Top Cornerback Prospects

Marshon Lattimore
Ohio State CB #2

Player Profile

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 193 Lbs
45 tackles, 11 PD, 4 INT, 1 TD
2016 1st-Team All-Big 10

Strengths

Explosive and fluid athlete in space.  Loose hips and ankles.  Transitions in and out of breaks with ease.  Long speed to carry receivers downfield.  Great foot quickness to mirror receivers in man coverage.  Able to undercut routes down the field.  Comfortable in trail technique and has the desired make up speed.  Aggressive when the ball is in the air.  Goes up and makes a play on the football.  A feisty tackler.  Not afraid to stick his nose in a pile.  Consistently gets the ball carrier to the ground.

Weaknesses

A one-year starter.  Chronic hamstring issues kept him off the field until 2016.  Rarely jams receivers at the LOS(line of scrimmage).  Gets into trouble when he creates late contact with the receiver.  Looses his balance and can get burned deep.  Overpowered by bigger blockers and takes too long to disengage.

Final Verdict

Lattimore is the top corner in most eyes.  He's the most fluid defensive back in the draft and can win in multiple ways.  The only concern with him is the hamstring issues.  Soft tissue injuries are hard to shake for an explosive player like Lattimore.  Availability is at a premium in a 16-game season.  If he can stay healthy, look for him to make a big impact for a team in 2017.

Draft Projection: Top 10

Gareon Conley
Ohio State CB #8

Player Profile

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 195 Lbs
91 tackles, 15 PD, 6 INT
2016 2nd-Team All-Big 10

Strengths

Long armed corner.  Can get physical and reroute receivers at the line.  A versatile player that can play both outside and inside.  An effective blitzer from the slot.  Shows great timing and acceleration off the ball.  Recognizes route concepts in zone and peels off his man to make a play on the ball.  Excellent ball skills.  Gets his head around and attacks the football at its highest point.

Weaknesses

Shows some hip tightness.  A bit high cut when in man coverage.  Not as fluid coming in and out of his breaks.  Struggles to start and stop laterally.  Over aggressive at the top of the route.  Falls for quick stabs and head fakes on double moves. 

Final Verdict

Some would argue that Conley is the top corner.  He's a slightly bigger and longer corner with a different skill-set than his Ohio State counterpart.  At the end of the day, it depends on the play style that you like better.  If you covet longer corners with high level ball skills, take Conley.  His stock has climbed up the charts since the season ended.  Don't be surprised if his name gets called early on draft night.

*Alleged legal allegations days before the draft

Draft Projection: Top 20 before legal issues.  Draft stock is currently up in the air.

Marlon Humphrey
Alabama CB #26

Player Profile

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 197 Lbs
81 tackles, 13 PD, 5 INT, 3 FF

Strengths

Brings a physical presence to the secondary.  A sound tackler that looks to lay the boom on wide receivers on the outside.  Attacks downfield with good pad level and explodes through the ball carrier.  Very aggressive in press.  Reroutes receivers at the line with a stiff jab.  Speed is adequate enough to ride receivers down the field and push them towards the boundary.  Quick feet allow him to mirror receivers and stay in their hip pocket.  Extensive experience in zone defense while in college.

Weaknesses

Aggressive nature gets the best of him at times.  Occasionally whiffs in press at the line.  Constant grabbing with his hands downfield will draw flags in the NFL.  A beat late anticipating route combinations in underneath coverage.  Shows some stiffness transitioning in and out of breaks.  Not a true lock down man-to-man cover corner.

Final Verdict

Humphrey was a key piece in the Alabama secondary for the past two seasons.  Like many of his predecessors, he needs to show that he wasn't a product of a well oiled Alabama machine.  His physicality sets him apart from most corners in the draft.  At his best when he can see the play unfold in front of him and attack downfield.  Humphrey has the skills and body to step in and play right now.

Draft Projection: 1st-Round

Kevin King
Washington CB #20

Player Profile

Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 Lbs
164 tackles, 22 PD, 6 INT

Strengths

Outstanding ball production.  Lanky frame and long arms.  Feet are good enough to stay with receivers in man coverage.  Shines when the ball is in the air.  Elite leaping ability.  Hangs in the air with his 40" vertical.  Long arms and radius reach balls far outside his frame.  Gets his head around and always locates the football.  Can make the spectacular catch in awkward positions.  Punches at the ball once it enters the receivers frame.

Weaknesses

Questions about whether his skinny frame can hold up for a full season.  Can be overaggressive at the line while in press coverage.  Feet are taken out from under him and is forced to recover.  Takes him time to get off blocks on the edge.  An inconsistent tackler.  Lacks the strength to consistently bring down ball carriers.  Looks to submarine running backs with his shoulder instead of wrapping up.

Final Verdict

King was the partner in crime to Sidney Jones.  Due to his teammates injury, there has been speculation that King will sneak into the first-round and stay in the Pacific Northwest.  King has outstanding reach and ball skills.  He is an uber productive player that fits the current prototype for an NFL corner.  His stock is on the rise and he'll probably go late on day one of the draft.

Draft Projection: Late 1st-Round to Early 2nd-Round

Chidobe Awuzie
Colorado CB #4

Player Profile

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 202 Lbs
265 tackles, 25 PD, 3 INT, 6 FF
2x 2nd-Team All-Pac 12 (2015-16)

Strengths

Versatile piece in the defensive backfield.  Can play outside and in the slot.  Solid blitzer from the nickel position.  Good burst off the line and gets pressure on the quarterback.  Start and stop change of direction is good enough to stay with most slot receivers.  An intelligent player that plays situational football.  Knows down and distance and will sit on routes at the first down marker.  Understands route concepts and reacts accordingly to the situation.  Adds value on special teams on kickoff and punt coverage.

Weaknesses

Biggest concern in the minimal takeaway production.  Only came down with three interceptions in college.  A good athlete, but not a burner.  Struggles to carry speed receivers down the field in one-on-one coverage.  Trusts his instincts and gets burned when he is wrong.  Average makeup speed makes it difficult to trust him out on and island.  Multiple missed tackles on tape.  Leaves his feet and attempts to bring down the ball carrier with his arms.

Final Verdict

Awuzie plays the game at a higher level than most college cornerbacks.  He's a heady player that understands different in game situations and uses that knowledge to his advantage.  The lack of turnover production is a concern, but he can play at a high level in multiple positions.

Draft Projection: Late 1st-Round to Early 2nd-Round

Tre'Davious White
LSU CB #18

Player Profile

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 192 Lbs
167 tackles, 34 PD, 6 INT, 1 TD
2016 1st-Team All-SEC
2013 All-SEC Freshman Team

Strengths

Improved his game in each of his four years at LSU.  A skilled cover corner.  Strong change of direction skills and instant start and stop ability allow him to mirror receivers in man coverage.  Better in bail technique where he can stay on top the receiver.  A good feel for zone coverage.  Reads the quarterback's eyes and explodes out of his pedal to the football.  Did a better job in 2016 of getting his head around to the football.  Adept at disrupting receiver hands at the catch point.

Weaknesses

Shortage of physicality in his game.  Smaller body doesn't hold up in press near the LOS.  Unable to reroute receivers and leaves himself vulnerable to get beat deep.  Average straight-line speed with the ball in the air.  Likes to grab receivers during the route and often gets called for it.  Absence of a finisher's mentality in the run game.  Unwillingness to attack the ball carrier in the hole results in missed tackles down the open field.

Final Verdict

During his four years at LSU, White has transformed himself into an elite cover corner.  In the short term, he is best suited to play inside where physical receivers can't push him around.  That being the case, he must find the will to stick his nose into traffic and hunt the ball carrier.  White is another corner that could be first-round bound on draft day.

Draft Projection: Late 1st-Round to Early 2nd-Round

Adoree' Jackson
USC CB #2

Player Profile

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 186 Lbs
139 tackles, 28 PD, 6 INT
3,439 all-purpose yards, 14 TD (6 OFF, 4 KR, 4 PR)
2016 Jim Thorpe Award
2016 1st-Team All-American
2x 1st-Team All-Pac 12 (2015-16)
2015 2nd-Team All-Pac 12 (RET)

Strengths

All-American track athlete.  Kid can absolutely fly.  Elite acceleration and top end speed.  Slowly showing signs of becoming more cornerback than athlete.  Tremendous strides in zone coverage.  Identifies route combinations and flashes the ability to jump routes.  Has shown this year that he can mirror receivers and attack the ball at its highest point.  An electrifying returner that can score from any place on the field.  A terror with the ball in his hands on offense, defense and special teams.

Weaknesses

A raw talent with loads of potential.  Needs more reps to improve his technique and overall feel for the position.  Overextends himself in press and whiffs at the line.  His transitions in and out of breaks can be sloppy.  Occasionally looses his footing coming out of his breaks.  Smaller frame gets pushed around by more physical pass catchers.

Final Verdict

The former track star has made a name for himself as a top NFL prospect.  He's a threat to score every time he touches the football.  A defensive back in the making, but he has a full chest to tools to succeed with.  Jackson can make an immediate impact as a returner and learn to play corner as his career progresses.  He may be unrefined, but the athletic ability is too salivating to ignore.

Draft Projection: Late 1st-Round to Early 2nd-Round

Quincy Wilson
Florida CB #6

Player Profile

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 211 Lbs
81 tackles, 14 PD, 6 INT, 1 TD
2016 2nd-Team All-SEC

Strengths

Prototypical corner size and build.  Very confident player that doesn't shy away from speaking his mind.  Patient and balanced at the line in press.  Uses his hands well and gets a good jam on most receivers.  Trusts his footwork in close quarters.  Solid short area quickness for a player his size.  Great instincts when attacking the football.  Excellent timing to punch the ball out at the catch point.  Reads the receiver's eyes and turns his head accordingly.  Dangerous defender when he's allowed to explode on a ball in front of him.

Weaknesses

Average long speed down the field.  Gets into trouble when he allows clean releases off the line.  Lacks the speed to catch up once he is beaten.  Needs to become more physical in the run game.  A decent drag down tackler.  Needs to finish on a more consistent basis as the last line of defense on the back end.

Final Verdict

Wilson's top end speed is the only major concern in his game.  His draft stock will fluctuate depending on the amount of dynamic receivers each team has to deal with in their division.  Bottom line, he has great ball skills and instincts to attack receivers at the catch point.  A solid day two pickup.

Draft Projection: 2nd-Round

Rasul Douglas
West Virginia CB #13

Player Profile

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 209 Lbs
77 tackles, 9 PD, 9 INT
2016 2nd-Team All-American
2016 1st-Team All-Big 12

Strengths

Long corner with very good size.  Opportunistic player that led the NCAA in interceptions in 2016.  Outstanding at the catch point.  Attacks the ball in the air.  Swipes, swats and punches at the ball if he can't get both hands on it.  Seems to be in the right place at the right time more often than not.  Eyes stare in the backfield and sits on routes close to the LOS. 

Weaknesses

One-year starter against FBS level of competition.  A bit slow coming out of his backpedal.  Lacks fluidity in his hips and ankles to mirror receivers in man-to-man coverage.  Not suited for off coverage in nickel.  Makes late contact at the top of the route.  Grabs receivers as they try to come out of their breaks. 

Final Verdict

Rasul Douglas made the most of his one year at West Virginia.  The 6'2" cornerback led college football in interceptions with eight.  He's a ball hawking player that showed playmaking ability in 2016.  The NFL is trending towards bigger/longer corners with ball skills.  Douglas fits that bill.  He's another addition to a strong defensive back class.

Draft Projection: 2nd-Round

Sidney Jones
Washington CB #26

Player Profile

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 186 Lbs
145 tackles, 21 PD, 8 INT, 6 FF
2x 1st-Team All-Pac 12 (2015-16)

Strengths

Plays with an edge.  Play-style is bigger than his size would suggest.  Confident corner that makes receivers work to get open.  Stiff initial jam at the line.  Shrinks the field in man-to-man.  Reroutes with his arms and uses his body to guide players towards the boundary.  Instinctual and cerebral player.  Trusts his eyes and goes for it.  Instances where he appears to knows what play the offense is running.  Can stick his foot in the ground and drive on the ball in front of him.  Outstanding ball production throughout his career.

Weaknesses

Torn achilles at his pro day.  Will miss significant time during the offseason.  Long speed to carry receivers down the field was a question before the injury.  Some stiffness in his hips.  Looses the receiver at the top of the route.  Bigger receivers can use their strength against him to create separation.  Keeps blockers off his chest, but takes too long to disengage.  Appears hesitant to stick his head into traffic.  Plays primarily on the left side of the defense.

Final Verdict

If it weren't for the injury, Jones has an argument to be the best corner on the board.  He has great instincts and plays with the confidence and amnesia coveted in a number one corner.  His natural ball skills make him one of the best playmakers in the secondary this year.  His stock has taken a hit, but Jones will be a luxury pick for a team in the middle rounds of the draft.

Draft Projection: 3rd-Round
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