No list of the best cornerbacks in Dolphins history could be complete without Xavien Howard, who just retired. Where does he rank in the team's top 10?
Xavien Howard, 32, announced his retirement from the NFL this week.
Howard will be best remembered for eight seasons in Miami in which he could dominate receivers the way no other Dolphins cornerback ever did.
For that reason, he tops my list of the 10 best cornerbacks in team history.
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Howard had briefly ended his one-year retirement to join the Indianapolis Colts but appeared in only four games this season before deciding he wanted to spend more time with his family. Those four games included a victory over the Dolphins in the opener in which he had a fumble recovery.
Here's the top 10. Keep in mind players are rated for their contributions to the Dolphins rather than what they may have done for other teams. This is why Jalen Ramsey makes the list but probably isn't as high as you might expect.
1. Xavien Howard
It’s not just his 29 interceptions, which are tied for second among Dolphins cornerbacks behind Sam Madison’s 31.
It’s the way he made some of those interceptions — leaping, twisting, over-the-shoulder, you name it. Where other cornerbacks would be happy to just knock down the pass, Howard wasn’t.
And it’s the number of game-changing plays Howard made. A favorite example: In 2021, the Dolphins were about to lose to the Patriots at Gillette. New England had driven from midfield, with every indication a touchdown was on the horizon, when Howard poked the ball from running back Damien Harris with 3:30 left on the Miami 9-yard line. Howard wasn’t done — he also recovered the fumble. Miami won.
Howard was a second-round pick out of Baylor in 2016 who became an instant starter once he got over an injury. In 2020, he led the NFL with 10 interceptions.
2. Sam Madison
Thirty-one INTs, second only in Dolphins history to two safeties from the Super Bowl years: Jake Scott (35) and Dick Anderson (34).
3. Patrick Surtain
No, kids, we don’t mean the outstanding cornerback of the Denver Broncos. That’s his son. Much like Howard, this Patrick Surtain was a second-round steal for Miami who went on to have 29 INTs and make three Pro Bowls.
4. Brent Grimes
He was here for only three seasons but made the Pro Bowl each year and had 13 interceptions. He’s only 5-foot-10 but quarterbacks quickly learned not to shortchange him because of his height.
5. Jalen Ramsey
Will become the only cornerback in Dolphins history to make the Hall of Fame but can’t be considered No. 1 on this list because his Miami career lasted only 27 games.
6. Troy Vincent
Drafted seventh overall by Miami in 1992, Vincent was a Dolphin for only four years before becoming a perennial Pro Bowl pick for the Eagles. He was voted the Dolphins’ best DB three of those four seasons. He’s a current NFL vice president.
7. Don McNeal
Another first-round pick. Played his entire nine-year career in Miami, finishing with 18 interceptions and five fumble recoveries.
8. Tim Foley
A third-round selection in 1970 who started every game during the 17-0 season in 1972. Twenty-two INTs in 11 seasons, all with the Dolphins.
9. William Judson
Eighth-rounder in 1981 who was voted Miami’s best DB four times in eight seasons.
10. Terrell Buckley
T-Buck, from FSU, was a fan favorite in Miami from 1995-99 and again in 2003. Twenty-four of his 50 career INTs were in aqua and orange.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Where does Xavien Howard rank among the Miami Dolphins' best cornerbacks?
Category: Football
