	1.23
Marcus Peters	CB	Active	16	1.78
Bill Bradley	FS/PR	Eligible 1983	16	1.78
Hanford Dixon	RCB	Eligible 1995	16	1.78
Adrian Wilson	SS	Eligible 2018	16	1.33
Rodney Harrison	SS	Eligible 2014	15	1
LeRoy Irvin	RCB	Eligible 1996	15	1.36
Everson Walls	LCB	Eligible 1999	15	1.15
David Fulcher	SS	Eligible 1999	14	1.75
Justin Simmons	S	Active	14	1.75
Stephon Gilmore	CB	Active	14	1.17
Jamal Adams	S	Active	14	2
Harrison Smith	S	Active	14	1.17
Albert Lewis	LCB	Eligible 2004	14	0.88
Butch Byrd	CB	Eligible 1977	13	1.63
Emmitt Thomas	RCB		13	1
Troy Vincent	LCB	Eligible 2012	13	0.87
Robert James	LCB	Eligible 1980	13	2.17
Aqib Talib	CB	Eligible 2025	13	1.08
Kenny Graham	S	Eligible 1976	12	1.71
Kevin Byard	S	Active	12	1.5
Asante Samuel	LCB	Eligible 2019	12	1.09
Xavien Howard	CB	Active	12	1.5
Bob Sanders	SS	Eligible 2017	12	1.5
Lawyer Milloy	SS	Eligible 2016	12	0.8
Goose Gonsoulin	S	Eligible 1973	12	1.5
Jim David	LDH	Eligible 1965	12	1.5
Nick Collins	FS	Eligible 2017	12	1.71
Miller Farr	CB	Eligible 1979	12	1.33
Sauce Gardner	CB	Active	12	6
Devin McCourty	LCB	Eligible 2028	11	0.85
Darius Slay	DB	Active	11	1
Terry McDaniel	LCB	Eligible 2004	11	1
Patrick Surtain	LCB	Eligible 2014	11	1
Chris McAlister	LCB	Eligible 2015	11	1
Ken Riley	RCB		11	0.73
Derwin James	S	Active	11	1.83
Tre'Davious White	CB	Active	10	1.43
Tom Brookshier	RCB	Eligible 1967	10	1.11
Eric Wright	RCB	Eligible 1996	10	1
Jerry Gray	LCB	Eligible 1999	10	1.11
Jesse Whittenton	RCB	Eligible 1970	10	1.11
Monte Jackson	RCB	Eligible 1988	10	1.25
Gary Fencik	FS	Eligible 1993	10	0.83
Cris Dishman	LCB	Eligible 2006	10	0.77
Kam Chancellor	S	Eligible 2023	10	1.25
Dave Duerson	FS	Eligible 1999	10	0.91
Dale Carter	LCB	Eligible 2011	10	0.71
Dennis Smith	SS	Eligible 2000	9	0.64
Dick LeBeau	LCB		9	0.64
Charlie Waters	SS	Eligible 1987	9	0.75
Antonio Cromartie	RCB	Eligible 2022	9	0.82
Antrel Rolle	FS	Eligible 2021	9	0.82
Mike Brown	SS	Eligible 2015	9	0.9
Larry Brown Jr.	CB	Eligible 2004	8	1
Willie Buchanon	LCB	Eligible 1988	8	0.73
Casey Hayward	CB	Active	8	0.67
Jaire Alexander	CB	Active	8	1.33
Rick Volk	FS	Eligible 1984	8	0.67
Marlon Humphrey	DB	Active	8	1.14
Tommy Casanova	SS	Eligible 1983	8	1.33
Carl Lee	RCB	Eligible 2000	8	0.67
Bill Thompson	SS	Eligible 1987	8	0.62
Xavier Rhodes	CB	Active	8	0.73
Pat Fischer	LCB	Eligible 1983	8	0.47
Dexter Jackson	S	Eligible 2014	8	0.8
Jairus Byrd	S	Eligible 2023	8	0.89
Landon Collins	S	Active	8	0.89
Ken Ellis	CB	Eligible 1985	7	0.7
Brent Grimes	CB	Eligible 2024	7	0.58
Quintin Mikell	SS	Eligible 2019	7	0.64
Bob Jeter	RCB	Eligible 1979	7	0.64
Lito Sheppard	LCB	Eligible 2017	7	0.7
Eric Davis	LCB	Eligible 2008	7	0.54
Dwight Hicks	FS	Eligible 1992	7	0.88
Jim Marsalis	LCB	Eligible 1983	7	0.78
Robert Griffith	SS	Eligible 2012	7	0.54
Eric Turner	FS	Eligible 2005	7	0.78
Micah Hyde	S	Active	7	0.64
Patrick Surtain II	CB	Active	7	2.33
Dashon Goldson	S	Eligible 2022	7	0.7
Kyle Fuller	CB	Active	7	0.7
Thom Darden	FS	Eligible 1987	7	0.7
Charles Tillman	CB	Eligible 2021	7	0.54
Deltha O'Neal	LCB	Eligible 2014	7	0.78
Trevon Diggs	CB	Active	7	1.75
Eddie Jackson	S	Active	7	1
Blaine Bishop	SS	Eligible 2008	7	0.7
Pat Thomas	LCB	Eligible 1988	7	1
Samari Rolle	RCB	Eligible 2015	6	0.5
Joe Haden	CB	Active	6	0.43
Malcolm Jenkins	FS	Eligible 2027	6	0.46
DaRon Bland	CB	Active	6	3
Jordan Poyer	S	Active	6	0.55
Antoine Winfield	LCB	Eligible 2018	6	0.43
Talanoa Hufanga	SS	Active	6	2
Gary Barbaro	FS	Eligible 1989	6	0.75
Lindon Crow	RDH	Eligible 1970	6	0.6
Rashean Mathis	LCB	Eligible 2021	6	0.46
Jimmy Hill	RCB	Eligible 1972	6	0.5
Josh Norman	CB	Active	6	0.5
Cortland Finnegan	RCB	Eligible 2021	6	0.6
Eugene Robinson	FS	Eligible 2006	6	0.38
Mike Reinfeldt	FS	Eligible 1989	6	0.75
Jessie Bates III	S	Active	6	1
Kyle Hamilton	S	Active	6	3
Ashley Ambrose	LCB	Eligible 2010	6	0.46
Jack Tatum	FS	Eligible 1986	6	0.6
Audray McMillian	RCB	Eligible 1999	6	0.67
Wes Hopkins	FS	Eligible 1999	6	0.55
Tony Greene	FS	Eligible 1985	6	0.67
Dick Lynch	RCB	Eligible 1972	6	0.67
Mark Murphy	FS	Eligible 1990	6	0.75
Rolland Lawrence	LCB	Eligible 1986	6	0.75
Henry Jones	SS	Eligible 2008	6	0.5
Tim Jennings	CB	Eligible 2021	5	0.5
Barry Wilburn	RCB	Eligible 2002	5	0.42
T.J. Ward	S	Eligible 2023	5	0.63
Sean Taylor	FS	Eligible 2013	5	1.25
Antoine Winfield Jr.	FS	Active	5	1.25
Kevin Ross	RCB	Eligible 2003	5	0.36
Louis Breeden	LCB	Eligible 1993	5	0.5
Vann McElroy	FS	Eligible 1998	5	0.45
Milt Davis	RDH	Eligible 1966	5	1.25
Al Harris	RCB	Eligible 2017	5	0.36
Nate Odomes	RCB	Eligible 2002	5	0.5
Marcus Robertson	FS	Eligible 2008	5	0.42
Reggie Nelson	S	Eligible 2024	5	0.42
Mike Wagner	SS	Eligible 1986	5	0.5
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie	DB	Eligible 2025	5	0.42
Trent McDuffie	CB	Active	5	2.5
Gill Byrd	LCB	Eligible 1998	5	0.5
Johnathan Joseph	CB	Active	5	0.28
Desmond King	DB	Active	5	0.71
James Hasty	RCB	Eligible 2007	5	0.36
Bobby Bryant	DB	Eligible 1986	5	0.38
Bernie Parrish	LCB	Eligible 1972	5	0.63

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