Harrison Smith has the most regular-season interceptions in the NFL since 2015, with 39 through the 2025 season. Richard Sherman ranks second with 37, while Kevin Byard III, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson are tied for third with 36.
This is an objective statistical leaderboard, not a subjective ranking. It counts defensive interceptions recorded during the 2015 through 2025 NFL regular seasons. For the league’s complete historical leaders, see our most interceptions in NFL history leaderboard.
Table of Contents
Key Facts
- Overall leader: Harrison Smith, 39 interceptions
- Top cornerback: Richard Sherman, 37 interceptions
- Third-place tie: Kevin Byard III, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson, 36 interceptions
- 2025 NFL leader: Kevin Byard III, seven interceptions
- Top-20 cutoff: 26 interceptions, with three players tied at No. 18
Scope and Ranking Method
This leaderboard counts regular-season defensive interceptions from the start of the 2015 season through the end of the 2025 season. It is league-wide and includes cornerbacks, safeties and defensive backs whose predominant position fits one of those groups.
Players who entered the NFL before 2015 receive credit only for interceptions recorded inside this date range. That distinction affects veterans such as Reggie Nelson, Brent Grimes and Aqib Talib. Postseason and preseason interceptions are excluded.
Ties use standard competition ranking. Players with the same total receive the same rank, and the next rank is skipped. The complete table includes the top 20 players and preserves every player tied at the cutoff.
How the 2025 Season Changed the Leaderboard
Kevin Byard made the largest move near the top by leading the NFL with seven interceptions in 2025. That season raised his total in the 2015-to-2025 window to 36 and created a three-way tie with Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson.
Harrison Smith finished the season at 39 and remained ahead of Richard Sherman’s 37. The updated totals also change several placements from older versions of this graphic: Stephon Gilmore now has 32, Darius Slay has 28 and Harrison Smith is the overall leader rather than a lower-ranked entry.
Top 10 Interception Leaders Since 2015
1. Harrison Smith: 39 Interceptions
Position: Safety
Harrison Smith leads every NFL defender in regular-season interceptions since 2015. His entire career falls within this window, and his 39 takeaways reflect the range of assignments he handled for the Minnesota Vikings.
Smith created interceptions from traditional deep-safety alignments, late rotations and disguised coverages near the line of scrimmage. That versatility helped him remain productive even as Minnesota changed coaches and defensive systems.
2. Richard Sherman: 37 Interceptions
Position: Cornerback
Richard Sherman is the leading cornerback on this list with 37 interceptions. He reached that total in 144 regular-season games, giving him one of the strongest interception rates among the top 10.
Sherman’s length, route recognition and disciplined zone technique made quarterbacks pay for late throws outside the numbers. He remains the clearest example on this leaderboard of a corner producing takeaways without abandoning sound coverage.
3. Kevin Byard III: 36 Interceptions
Position: Safety
Kevin Byard III is tied for third with 36 interceptions. His seven-interception 2025 season was the highest total in the NFL and pushed him into the top tier of this leaderboard.
Byard has consistently turned deep-field range into finished plays. His best seasons combine anticipation with reliable hands, allowing him to convert quarterback mistakes that many safeties only break up.
3. Tyrann Mathieu: 36 Interceptions
Position: Safety
Tyrann Mathieu also has 36 interceptions in the 2015-to-2025 window. His total came from a less traditional role than most players here because he regularly moved between deep safety, slot coverage and underneath robber assignments.
Mathieu’s place near the top is a product of recognition more than one fixed alignment. He could identify route combinations quickly and attack throws from different levels of the defense.
3. Patrick Peterson: 36 Interceptions
Position: Cornerback
Patrick Peterson completes the three-way tie at No. 3 with 36 interceptions. He produced that total while spending most of his career matched against outside receivers, where quarterbacks can reduce a cornerback’s opportunities by throwing elsewhere.
Peterson paired recovery speed with strong tracking ability on vertical routes. His total is especially notable because he spent much of his prime carrying difficult coverage assignments rather than playing primarily as a roaming zone defender.
6. Devin McCourty: 35 Interceptions
Position: Safety
Devin McCourty ranks sixth with 35 interceptions. He entered the NFL in 2015, so every regular-season interception of his career is included in this leaderboard.
McCourty began as a cornerback before becoming the central communicator in the New England Patriots’ secondary. That experience at both positions helped him read route spacing and close throwing windows from the middle of the field.
7. Marcus Peters: 33 Interceptions
Position: Cornerback
Marcus Peters is tied for seventh with 33 interceptions in only 116 regular-season games, the fewest games played by anyone in the top 10. His interception rate is the most aggressive on the list.
Peters was willing to trust his film preparation and jump routes before the football arrived. That style occasionally created risk, but it also produced seven interception-return touchdowns and some of the biggest swings generated by any defender in this group.
7. Tashaun Gipson Sr.: 33 Interceptions
Position: Safety
Tashaun Gipson Sr. shares seventh place with 33 interceptions. He did not receive the same national attention as several other players in the top 10, but his takeaway production remained strong across multiple teams and defensive systems.
Gipson was most effective reading quarterbacks from depth and arriving early enough to play the football rather than merely make the tackle. His inclusion is one of the clearest reasons a verified leaderboard is more useful than a reputation-based list.
9. Justin Simmons: 32 Interceptions
Position: Safety
Justin Simmons is tied for ninth with 32 interceptions. He reached that total in 134 regular-season games, giving him one of the stronger interception rates among the safeties near the top.
Simmons could cover the deep middle, work in split-safety structures and match certain receivers when the call required it. His range kept him involved in plays that began well outside his original alignment.
9. Stephon Gilmore: 32 Interceptions
Position: Cornerback
Stephon Gilmore completes the top 10 with 32 interceptions. His total is six higher than the 26 shown in the older version of this list.
Gilmore produced takeaways while frequently handling top receiving threats in man coverage. His patience at the line and timing at the catch point allowed him to challenge throws without relying on constant gambling.
Safety vs. Cornerback Breakdown
Six of the top 10 players are classified primarily as safeties: Harrison Smith, Kevin Byard III, Tyrann Mathieu, Devin McCourty, Tashaun Gipson Sr. and Justin Simmons. Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Marcus Peters and Stephon Gilmore represent the four cornerbacks.
Safeties often have a wider view of the quarterback and can attack throws into multiple zones. Outside cornerbacks usually face fewer chances once offenses decide to avoid them. That context makes Sherman’s 37 and Peters’ 33 particularly impressive, while the safety-heavy top 10 reinforces the value of range and disguise. For deeper position comparisons, see our rankings of the best safeties of all-time and best cornerbacks of all-time.
The leaderboard is also tightly grouped. Only seven interceptions separate Harrison Smith at No. 1 from Justin Simmons and Stephon Gilmore at the tied No. 9 position.
Complete Top 20 Leaderboard
The table below includes every player in the top 20 through the 2025 regular season. Three players are tied at No. 18 with 26 interceptions, so all three remain in the table.
| Rank | Player | Position | Interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison Smith | Safety | 39 |
| 2 | Richard Sherman | Cornerback | 37 |
| 3 | Kevin Byard III | Safety | 36 |
| 3 | Tyrann Mathieu | Safety | 36 |
| 3 | Patrick Peterson | Cornerback | 36 |
| 6 | Devin McCourty | Safety | 35 |
| 7 | Marcus Peters | Cornerback | 33 |
| 7 | Tashaun Gipson Sr. | Safety | 33 |
| 9 | Justin Simmons | Safety | 32 |
| 9 | Stephon Gilmore | Cornerback | 32 |
| 11 | Reggie Nelson | Safety | 31 |
| 12 | Earl Thomas | Safety | 30 |
| 13 | Xavien Howard | Cornerback | 29 |
| 13 | Joe Haden | Cornerback | 29 |
| 15 | Darius Slay | Cornerback | 28 |
| 16 | Jessie Bates III | Safety | 27 |
| 16 | Janoris Jenkins | Cornerback | 27 |
| 18 | J.C. Jackson | Cornerback | 26 |
| 18 | Brent Grimes | Cornerback | 26 |
| 18 | Aqib Talib | Cornerback | 26 |
FAQ: Most Interceptions in the NFL Since 2015
Who has the most interceptions in the NFL since 2015?
Harrison Smith has the most regular-season interceptions since 2015, with 39 through the 2025 season.
Which cornerback has the most interceptions since 2015?
Richard Sherman leads all cornerbacks in this period with 37 regular-season interceptions.
Does the list include players who entered the NFL before 2015?
Yes. Players who entered the league before 2015 are eligible, but only interceptions recorded from the 2015 season onward count toward this leaderboard.
Are playoff interceptions included?
No. The totals include regular-season defensive interceptions only. Postseason and preseason interceptions are excluded.
Why does the ranking skip numbers after ties?
The list uses standard competition ranking. Players with the same total share a rank, and the following rank is skipped to reflect how many players are ahead of the next entry.
Last reviewed: August 4, 2026
Conclusion
Harrison Smith leads the NFL with 39 regular-season interceptions since 201, followed by Richard Sherman at 37. Kevin Byard III, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson share third with 36, while the complete top 20 extends to a three-player tie at 26.
The updated leaderboard shows why the date range and final completed season must be stated clearly. A seven-interception season from Byard materially changed the order, and several totals in the older graphic no longer matched the verified data.
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