5 cornerbacks to watch in the 1st round
Like most teams, the Patriots could use a lockdown cornerback.
Last season, their defense played more zone coverage down the stretch than most every team in the league, an admission they couldn't play 1- on-1 against the NFL'S best receiving corps. The Pats dearly missed an injured Jalen Mills, the only corner in their rotation taller than 5-foot-11. Even if they resign Jonathan Jones in free agency, the Patriots will need reliable outside depth after Jack Jones' late-season suspension showed he may not be a reliable pro.
Lucky for Bill Belichick and Co., a strong crop of corners awaits them in the NFL Draft. Picking 14th overall, the Pats should have several options to restock at the position.
Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
At 6- foot- 2 and 200 pounds, Gonzalez is a prototypical modern corner with super athleticism, fluidity in his movements and improved ball skills. Some draft evaluators see him as a top-10 talent capable of dominating in man or zone coverage. He projects as a Day 1 starter.
Last season, Gonzalez recorded four interceptions, seven other pass breakups and 51 tackles over a dozen games. According to The Athletic, he hit 23.3 miles per hour in 2021, so there's no doubt this big, physical specimen could stick with speedsters as well.
Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Two years older than Gonzalez, Porter Jr. brings a similar game at 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds. He's long and physical with an aggressive style that fits the Patriots' preferred man-toman scheme. Porter Jr. is also a sound tackler, a must in Belichick's defense.
He started three years at Penn State and totaled 11 pass breakups last season, averaging better than one per game. He is the son of former Steelers pass rusher Joey Porter Jr.
Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Ball skills? Check. Instincts? Check. Man-to-man ability? Check.
Witherspoon may be the easiest Patriots projection of any corner prospect in this class. He's a ballhawk with a linebacker's mentality that flashes whenever he's teeing up a big hit or showing in run support. But make no mistake, he's a coverage player first. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed completions on just
34.9% of his targets.
Witherspoon is scrappy and aggressive, traits that have helped far less talented corners succeed in New England. But at sixfoot and 180 pounds, Witherspoon may need to add some weight before thriving in the pros.
Brian Branch, Alabama
A hyrbid safety/nickelback, Branch isn't the type of player who would consistently cover outside the numbers, but he is some
one who would fit perfectly in Foxboro. Branch played everywhere in the secondary under Nick Saban and consistently showcased a high football IQ. Last season, he tallied 90 tackles, three sacks, seven passes defensed and two interceptions during a second-team All-american campaign.
Bottom line: Branch is a playmaker and a high-floor prospect who should help any team that drafts him.
Keele Ringo, Georgia
Ringo is the only player on this list who would rep
resent a reach at 14th overall. He's expected to test as one of the most athletic players in the entire class and competes well in big moments, most notably scoring a pick- six to seal the 2021 national championship game for Georgia. However, questions linger about his over-aggressiveness, and some evaluators see a possible long-term fit at safety.
Ringo, a 6- foot-2 and 205-pounder, could be a potential play by the Patriots if they draft him in the first round.