After some wheeling and dealing in the early going of the 2022 NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans spent the No. 35 overall pick in the second round on Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary.
While there were plenty of corners in this year’s draft who were bigger and faster, McCreary makes up for his lack of ideal size and speed in every other area of his game. He’s a polished technician with great instincts, and despite any physical limitations, dominated SEC wide receivers on a weekly basis.
Confidence and competitiveness are perhaps the two most important traits for a cornerback prospect, and McCready checks both of those boxes with ease. While he’s sure to be labeled “undersized,” his physical style of play makes the moniker look silly. As a result, he excels in press-man coverage, but also has the intelligence, instincts, and fluidity to make plays on zone assignments, as well.
Richard Sherman, one of the best cornerbacks of this generation, recently predicted that McCreary would be “the steal” of this year’s draft:
Will the Auburn Tiger be the STEAL of the Draft⁉️ pic.twitter.com/xqLStM42W1
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 12, 2022
The Titans have some young, promising corners on their roster in Caleb Farley, Kristian Fulton and Elijah Molden, but McCreary gives them yet another cover man who can lock down opposing receivers. He should compete for a starting spot right away, and could easily be the best of that group in a year or two.
