The Baltimore Ravens benefitted from great cornerback play in 2019. Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey both earned All-Pro nods and Jimmy Smith came back from a knee injury to bolster the group down the stretch. But this doesn’t mean the team won’t keep looking to improve their secondary, especially with how pass-heavy teams are in this era.
Baltimore needs more depth after declining Brandon Carr’s 2020 option. While the Ravens re-signed Smith, it was on a one-year contract. And when added in with Tavon Young missing all of last season due to a neck injury, the lack of depth behind that great starting group could seriously hurt Baltimore’s goal of a Super Bowl this season.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the best cornerback options for the Ravens in each round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
1st Round – Trevon Diggs, Alabama
The Ravens have a long history of selecting players who spent their college careers with the Crimson Tide. They’ve taken 11 players from Alabama in their history, with four players taken between 2017 and 2018, including a first-round pick on Humprey back in 2017. If they want to use their first selection on a corner in 2020, then Diggs could be a possible target.
The younger brother of Bills wide receiver Stefon, Diggs earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2019, thanks to his 11 passes defended and three interceptions. Diggs has the prototypical length for the position. He primarily played outside in college, although he did spend some time in the slot. Diggs could also be an asset on special teams, after averaging 9.2 yards per punt return and 23.8 yards on kick-off returns.
Diggs is far from the finished product, but if given the chance to come in and learn his craft rather than being forced to be the alpha from Day 1, he could develop into a solid NFL cornerback.
2nd Round – Kristian Fulton, LSU
Fulton is a prospect that comes with a couple of red flags against his name. He was a productive member of the LSU Tigers, defending 15 passes and intercepting another in 2019. He has fairly good speed for the position, posting a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. That’s the good news.
Fulton has experienced some major injuries in the past, needing surgery on his finger in 2016 and his foot in 2018. There was also a year-long suspension after a failed drug test. But since missing the entire 2017 season, Fulton has knuckled down to develop his craft.
Fulton was deployed primarily on the outside for the Tigers but did see some snaps in the slot. This may be where he begins his NFL career, with his patience and discipline serving him well. If there is a run on corners, he may not be there when the Ravens come to make their second-round selection. But if he is, they should consider him at either No. 55 or No. 60.
3rd Round – Josiah Scott, Michigan State
When it comes to production, it’s hard to fault anything Scott achieved in college. In 30 games for Michigan State, he had 98 tackles and 32 passes defended. He also managed seven interceptions. Twice in three seasons, Scott earned Honorable Mention for the All-Big Ten team. He failed to earn these honors in 2018, but this may have been due to his missing eight games with a knee injury. As an athlete, he possesses excellent speed for his position, posting a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
These numbers would suggest a top tier prospect if it were not for one major obstacle. Scott is only 5-foot-9, and while size is not a skill, it would be hard for him to match up on the outside against the premier wide receivers in the NFL. But he could be an excellent slot defender, especially with his speed. Taking Scott could free up Humphrey to return to the outside after he played 50.2% of his snaps inside in 2019, while providing some more depth behind Young.
4th Round – Troy Pride Jr., Notre Dame
Vince Lombardi once wrote of a time when pride still mattered. That time could still be now for the Ravens if they like the look of Troy Pride Jr out of Notre Dame. Pride had 22 passes defended in his last three seasons in college while also intercepting four passes. He wasn’t at his best in 2019, allowing four touchdowns in his coverage, but he flashed athletically at the NFL Scouting Combine, particularly after his 4.40-second 40-yard dash time.
Pride plays with a level of intensity that the best man cornerbacks in the NFL have. He’s not a great tackler, but if he is able to stick to his man his tackling skills are usually not needed. He can stand to work on his anticipation and ball skills, but as a fourth-round selection, he would be an intriguing project for a talented defensive coordinator like Don Martindale.
5th Round – Javaris Davis, Auburn
The fifth round may be where the Ravens look to add their next slot corner. And if they do wait this long then Davis is a name that should be available.
Like Scott, Davis was ridiculously productive during his college career. Davis registered at least eight passes defended in each of his four seasons for the Auburn Tigers, as well as two interceptions every season. He also had 11 tackles for loss. Davis caught the eye of many at the NFL Scouting Combine, with his 4.39-second 40-yard dash being the second-fastest among the 29 cornerbacks who participated.
But again, like Scott, Davis is just the wrong size to play as an outside defender in the NFL. He stands just 5-foot-9 and weighs in at 183 pounds, which is simply too small to line up outside. But his skills seem ideal for a role in the slot.
6th Round – Lamar Jackson, Nebraska
Drafting players named Lamar Jackson has seemed to work for the Ravens in the past. If they somehow acquire a sixth-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, they may wish to add a cornerback of that name.
Jackson had an impressive 15 passes defended in 2019, intercepting a further three to finish his Nebraska career with 27 breakups and five interceptions. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss in his senior year. Jackson is an aggressive corner, possessing a “him or me” mentality that can occasionally boil over.
Jackson does not have blazing speed, posting a 4.58-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and a 4.63-second time at his Pro Day. The lack of speed could be a major contributing factor for why he’d be available this late in the draft. But his man-coverage skills could paper over these cracks, and if he is handled well by an intelligent defensive staff, his competitiveness could see him become a steal at this price. Jackson needs to keep his head on straight though.
7th Round – Javelin Guidry, Utah
If the Ravens want to leave it to the last round to address the cornerback spot, then it’ll probably be for a nickel corner and Guidry could be just the ticket. Like other slot candidates already mentioned, Guidry was a consistent performer in college, earning Honorable Mention for the All-Pac 12 in 2018 and 2019. Guidry had 22 passes defended in his three seasons with Utah along with three interceptions.
Guidry was also the fastest cornerback at the NFL Scouting Combine, posting 100th percentile speed with a time of 4.29-seconds in the 40-yard dash. But as with the other candidates, he is small by NFL standards, standing only 5-foot-9 and weighing in less than 200 pounds.
He would be developmental selection and it would be a stretch to see him plugged into the slot role for the Ravens straight away. However, his speed may make him an attractive prospect for the modern NFL, and a competent NFL defensive staff may look forward to molding him into a valuable piece of their roster.
