The NFL scouting combine is officially underway at Lucas Oil Stadium as the Indianapolis Colts and the rest of the league converge for the biggest scouting event of the offseason.
The drills don’t start until Thursday but Monday does have some importance with official measurements taking place. This week is also crucial for the Colts to get in the room with a lot of the prospects that might be on their draft board.
Before the drills get underway, here are five cornerbacks the Colts should watch at the combine:
CJ Henderson | Florida | Draft Wire rank: No. 3
The Colts are likely to continue looking at the cornerback position this offseason. It could come in the form of free agency such as a Byron Jones type or they could look toward the draft. Henderson is one of the best options in this year’s class and one that is likely going to come with a high price tag.
Here is the scouting report on Henderson from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Silky smooth boundary cornerback with mirror-and-match footwork and the agility and athleticism to stay connected to routes. He has NFL recovery burst and the long speed to track vertical routes downfield. He has the twitchy acceleration to jump a throw and take it away if the quarterback lingers on the target, and he’s quick to wrap and finish after the catch. He makes mental mistakes from time to time and occasionally loses awareness from zone. He’s willing and capable in run support but needs better control as an open-field tackler. Henderson is a fluid cornerback with ball skills and burst and has CB1 ability as a first-rounder.
Would the Colts draft another cornerback with high draft capital? Who knows but adding a talent like Henderson would give the Colts three high-quality cornerbacks to work with.
Damon Arnette | Ohio State | Draft Wire rank: No. 5
One of the sleepers in this year’s class, Arnette is likely to be overshadowed a bit because of another Ohio State cornerback, Jeff Okudah, who is the consensus top-ranked player at the position.
In his Build-A-Ballard series, Zach Hicks of Stampede Blue highlighted Arnette as a perfect fit for the Colts:
Arnette would be a perfect fit on the Colts’ defense in 2020. He possesses excellent press man coverage ability as he is an absolute bully at the line of scrimmage. He is a stout run defender and insanely difficult for receivers to block one on one. He has also flashed a bit in zone coverage as he made a few big plays this last season in zone. He is the ultimate competitor and tough as nails which is evident by him playing most of last season with a cast on one of his hands. He also fits Chris Ballard’s love for Ohio State as well. Overall, if Arnette wasn’t projected to go so high, this would be one of the easiest picks to predict in the draft.
If Arnette creeps into the first round, it’s unlikely the Colts have a shot at drafting him. But if he’s there in the second, the Colts could use one of their early picks.
Trevon Diggs | Alabama | Draft Wire rank: No. 4
The top cornerback out of Alabama is likely to get some looks early in the draft. The brother of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs, some of those ball skills were passed down. Mix that with athleticism, elite size and strength and Diggs becomes an intriguing prospect.
Here is the scouting report on Diggs from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Talented prospect with rare combination of size, strength and ball skills. As a former receiver, Diggs has an instinctive feel for his opponent’s plans and uses his size and athleticism to disrupt the blueprint when possible. The foot agility and short-area burst are good for his size and helped keep completion totals low. He’s inconsistent staying in phase with downfield routes and long speed is his kryptonite, causing grabbing and holding when panic sets in. He’s a future starting press-man corner with the hands and ball tracking to take it away and should benefit from more help over the top as a pro. Future consideration at free safety is possible considering his size and skill set.
How much the Colts want to invest in the cornerback room remains to be seen, but Diggs might be an intriguing fit given his size and ball skills. It will be interesting to see how he tests with his size.
Bryce Hall | Virginia | Draft Wire rank: No. 7
If the Colts wanted to wait a little later in the draft to address the cornerback position, Hall could certainly be a target. He has great size and the physicality that Ballard likes so much in his cornerback targets.
From his Build-A-Ballard series, here’s what Zach Hicks of Stampede Blue sees in Hall:
Hall is a bit of a forgotten man in this draft class due to a leg injury that cost him the last half of his Senior season. Make no mistake though, Hall is a real good prospect in this class. He is physical and powerful in press as he moves receivers with ease at the line of scrimmage. He is very willing and able in run defense too as his size and physicality are very evident on film. He also excels in zone and has great ball skills as evident by his astounding 38 career pass deflections. He has struggled in his career in off man and with decent athleticism but those are two things that Ballard has tended to ignore in the past. Overall, Hall checks just about every box for Chris Ballard and what he likes.
Showing teams that his ankle injury isn’t a concern will be huge for Hall, who will be looking to raise his stock this week.
A.J. Green | Oklahoma State | Draft Wire rank: No. 20
If the Colts want more of a project or a prospect with a high ceiling, Green will be a cornerback to watch. He has solid size and length at the position but might be limited to working in a zone scheme, which is what the Colts ran roughly 75% of the time in 2019.
Here is the scouting report on Green from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Outside cornerback with size and length, but a lack of speed that could limit his scheme fits. He imposes his size on less shifty targets from press and when playing the ball underneath. He plays with adequate athleticism and route anticipation, but has issues sticking with quick route breaks and longer routes where he will fall behind against NFL speed. Green might be best-suited as a backup in a zone-heavy coverage scheme where he keeps the game in front of him and in smaller spaces.
Green will have a lot to prove at the Combine and could be a target later in the draft for the Colts.
