Ohio State boasts elite cornerbacks
Sports Weekly is taking a position-by-position look at prospects for the NFL draft, which runs April 27-29 in Philadelphia. This week: cornerbacks.
1. MARSHON LATTIMORE, OHIO STATE
The body of film supported Lattimore’s hype as the top athlete at the position, and his performance at the NFL scouting combine backed that up. Lattimore’s 4.37-second 40-yard time showed he has the straight-line quickness to stay with any receiver. There are injury concerns with Lattimore. Because of his ideal size (6-0, 192 pounds and 31¼-inch arms), Lattimore not only figures to be the first corner taken, but he also projects to become an instant star at the next level.
2. MARLON HUMPHREY, ALABAMA
Just like the man in front of him, Humphrey is an ultimate package of frame (6-0, 198 pounds and 32¼-inch arms) and skill traits. He comes from Nick Saban’s pro-style defense that requires a lot from its cornerbacks, and Humphrey flashed physicality and competitiveness that NFL coaches are going to love. He can fit in right away for teams that play zone, as well as ones who need a press lockdown corner. Before he can become a star, though, Humphrey will need to hone his technique and not rely so much on his athleticism.
3. GAREON CONLEY, OHIO STATE
Another Buckeye cracks the top three, and it’s with good reason. Conley has prototypical size (6-0, 195 pounds, 33-inch arms), and his 4.46-second 40-yard dash and 37-inch vertical leap will entice defensive coordinators. Using that size, Conley excels at playing close to receivers at the line of scrimmage in press man coverage. He’ll play early as a likely first-round pick, but he’s a liability in run support.
4. TRE’DAVIOUS WHITE, LSU
The one thing White has that arguably no other corner in this class does is experience — and a wealth of it. He stepped in as a starter for the Tigers in the third game of his freshman year and never looked back. He capped his career with a consensus first-team All-American season and has experience playing outside as well as in the slot. White isn’t the tallest corner but has the length needed (5-11, 192 pounds, 321⁄ 8- inch arms) to play as a rookie. He excels in man coverage but lacks a physical presence in run support. Speed and versatility, as well as experience at LSU as a punt returner and gunner, could make him a special-teams standout, too.
5. SIDNEY JONES, WASHINGTON
If not for an injury suffered at his pro day — a torn Achilles tendon — Jones would be ranked second on this list. But with a long road to recovery, there’s uncertainty about whether he will be ready for the start of the season and whether he can be the same type of player he was before the injury. He is a long and athletic player (6-1, 181 pounds and 31½-inch arms) who thrives on competition and has excellent ball skills, but he needs to add bulk to his frame.
6. QUINCY WILSON, FLORIDA
With prototypical size (6-1, 213 pounds, 32¼-inch arms), Wilson has the frame coaches love. What he might not have is a natural position. Depending on which team drafts him, Wilson might be a fit at cornerback or safety. With the Gators, he excelled as a corner, thanks to his aggressive, physical and competitive play. He disrupts the timing of routes by engaging receivers at the line of scrimmage. He might need to tweak the way he uses his hands to avoid being flagged in the NFL. Still, Wilson has the mind-set to be able to step in from the first day.
7. CHIDOBE AWUZIE, COLORADO
He has the confidence and swagger many coaches love in their cornerbacks, and Awuzie backs that up with elite athleticism. At 6-0 and 205 pounds with 305⁄ 8- inch arms, Awuzie might be a perfect fit in the slot, but he also has experience on the outside. Awuzie is a natural athlete who does an excellent job of shadowing wide receivers and not letting them get too much separation. A 40-yard time of 4.45 seconds and a broad jump of 132 inches highlight the explosiveness that should allow Awuzie to compete for playing time.
8. ADOREE’ JACKSON, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Not only is Jackson a natural athlete at corner, but he also has experience as a receiver on offense and as a return man on special teams. Once he became a full-time corner with the Trojans, his coverage skills steadily improved. Because of his smallish size (5-11, 185 pounds, 311⁄ 8- inch arms), though, Jackson might be best suited as a slot corner. Still, he boasts immense potential as an ascending player. With eight career touchdown returns on special teams, he should field punts and kickoffs as a rookie.
9. TEEZ TABOR, FLORIDA
A disappointing 40-yard time (4.62 seconds) at the scouting combine likely knocked Tabor down the draft boards of a few teams. That only intensified worries that he would struggle against speedier receivers in the NFL. Still, Tabor has the size (6-0, 213 pounds, 32-inch arms) and above-average athleticism needed to make plays as a corner. His nine career interceptions at Florida show he has the ball skills and coverage ability to match receivers from the snap.
10. FABIAN MOREAU, UCLA
A former running back who converted to cornerback as a freshman, Moreau steadily improved while with the Bruins. Now, he’s ready to translate his superb athleticism to the next level. A 4.36-second 40yard dash, 38-inch vertical leap and 136-inch broad jump at the NFL scouting combine showed that Moreau is one of the best athletes available not only at cornerback but in the entire NFL draft. At 6-0, 204 pounds and boasting 313⁄ 8- inch arms, Moreau definitely has the frame to play at the next level. What he needs is time to learn the intricacies of the position and expand his repertoire of coverages and techniques.
Coming next week: Wide receivers, tight ends