Why Bernard-Converse is shining at cornerback
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse swatted down the first pass thrown his direction.
And the second.
Then the third.
And by then, you figured Kansas State would stop throwing at him.
Nope, the Wildcats tried five more times last Saturday to complete a pass to the receiver Bernard-Converse was covering. In all, eight passes netted two completions for 15 yards.
“They went after him pretty good early,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “He’s been around forever. He’s seen a
lot, doesn’t panic.”
Bernard-Converse has quietly but noticeably taken over the position as OSU’s top cornerback in his second season playing the position after moving from safety.
He has started 37 consecutive games and will be back in the lineup when the Cowboys play host to Baylor at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Typically, when a mid-career position change occurs for a defensive back, the transition is from cornerback to safety. Rarely do players go the other direction with any success. But BernardConverse is quite the exception.
He began his career as a cover safety in Jim Knowles’ three-safety defensive alignment. That meant he would most often be covering slot receivers, acting as a cornerback in the middle of the field.
His long body at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, plus his quick hips and good feet made him ideal for the position — and capable of making the move to cornerback.
After two seasons at safety, BernardConverse made the switch outside and excelled from the start.
This season, with former Cowboy Roadrius Williams gone to the NFL, Bernard-Converse is drawing more difficult matchups against opponents’ best receivers, and he’s performing even better.
According to Pro Football Focus analytics, Bernard-Converse is graded as the 26th-best cornerback in college football.
“He’s been a pretty good player for a long time,” Gundy said. “He’s just a year more into experience and still playing good.
“He can make a play at the last second. Corners that are new, they see they could potentially give up a catch and they panic at the last second. He doesn’t do that. He has too much experience.”
This season, Bernard-Converse says he better understands the preparation aspect of playing cornerback, and feels more comfortable at cornerback than he did at safety.
“I’m more locked in,” he said. “I’m getting more film study, more work after practice and during practice and just doing more than what I did last year to be ready.
“I feel like I’m more comfortable at corner now, because I’ve got the experience and I learned from a lot of guys before me. I feel like it’s a better fit.”
And challenging moments like last Saturday, when a quarterback throws his way early and often, don’t rattle Bernard-Converse.
“That’s expected,” he said. “We play in the Big 12, so of course, they’re gonna pass. You just gotta be ready and play to the best of your abilities.”