Tonight I am enjoying a caramel macchiato. It's official, I have a new shtick to start my blog posts.
Similarly to the defensive end class, and arguably the defensive tackle class, this year's group of cornerbacks is extremely deep and is a very curious group of talents. Due to that, I will be including double the content in this post as well.
The Value Guys
Nick Nelson, Wisc
5'11, 208 pounds
37 games, 122 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 0 INT, 41 PD, 2 FF
Similarly to the defensive end class, and arguably the defensive tackle class, this year's group of cornerbacks is extremely deep and is a very curious group of talents. Due to that, I will be including double the content in this post as well.
The Value Guys
Nick Nelson, Wisc
5'11, 208 pounds
37 games, 122 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 0 INT, 41 PD, 2 FF
After a solid high school career on both sides of the ball, Nick Nelson opted to go play for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. He started 8 games as a freshman and after his sophomore year, he decided to head back to the mainland. After arriving in Wisconsin, he made an immediate impact. When it was all said and done, Nelson ended the season with 21 passes defensed and All-Big Ten honors. Some may be scared off by the fact he does not have any interceptions, but Nelson was also an explosive punt returner when he found some space. His build and arm length give him scheme diversity and he is a hard nosed player. If you are looking for a gritty player who may need to have some refinement along the edges, then Nelson is your guy. He could arguably go in round one, but likely he will be a steal in round two.
Projection: Round 2
Jaire Alexander, UL
5'11, 192 pounds
29 games, 77 tackles, 2 TFL, 7 INT, 15 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
Projection: Round 2
Jaire Alexander, UL
5'11, 192 pounds
29 games, 77 tackles, 2 TFL, 7 INT, 15 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
If it was not for the fact that Alexander has missed some significant time due to injury, we would be talking about him as a top 10 pick. What this guy brings to the table is very impressive and when he falls to late round one or early round two, someone is going to get one heck of a pick. Calling him a playmaker would be to undersell it. He truly has a nose for the ball and the type of instincts you want to see at the position. Combine that with his athletic ability and it is no wonder why he was expected to excel in any situation or coverage. More importantly than that, when you watch this Louisville defense you see one that is highly talkative and tends to make many calls in the backend. Alexander communicated well and openly with his teammates and for Raider fans who have not seen this enough over the last few years, it really would be a blessing.
Projection: Late round 1
The Enigma Guys
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Bama
6'1, 201 pounds
42 games, 171 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 9 INT, 4 TD, 24 PD, 2 FF
Projection: Late round 1
The Enigma Guys
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Bama
6'1, 201 pounds
42 games, 171 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 9 INT, 4 TD, 24 PD, 2 FF
More often than not, the "Enigma" title is for guys that I believe massively underperform in college and simply do not live up to the hype for some reason or not. That certainly is not the case for Minkah. The reason why I have Minkah here is due to how his game projects. Some people will compare him to Ramsey from the Jaguars, and others will say that he is a hybrid safety/linebacker. I believe both are wrong. Look at the type of player the Packers have been searching for at the cornerback spot the last several seasons. The players they were drafting were supposed to be Minkah. To me, if you are the Raiders and will be switching to a primarily cover two or quarters coverage while adding wrinkles to give the look of cover three, then you need an intelligent, physical, versatile cornerback that can be a different kind of matchup across from Gareon Conley. That said, you can certainly devise other ways to make the defense work, but having a guy like Minkah who can even be effective in the slot and blitz, would be incredible.
Projection: Early round 1
Josh Jackson, Iowa
6'1, 192 pounds
21 games, 61.5 tackles, 8 INT, 2 TDS, 22PD, 1 FF
Projection: Early round 1
Josh Jackson, Iowa
6'1, 192 pounds
21 games, 61.5 tackles, 8 INT, 2 TDS, 22PD, 1 FF
I love Josh Jackson's game. What I don't love about him, is that he lacks so many of the prerequisites I desire especially for first round picks. He does not have the amount of games I want to see, he does not have the production outside of this year, and he certainly does not have the refinement. For those who do not know, Jackson was originally a wide receiver for the Hawkeyes, and you can certainly see that in his game when you see his hands and the way he breaks on the ball. That being said, he is about as raw as raw gets. Jackson made some incredible plays partly because he seemingly has an innate feel for the position and partly because he is a freak. The best example for those who are big on Jackson such as myself, is Richard Sherman. The question and enigma here is, does his lack of games matter more than his physical abilities and upside? When you see him get turned around on less complex double moves it will make you think it is crazy to take him early. Then when you watch him in man coverage trailing a guy, or watch him break on a ball in zone and pick the ball off, you think you might be watching Mike Haynes. It is risky, but I would do it.
Projection: Early round 1
The GIF Guys
Danny Johnson, Southern
5'10, 185 pounds
Projection: Early round 1
The GIF Guys
Danny Johnson, Southern
5'10, 185 pounds
If the first thing you thought when you saw this picture is, "Hold up, isn't that a receiver?" Well, it's Danny Johnson. He was Mr. Electrification for Southern and he was used on offense on occasion. What this guy lacks in stature he makes up in sheer attitude. Watching him is like watching swagger in motion and he brings it to the field regularly. Of course, all this is being said about a guy who played against low end competition and that will hurt him. To bolster his case is his pure athleticism and if you want to see that on display just watch his pick sixes. Johnson is an explosive athlete and most likely he will find himself a home playing the slot. Over time he could transition to the outside, but with his nose for the ball, and skill set, getting snaps at the slot would be a great spot to start. Something I love about him, he was a four year starter.
Projection: Round 4
Jalen Davis, Utah State
5'10, 185 pounds
48 games, 181 tackles, 17 TFL, 8 sacks, 11 INT, 4 TD, 37 PD, 4 FF
Projection: Round 4
Jalen Davis, Utah State
5'10, 185 pounds
48 games, 181 tackles, 17 TFL, 8 sacks, 11 INT, 4 TD, 37 PD, 4 FF
You will notice that my second GIF guy is very similar to the first. We are talking about another four year starter that played at lesser competition, produced a ton of interceptions, exceptional returns, and has a ton of swag. Just watch him play, it's oozing. Jalen reminded me of Jason Verrett. He showed a ton of chops to play physically on the outside against the boundaries and is absolutely willing to tackle. The athleticism is there to play in the slot and I think he will definitely find a home there. The sheer amount of games he has under his belt is staggeringly impressive. He got dinged his junior year, but outside of that was healthy for every other game of his college career. I am a big fan of his tape and watching it will leave you very impressed at times.
Projection: Round 3-4
The Anderson Guys
Christian Campbell, PSU
6'1, 194 pounds
38 games, 102 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 INT, 19 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
Projection: Round 3-4
The Anderson Guys
Christian Campbell, PSU
6'1, 194 pounds
38 games, 102 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 INT, 19 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
As per the usual, here is my mid round guy that I absolutely loved watching on tape, but would absolutely call a scheme guy and would only project him for certain teams. In the case of the Raiders, I do think he is a scheme fit. Where Campbell seemed to struggle most was when he had to keep up on a double move. Some receivers who had quality doubles could get him spun around and he was toast. He would usually try to recover by getting pass interference and was very handsy. Campbell is long and lanky, not strong, but he could absolutely be coached to get a strong reroute in cover two. Or ask him to keep a receiver in front of him in quarters and break on the ball. From the research I have done, he is expected to be a workout warrior at the combine and if he flashes some loose hips in defensive back drills, his value will definitely increase. Right now, he is a little bit of a project, but he can absolutely be a starting quality cornerback.
Projection: round 3-4
Denzel Ward, OSU
5'10, 191 pounds
29 games, 67 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INT, 24 PD
Projection: round 3-4
Denzel Ward, OSU
5'10, 191 pounds
29 games, 67 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INT, 24 PD
Anyone who has spent time digging through my Twitter timeline, which is creepy please do not stop, will know that I am a complete fan boy of Denzel Ward. I have been told that two Buckeyes at corner in back to back years is crazy, I don't care. Ward is likely to be my favorite player not named Bradley Chubb. He is another guy that does not have the amount of playing time I would prefer, but he was the backup in a stacked group the last couple of years and even earned notable praise in the Big 10 as a part time player during his sophomore season. Ward has the physicality, the athleticism, the ball skills, and the instincts to be a top notch cornerback in this league and if he were paired back up with Gareon Conley, whom defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said was the best cornerback in last year's draft, you would have an incredible long term duo. Add in young safeties in Joseph and Melfonwu and we are on the verge of having a stable back four for the next decade that could rival the Soul Patrol. Ward may be slightly small similarly to Conley and might not be the best with the jam, but use him in off coverage and allow him to play the ball and what you will see is fireworks. I would definitely get him into a weight room, teach some form tackling, and work on getting his head around, but those are all teachable.
Projection: Early round 1
The Stud Guys
Carlton Davis, Auburn
6'1, 203 pounds
37 games, 136 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 4 INT, 28 PD, 1 FR, 3 FF
Projection: Early round 1
The Stud Guys
Carlton Davis, Auburn
6'1, 203 pounds
37 games, 136 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 4 INT, 28 PD, 1 FR, 3 FF
Overall, I felt as if I had the least amount of questions when I finished watching Carlton Davis. For a long and tall cornerback, he has filled out well and has both the build and the strength to be a solid run defender. It is real simple with Davis, if you are going to build a team utilizing cover two, deep zones where he can read and rally, or bump and run, then Davis is your man and a day one starter. He will definitely struggle with precise route runners because he is a long strider. By extension this also means he will struggle putting on the brakes against comeback routes. These issues have more to do with his physical attributes and not his talent per se. The instincts are there, the ability to read the play is there, and the attitude is there, but coaching staffs will have to make sure they are not asking him to do what he is not built to do.
Projection: Mid to late rd 1
JC Jackson, Terps
5'11, 193 pounds
24 games, 4 INT, 13 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
Projection: Mid to late rd 1
JC Jackson, Terps
5'11, 193 pounds
24 games, 4 INT, 13 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
Ok, this is going to be controversial, especially because I am labeling him a "stud" and put Minkah in "enigma". For some back story, Jackson was first set to go to Florida and after taking a medical redshirt his freshman year, he was arrested for four felony counts related to robbery. He was later found not guilty and continued his career at Riverside Community College. He eventually made his way to Maryland where he started two seasons and posted solid numbers. More importantly, since arriving to Maryland he has been a model citizen and the coaches rave about his work ethic. After the 2017, he was given an Honorable Mention for all Big 10. Jackson has a great combination of strength, athleticism, dynamic playmaking ability, and instincts. Ultimately, I expect Jackson to turn some heads at the combine and if he truly has changed his life and got away from the trouble makers, he could be an incredible pick after a trade down in round one or possibly a round two guy that could plausibly start day one.
Projection: Mid round 1-end round 2
Projection: Mid round 1-end round 2