The Carolina Panthers didn’t just take a notable pass on Ohio State University quarterback Justin Fields in the 2021 draft. They also passed on University of Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who they’ll be seeing on Sunday.
For this week’s “Player Prowl,” we’ll be doing things a bit differently. Seeing as though the Panthers had their choice of 2021’s top corners, we’ll take a quick look back at the last year and a half and see how Surtain and Jaycee Horn—Carolina’s actual selection one spot later—have come along.
Here are some numbers to help us out:
| Horn | Surtain | |
| 12 | Games | 26 |
| 3 | Interceptions | 4 |
| 6 | Passes defensed | 20 |
| 0 | Forced fumbles | 1 |
| 27.9 | Passer rating against | 76.6 |
| 47.1 | Percentage of targets caught | 58.3 |
| 6.9 | Yards allowed per reception | 10.7 |
| 9 | Stops | 12 |
| 19.6 | Percentage of tackles missed | 13.6 |
While Surtain has stayed healthier and put up more of the conventional stats—interceptions, passes defensed, forced fumbles—Horn has seen more success when you break the coverage down. As charted by Pro Football Focus—he’s allowed a much lower passing rating, fewer yards per reception and a lower percentage of his targets as receptions.
Horn has also been treated like the No. 1 lockdown cover man the Panthers drafted him to be. Amongst cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps in 2022, he’s been targeted the least (29). Surtain ranks 19th (47) in that very specific category.
But, if we’re sticking along with Pro Football Focus, Surtain does have the edge in a few grades. He’s currently sitting higher than Horn this season in overall defense (80.6 to 68.7), coverage (81.4 to 72.1) and run defense (66.8 to 46.7).
Well, either way, Surtain is on his way to becoming one of the NFL’s premier defenders—regardless of position. And if we had a crack at taking any Denver Broncos player for the Panthers’ roster, we wouldn’t hesitate in taking the 2021 ninth overall pick to pair alongside the 2021 eighth overall pick.
So, which Bronco (and which corner) would you want? Give us your answers in the poll and comment section below.
Previous Player Prowl picks:
- Week 1 (Cleveland Browns): DE Myles Garrett
- Week 2 (New York Giants): DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
- Week 3 (New Orleans Saints): CB Marshon Lattimore
- Week 4 (Arizona Cardinals): QB Kyler Murray
- Week 5 (San Francisco 49ers): DE Nick Bosa
- Week 6 (Los Angeles Rams): DT Aaron Donald
- Week 7 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): WR Chris Godwin
- Week 8 (Atlanta Falcons): TE Kyle Pitts
- Week 9 (Cincinnati Bengals): QB Joe Burrow
- Week 10 (Atlanta Falcons): CB A.J. Terrell
- Week 11 (Baltimore Ravens): QB Lamar Jackson
