CORNERBACK
TOP 5 QB VIDEO
1
Bryce Young
2
CJ Stroud
3
Hendon Hooker
4
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
5
Jaren Hall
1
Terrion Arnold
CB | ALABAMA | 6'0 | 196
Arnold is an extremely well-rounded and fundamental cornerback. He is disciplined, reactive, instinctual, and plays with a really balanced play style. He has the frame and movement skills to match up with just about anyone. Arnold’s ability as an open-field tackler is also impressive, adding another element to his game. This is a modern cornerback who does so many important things well. Other than the odd inconsistencies you’ll see on anyone’s tape, there isn’t much to dislike here. Arnold should become a top-tier CB1 in the NFL.
Grade: Round 1
Jaylon Johnson
2
Cooper DeJean
CB | IOWA | 6'1 | 207
DeJean is a highly versatile DB who knows how to play the game. He’s got a great frame for the position—possessing the size to match up with just about anyone. DeJean’s instincts and anticipation are impressive. It’s clear he has a natural feel for the game and trusts his gut. He’s a chess piece who can be used as a traditional cornerback, in the slot, as a blitzer, in run support, or even handling safety duties. DeJean’s agility and movement—for his size—are great, but he might struggle in certain areas. He’ll need to go to the right situation. This is a guy you want on your team and one who will find a way to become a great NFL player.
Grade: Round 1
CJ Gardner-Johnson
3
Kool-Aid McKinstry
CB | ALABAMA | 6'1 | 195
McKinstry is a well-rounded and physical corner with a great football pedigree. He is a composed defender who always appears to be confident in his reps. McKinstry is awesome as a press-man corner, showing the ability to jam WRs at the LOS and efficiently turn to defend the route. He has strong hands and uses them at the point of attack to break up short and medium-route concepts. McKinstry adds value as a tackler and physical piece on the field. Although definitely adequate, his speed and athleticism are not going to pop off the page. With his combination of strength, fluidity, technical ability, and length, McKinstry has all of the tools to be a top cornerback in the NFL.
Marshon Lattimore
4
Quinyon Mitchell
CB | TOLEDO | 6'0 | 196
Mitchell is a tough and quick cornerback with a big frame. He’s extremely reactive—constantly showing the ability to diagnose a play and make a break on the ball. This is more because of his instincts and anticipation rather than agility. Mitchell has great ball production—although most of it came in one game. He’s not the most fluid, but his vertical acceleration when he plants his foot is impressive. Mitchell’s combination of size, anticipation, explosiveness, and ball skills will make him a very productive corner at the next level—best suited in an attacking zone scheme.
Grade: Round 1
Darius Slay
5
Kamari Lassiter
CB | GEORGIA | 6'1 | 180
Lassiter is an electric cornerback with a maniacal on-field personality. He has an extremely quick trigger which shows up in both the pass and run game. Here, he shows a lighting ability to break on the ball and become a vicious downhill defender in open space. Lassiter is a long and rangy defender, who—despite his lean frame—can test larger players and get physical and disruptive. He’s absolutely awesome in the run game, seeking out plays and blowing them up. Lassiter is a bit more of a gambler and more erratic than some of the other CB prospects, but his temperament and tools will make him a fun playmaker at the next level.
Grade: Round 1
Cam Sutton
6
Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
CB | MISSOURI | 6'0 | 188
Rakestraw Jr. is a rangy and fluid cornerback who fits the modern trajectory of the NFL. He possesses great footwork, and shows a mirroring ability to keep up with short and twitchy routes. In addition to his impressive man coverage skills, Rakestraw Jr. is a willing and physical tackler despite his wiry frame. A legitimate asset in the run game who takes pride in blowing up plays. Rakestraw Jr.’s ball production is limited and I’d like to see him improve in this area. Additionally, his long speed isn’t outstanding. Nonetheless, Rakestraw Jr. is a loose and nuanced cornerback who should translate extremely well at the next level.
Grade: Round 2
Cam Smith
7
Nate Wiggins
CB | CLEMSON | 6'2 | 185
Wiggins is a long-limbed and athletic corner who fits the modern trajectory of the game. He’s a fluid athlete who can sink his hips and win with agility and footwork. Wiggins has good awareness and vision on the field and seems to understand where he needs to be. There are times when he seems to be lazy in coverage, not staying faithful to his technique and lapses where he becomes too prone to committing penalties. Additionally he doesn't show much ability/effort in run support. Wiggins has a lot of great tools, and if he can clean some things up, he has great potential at the next level.
Grade: Round 2
Rasul Douglas
8
Mike Sainristil
CB | MICHIGAN | 5'10 | 182
Sainstrill is an energetic and scrappy cornerback. His frame might create some limitations on his role at the next level. However, he plays above his size—showing a high motor and a desire to make plays. Sainstrill is an instinctive and reactive player who loves to be in the action. He has good short-area burst and route recognition, potentially making him a valuable slot/jack-of-all-trades. Sainstrill lacks functional strength and I worry that his lack of size will interfere with his play style at the next level. Nonetheless, he's a feisty prospect - capable of becoming a fun playmaker in the NFL.
Grade: Round 2
Clark Phillips III
9
TJ Tampa
CB | IOWA ST. | 6'2 | 200
Tampa is a long and physical corner that has surprising fluidity on tape for his size. He’s a disciplined defender who doesn’t overreact and stays poised through twitchier routes. Tampa’s frame will allow him to match up with bigger pass-catchers downfield, but also has the footwork and agility to win on short and medium concepts. With his size and tools, I would have liked to see him do more as a run defender. Here, he needs to improve his consistency as an open-field tackler. Additionally, his pad level sometimes gets too high and he looks lazy in space. Nonetheless, Tampa has a great blend of size and mobility, and can be used as a matchup chess piece at the next level.
Grade: Round 2
Ifeatu Melifonwu
10
Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
CB | LOUISVILLE | 6'0 | 190
Brownlee Jr. is a feisty and tough cornerback with a complementary skillset to go with it. Despite his lean and wiry frame, Brownlee Jr. isn’t afraid to get physical, holding his own in contact situations. He is a fluid and patient player who can really stick with broken-down and improvised routes. Brownlee Jr. shows great anticipation and has a clear understanding of the game. He’s a technical tackler and can win in many ways. I’d like to see him add a bit of size and show some ball production. However, he’s quickly becoming one of my favourite sleepers in the draft.
Grade: Round 2
TBD
11
Max Melton
CB | RUTGERS | 5'11 | 193
Melton is a scrappy and versatile corner with great competitiveness. He’s an experienced player who gives everything he’s got on the field. Melton can play well in both zone/man settings and contribute well as a run defender. Sometimes his technique gets away from him and he gets overly aggressive, buying into movement and putting himself in compromising positions. His issues seem very fixable, and Melton can be a productive slot corner with outside versatility.
Grade: Round 3
Troy Pride Jr.
12
Kalen King
CB | PENN STATE | 5'11 | 191
King is a tenacious and physical press corner who is at his best at the point of attack. Although he doesn’t have the natural size to match up against big WRs, he plays well beyond his frame and is up to any challenge. King has very strong hands at the LOS and catch point, constantly getting leverage off the release and breaking up plays. He is a willing and explosive defender in run support/open space and loves to get physical. King is not the most fluid and long athlete—his footwork is more rugged and choppy than it is precise. He may not be a prototypical #1, but King can an impact in many ways.
Grade: Round 3
Devon Witherspoon
13
Josh Newton
CB | TCU | 6'0 | 190
Newton is a well-rounded cover corner with a ton of likeable traits. He’s got impressive short area burst and shows the consistent fluidity to turn his hips and adapt to routes. Newton is a smart and instinctive man corner who understands spatial awareness and has a knack for sticking with routes. He’s very skilled with a great technical foundation and elite ball skills. There is a lot to love about Newton, but a few things to note. He is older than your typical prospect, his long speed is a big question mark, and he needs a ton of work as an open-field tackler. However, in the right scheme, Newton’s man cover skills are undeniable and he could be a huge steal.
Grade: Round 3
TBD
14
DJ James
CB | AUBURN | 6'1 | 174
James is a leaner cornerback with impressive short-area agility and burst. He moves very well in space and can quickly control his body and feet to make plays. James is comfortable moving backward and is mobile enough to hang with the twitchier WRs in the NFL. He is definitely undersized, sporting a very lean frame. This may limit his upside as a true versatile cornerback in the NFL. However, his willingness and excitement as a tackler—despite his frame—shows you a lot about what kind of player he wants to be. There are occasional lapses in coverage and technique and obvious limitations from a size standpoint, but James has a lot of tools to succeed.
Grade: Round 3
TBD
15
Cam Hart
CB | NOTRE DAME | 6'2 | 204
Hart is a sizeable corner with an impressive frame for the position. He’s long and strong - looking like a safety at first glance. Hart moves well for his size, and he’s extremely athletic relative to his frame. He’s a physical player who can win at the line of scrimmage. My concern with Hart is his technical ability downfield. He seems lost with his back turned to the ball - and can get grabby at times. This could make him a big play target early on. However, if used in the correct way - Hart offers a unique blend of size and athleticism to be very situationally valuable.
Grade: Round 4
TBD
16
Caelan Carson
CB | WAKE FOREST | 6'0 | 194
Carson is a very tenacious and physical corner who is willing to put his big body on the line. He’s a good tackler in open space, always seeking out plays and hitting with power. Carson knows how to get leverage over WRs and can make their job frustrating. He does a good job using his hands and staying close to the route. Carson is not going to be someone who wins with technicality and instincts, but rather a player who can disrupt routes one way or another. His true polish might be a concern in the NFL, but his temperament, physicality, and aggressiveness will make him a fun player in the right scheme.
Grade: Round 4
TBD
17
Kris Abrams-Draine
CB | MISSOURI | 5'11 | 173
Abrams-Draine is an agile and instinctive corner who has the short-area athleticism to cover well. He’s a smart player who reads and reacts well on the field. Abrams-Draine’s frame is very small and could be a concern at the next level. Yet mentally, he’s a willing tackler who isn’t afraid to get physical. Oftentimes he leaves the WR too much space at the LOS—which could be indicative of his press abilities at his size. I think Abrams-Draine could be a solid slot WR with the additional ability to move outside when needed.