Which cornerbacks will matter in the 2019 NFL Draft, and what’s the college perspective on all of the top prospects?
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It’s a mediocre overall class of corners who don’t quite fit. The fast guys don’t have size, and the big guys don’t have a whole lot of speed, and there isn’t even a sure-thing superstar up top like a Denzel Ward or Jalen Ramsey.
The top prospects are certainly talented and will start, but in this draft loaded with a whole slew of amazing prospects in the top 20, you can wait a bit if you need a corner.
15. (S) Iman Marshall, USC
6-1, 207: He’s a corner who’ll end up spending a bulk of his career at safety. The speed isn’t bad – he’s around a 4.5 – but he’s not an elite enough overall athlete to hang around with the quicker NFL targets. A good tackler with the right size and mentality to come up with a pop, he’s missing the ball skills to be a star on the outside. He’ll get a shot at his natural position, but again, he’ll eventually start somewhere else.
Projected Round: Fourth
14. (S) Kris Boyd, Texas
5-11, 201: Tough and experienced, he’s got decent enough size to go along with his 4.45 speed. He was a good, consistent tackler over the last three seasons with 156 tackles and a whopping 30 broken up passes in the last two. He’s not the smoothest defensive back, but he’s a productive tweener who’ll likely make a career at free safety.
Projected Round: Fourth
13. Sean Bunting, Central Michigan
6-0, 195: The speed and explosion are too much to ignore. He went from being a likely late round flier to a top 100 prospect with his 4.4 40 and 41″ vertical. He’s not all that big and he’s not that great a tackler – even if he’s willing to get in on plays – but it’s the raw wheels and upside that will get him taken early on Saturday.
Projected Round: Fourth
12. David Long, Michigan
5-11, 196: While he’s not all that big, he has decent enough size to go along with the 4.45 speed and explosion to stay with the speedier guys. However, his real worth is as a tough corner who can push around receiver. Even though he’s not afraid at getting nasty, he’s just an okay tackler who can be easily blocked.
Projected Round: Third
11. Lonnie Johnson, Kentucky
6-2, 213: A good-sized, talented football player who does just about everything right on the field, the former JUCO transfer is a decent tackler with 64 stops in his two seasons and nine broken up passes. However, he only picked off one pass. You like the size, you like the 4.5 speed in that size, and … you wish the ball skills were better.
Projected Round: Third
10. Jamel Dean, Auburn
6-1, 206: The 4.3 40 didn’t change everything, but it certainly made a big difference considering the concerns about his past knee injuries. He’s big, he’s talented, and he’s explosive enough to play a whole lot bigger than his size. Blow off the past injury issues – he’s got all of the tools to be a steal outside of the top 50.
Projected Round: Third
9. Justin Layne, Michigan State
6-2, 192: He’s a Michigan State cornerback – he can get physical. He’s got good size and length, and he can run just enough to be fine. He’s got a great nose for the ball with a knack for breaking up passes, but his lack of raw wheels will be an issue. Test him, and he’ll come through.
Projected Round: Third
8. Joejuan Williams, Vanderbilt
6-4, 211: He’s a safety at the next level who’ll get tried out at corner. Great when the ball is in the air, he came up with 24 broken up passes over the last two seasons as a rising, tough corner who can erase smaller receivers and muscle up against the bigger ones. He can hit like a safety, but … he runs like one. A slow one.
Projected Round: Third
7. Rock Ya-Sin, Temple
6-0, 192: Sort of the scouting world’s underground secret for a while, he busted out and now has first round potential. He’s not quite as big as originally expected, and he’s not quite as fast, but he can hit. He’s not a finished product, but give him a little time and seasoning, and he’s got the tools to become a terrific starter and a broken up pass machine.
Projected Round: Second
6. Amani Oruwariye, Penn State
6-2, 205: He’s got the exact right size you want in a cornered he’s fantastic when the ball is thrown his way. Ultra-productive, he turned in a great final three years eight eight interceptions and with 18 broken up passes in the last two seasons. Known for his physical play, the one question mark was his speed for a player of his bulk … 4.47. Boom.
Projected Round: Third
5. Trayvon Mullen, Clemson
6-1, 199: In a corner class loaded with slowish players who aren’t that huge, Mullen is tall, can play at over 200 pounds, and he can move. Forget the 4.5s of some of the other top prospects – Mullen is a mid-4.4 guy who can close and explode.
America saw what he could do against Alabama in the national championship domination, but he was missing the high-end production in his 29 game career with just seven broken up passes and four picks.
Yeah, he has good size, but he’s not exactly physical – he’s a lanky player who doesn’t bring the bit hit. The overall tools are there to thrive as a good starter who can more than hold his own against an NFL passing game.
No corner is going to be a massive thumper. If you need him to start and cover a pro receiver, he can do that. A few interceptions, though, would be nice.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: Second
NEXT: No. 4 NFL Draft Cornerback
4. Byron Murphy, Washington
5-11, 190: A massive producer for the great Husky defense, he picked off six passes and broke up 20 in his 20 games of action. He’s a fighter, he’ll hit, and he’ll always be around the ball.
His game, though, is a wee bit off. He’s not all that huge, and the 4.55 40 is too slow, but he’s quick and he doesn’t have a problem in games holding his own against all types of targets.
Very smart, he makes up for the deficiencies with great technique and always being in the right position. However, he doesn’t have that extra gear.
His style and play were good enough in college, but he might be a grabby pass interference problem at the next level. The savvy skills will work to a point, but in an okay class of corners he’s missing the sure-thing first round tools.
Love him on Day Two, he’s a bit of a reach on Day One.
Projected Round: Late First
Real Value: Second
NEXT: No. 3 NFL Draft Cornerback
3. Julian Love, Notre Dame
5-11, 195: A playmaking machine, he overcame the lack of interceptions – just five in his three-year career – by making a whole lot of plays with 36 broken up passes over the last two years.
No, he’s not all that big, but he’ll help the cause against the run, making 176 career stops and doing a great job in the open field. The problem is that he’s missing some of the superstar basics.
The top-end wheels aren’t there, and while he’ll fight, he’s not big enough to hold up if he has to battle against the bigger receivers. He might not be the perfect all-around NFL cover prospect, but he’s a great football player who’ll find a way to stay around the league for a long time.
As long as he’s not dealing with the smallish blazer receiver, or the 6-5 monsters, put him out there and don’t worry.
Projected Round: Second
Real Value: Second
NEXT: No. 2 NFL Draft Cornerback
2. Deandre Baker, Georgia
5-11, 193: The Thorpe winner as the nation’s best defensive back has good size and is great at attacking the ball with 23 career broken up passes and seven picks.
He’s a true cover-corner with No. 1 skills to erase a top receiver with his physical style – and that has to be his game. He plays fast, and he doesn’t have issues with quickness or fluidity in his style, but he’s not a blazer.
The raw wheels aren’t always a must to be a Pro Bowl corner, the 4.52 at the combine was a wee bit sluggish for a first round talent.
Throw in that his physical style might not be enough at the next level considering he’s not huge, and there are just enough concerns to be a wee bit wary.
Don’t overthink this. He’s a fighter who’ll get past his issues and be a starter right out of the gate.
Projected Round: Early Second
Real Value: Late First
NEXT: No. 1 NFL Draft Cornerback
1. Greedy Williams, LSU
6-2, 185: Andraez Williams isn’t your normal top corner.
He’s tall, thin, and he’s not really the type you’d put on an island to let him erase an opposing No. 1 target. He’s not going to tackle anyone with any pop, and he’s going to be shoved around by the bigger receivers. However …
The guy can move.
A terrific athlete with great ball skills, he’ll attack the ball and make a whole slew of big plays – he picked off eight passes and broke up 19 in his career. His length is a problem for the smaller receiver, and he’s able to make up for his mistakes with his 4.3 speed.
No, he’s not the perfect corner prospect, but he’s a proven baller who showed that he’s more than athletic enough in the offseason workouts, looking as silky as he was in games. Throw in the smarts and the fight to get after the ball, and he’s the top corner.
Projected Round: First
Real Value: First
