When the Cleveland Browns took cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, few individuals thought the former Mississippi State athlete would have an immediate impact on the team’s defense.
In 2023, Emerson was a core part of the defense that held opponents to the fewest passing yards in the NFL.
The impressive defensive performance has been ranked by an NFL data analyst named Cody Alexander.
Emerson shared the analysis on his Twitter account, telling followers he was “Emerson Island” with his dominant 2023 performance.
Emerson Island https://t.co/aTUeeU7JaU
— Martin Emerson Jr (@MartyMargg1) May 23, 2024
Alexander wrote that Emerson is “One of the most underrated CBs in the NFL.”
The second-year cornerback ranked as the fifth-best cornerback in the league according to Alexander’s analysis.
Cleveland bases their defensive backfield on man coverage, giving Emerson plenty of opportunity to showcase his talents.
Alexander ranked Emerson in the top 20 in man coverage across all types of defensive coverage schemes.
Emerson was the sixth-ranked Cover-1 cornerback, according to the analysis.
While the Browns play little zone coverage, Emerson surprisingly ranked sixth in that type of defense, too.
The analysis also showed a “heat map” that illustrated how Emerson’s coverage forced low-percentage throws to the outside.
One of the most underrated CBs in the NFL is the Browns' Martin Emerson Jr.
Though Cleveland bases in man coverage, Emerson is a top 10 CB in both man & zone.
The Heat Map illustrates his ability to force low-percentage throws outside.
#5 in my composite CB ranking.#ArtofX pic.twitter.com/wTHsKWtwWM
— Cody Alexander (@The_Coach_A) May 23, 2024
Cleveland used the No. 68 overall pick on Emerson after his impressive performance at Mississippi State in 2021, a season where he earned the highest coverage grade (89.6) of any corner in the SEC.
Since arriving in Cleveland, Emerson has played in 33 contests and recorded 122 tackles over 33 games.
Last year, Emerson recorded four interceptions and 14 passes defended to boost his rating.
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