If you’ve watched a single snap of professional football in the last twenty years, you probably noticed something. Or rather, you noticed a lack of something. The white cornerback had basically become the Bigfoot of the gridiron—a rumored creature that old-timers swore they saw in the 90s but hadn't been spotted in the wild since the George W. Bush administration.
Honestly, it became a bit of a meme.
But things are shifting. We aren't just talking about a couple of guys filling in during garbage time anymore. In 2024 and 2025, the narrative around white CBs in NFL rosters went from a punchline to a legitimate scouting conversation. We’re seeing guys like Cooper DeJean and Riley Moss not just "making the team," but actually winning games.
The Jason Sehorn Ghost
For two decades, every time a white kid lined up at corner in a preseason game, the announcers would inevitably bring up Jason Sehorn. It was the law. Sehorn, who starred for the New York Giants and finished his career with the St. Louis Rams in 2003, was the last of a dying breed.
He was an anomaly.
Sehorn wasn't just "good for a white guy." He was a freak athlete who won the "Superstars" competition three years in a row. When he retired, the position effectively became 100% Black for nearly a generation.
There were a few blips on the radar. You might remember Ethan Kilmer or Dustin Fox getting a handful of snaps in the mid-2000s. Julian Edelman even played some emergency nickel for the Patriots in 2011 because Bill Belichick loves chaos. But a true, every-down starter? That stayed a memory.
The Stigma is Real
Let’s be real about the "why." Football is a game of split-second reactions. Scouts and coaches, whether they admitted it or not, fell into a pattern of "positional typing." If a white athlete was fast and had good hands, they were moved to safety or wide receiver.
The logic? "He doesn't have the twitch for corner."
It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don't let the fastest kids play corner in high school or college, they won't be ready for the league.
The Iowa Connection: Moss and DeJean
If there is a factory for the modern white cornerback, it’s apparently located in Iowa City. The University of Iowa has single-handedly dismantled the "white kids can't play man coverage" trope.
Riley Moss was the first to really break the seal. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2023. People joked about it at first, but Moss is legit. He’s got 4.4 speed and doesn't back down from anyone. By the 2025 season, he wasn't just a special teamer; he was a fixture in the Broncos' secondary.
Stats don't lie. In 2025, Moss put up:
- 80 total tackles.
- 19 passes defended (leading the team).
- His first career NFL sack.
Then came Cooper DeJean.
If Moss opened the door, DeJean kicked it off the hinges. Taken 40th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, DeJean is a Swiss Army knife. He can play safety, he can return punts, but he is a cornerback at heart.
His 2024 rookie season was a statement. He ended up as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year and topped it off by picking off Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX. He didn't just catch it; he took it 38 yards to the house.
Breaking Down the 2025 Landscape
As of right now, the "drought" is officially over. We have multiple players at the position who are treated as foundational pieces, not novelties.
- Cooper DeJean (Eagles): He's the gold standard. In 2025, he was a Pro Bowler and a First-team All-Pro. He finished the season with 79 tackles and 12 pass deflections. More importantly, he didn't allow a single touchdown the entire regular season.
- Riley Moss (Broncos): He’s established himself as a reliable starter opposite Patrick Surtain II. Having a guy like Surtain on the other side means Moss gets targeted a lot. He’s held his own.
- Ethan Bonner (Dolphins): An undrafted gem out of Stanford. Bonner is the dark horse here. He’s got elite track speed (clocked at over 22 mph in games) and has worked his way from the practice squad into a rotational role in Miami.
It’s interesting to see how offenses treat these guys. Early on, you’d see quarterbacks go after Moss or DeJean specifically, assuming they could be burned.
They learned quickly.
DeJean’s performance in Week 16 of 2025 against the Commanders—where he had four pass breakups and a crucial pick—basically signaled to the league that the "test the white guy" strategy was a losing one.
📖 Related: Why the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 10 is the Holy Grail of Sports Cards
Why Is This Happening Now?
Part of it is the evolution of the "Nickel" defense. In the modern NFL, you aren't just playing two corners. You’re playing three or four. This creates more opportunities for different types of athletes.
Another factor is the training. The specialized "DB trainers" that used to be exclusive to certain regions are now everywhere. The technique is being taught more democratically.
Also, let’s give credit to the coaches who stopped caring about optics. If a guy can run a 4.38 and has a 38-inch vertical, why would you care what he looks like? Vic Fangio and Sean Payton are old-school guys who just want players who follow the scheme. They didn't see a "white corner"; they saw a guy who doesn't get beat on a post route.
The Cultural Impact
It’s weird to say, but the existence of white CBs in NFL lineups is a sign of a healthier scouting system. It means scouts are actually watching the tape instead of relying on old tropes.
When Cooper DeJean was at Iowa, some draft "experts" suggested he move to safety. They said his "best fit" was as a hybrid.
DeJean stayed at corner. He proved them wrong.
That matters for the next generation. Now, a kid in high school who is the fastest player on his team doesn't have to accept a move to safety just because of a stereotype. They can point to the Eagles' #33 and say, "He's an All-Pro at corner. Why can't I be?"
What to Watch For Next
The 2025 season was a massive leap, but it isn't the ceiling.
Keep an eye on the 2026 and 2027 drafts. We’re starting to see more diverse secondaries in the SEC and Big Ten. The "Iowa Model" is being copied.
If you're a fan or a bettor, stop looking at the cornerback's jersey as a sign of weakness. The "mismatch" isn't there anymore. These guys are technicians. They play with a chip on their shoulder because they know exactly what everyone is thinking when they line up.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Evaluate the Tape, Not the Archetype: When scouting new DBs, prioritize "recovery speed" and "hip fluidity" over traditional positional expectations.
- Watch the Targets: Notice if QBs are still "testing" players like Moss. The data suggests that as these players accumulate more interceptions, that trend is dying out.
- The Nickel Shift: Pay attention to how teams use Cooper DeJean in the "Cash" or "Star" role. It’s the future of the position, allowing corners to be more involved in the run game and blitzing.
The era of the "extinct" white cornerback is done. It took twenty years, but the position is finally becoming as diverse as the rest of the field. And honestly? The game is better for it.