2008 NFL Draft Position
Rankings
The Cornerbacks
Rankings & Breakdowns
Top 50 Players - 1 to
25 |
Top 50 Players - 26 to 50
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs |
Wide Receivers
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Tight Ends
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Offensive Tackles
Offensive Guards |
Centers
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Defensive Ends
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Defensive Tackles
Linebackers |
Safeties
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Cornerbacks
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Punters & Kickers
By
Pete Fiutak
The Class
Is ... Good, but it's not as great as many will make it out
to be. After a lousy last few years of corner drafts, everyone
is starving for a good crop of talents. There are several good
prospects, but the top 10-to-15 are interchangeable. There isn't
a sure-thing No. 1 corner in the lot, but there are plenty of
No. 2s and it's extremely deep with prospects and potential.
The Best Value Pick Will Be ... Jack Williams, Kent State
Most Underrated ... Antoine Cason, Arizona (as a safety)
Most Overrated ... Reggie Smith, Oklahoma
The Deep, Deep Sleeper Is ...
Antwaun Molden, Eastern Kentucky |
POTENTIAL NFL STARTERS
1.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tennessee State
The high riser of the corners after the Combine, Rodgers-Cromartie
blazed off a 4.34 40. At 6-1 and 184 pounds he has great size to go
along with that phenomenal speed and athleticism, and he's great at
going after the ball and making something happen when he gets his
hands on it. While he didn't see a high level of competition at
Tennessee State, he looked like he could've been from LSU or Ohio
State with the way he matched up against top receivers at the Senior
Bowl. He needs to get stronger and he needs to be willing to become
a better tacklers, but he has everything else you'd want in a No. 1
corner.
CFN Projection: First Round
2. Mike Jenkins, CB South Florida
A tremendous
three-year starter on a good USF defense, Jenkins is a true shut-down
corner who isn't afraid to get physical and can all but erase the top
receivers when he has his game on. The question is his motor. If it's
going full-tilt and he wants it, he looks like an all-star. When he
suffers lapses or doesn't get up for the competition, he can be beaten
by average receivers. He needs to bring it game in and game out. It
would be nice if he picked off more passes, taking away just six despite
being a four-year regular, but that's a bit misleading.
CFN Projection: First Round
3. Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
He wasn't even the best defensive back on his own team last year;
Elbert Mack had the better season. McKelvin has the speed, clocking in a
4.39 40, and he's big and strong enough to make plenty of big hits and
not be pushed around by the bigger receivers. Not afraid to step up
against the run, he's hardly a prima donna when it comes time to get
dirty. He got banged up a bit and he needs to prove he can be consistent
against the better receivers, but everything else is there, including
the return skills, to be a starter for a long time.
CFN Projection: First Round
4.
Antoine Cason, CB/FS Arizona
Arguably the best defensive back in the Pac 10 for the last four
years, Cason was a consistently great playmaker doing a little of
everything well from making 253 career tackles to picking off 15 throws
to breaking up 37 passes, including 19 in his senior year alone.
Not a blazer, but with good size, he could end up moving to free safety.
He'll find a spot somewhere and will be a longtime starter, but he's not
going to be a superstar.
CFN Projection: Third Round
5. Brandon Flowers, CB/FS Virginia Tech
Flowers grew into a big-time ball-hawker over his last two years at
Virginia Tech breaking up 35 passes and picking off eight throws. A
great tackler who seems to crave the assignment of facing a top-flight
receiver, he has a safety hitting mentality in the body of a brash
corner. His problem is his speed; he doesn't have much. In a draft with
so many speed corners, running a 4.59 makes him no better than several
linebackers. He'll eventually have to be moved to safety.
CFN Projection: Second Round To Third Round
6.
Tyvon Branch, CB/FS Connecticut
4.36. Branch was considered a nice prospect with good size and
excellent production over the last few seasons, and then he came to the
Combine and ripped off a 4.36. A great tackler, he made 168 over the
last two seasons, but he only picked off three career passes. His value
as a returner will only make him more attractive; he'll make an impact
in some was on special teams from the moment he steps on the field. If
he struggles at corner, he'd make a whale of a free safety.
CFN Projection: Third Round
7.
Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
At 6-1 and 197 pounds with 4.49 speed, Talib has the measurables. He
had few problems against any receiver with size and could stay with most
speed receivers, but he had a few problems in some big games. Kansas
State's Jordy Nelson ate Talib alive. A superior athlete, he was used as
a receiver before finally settling into the defensive backfield
full-time last year. There's an attitude, for good and bad, and he's
been used to being a special player on a team full of overachievers.
He'll have to be ready to be humbled a bit and use it for motivation to
get better; he can't just assume he's the most talented player on the
field anymore.
CFN Projection: Second Round
8. Jack Williams, CB Kent State
While he's not huge, at just 5-9 and 186 pounds, he throws his body
around well and makes a ton of tackles. An ultra-productive four-year
starter, he closed out with a brilliant 93-tackle campaign as he did
more than ever for the run defense despite being hurt and playing
through some big problems. Speed is hardly a problem with 4.44 wheels,
and he has improved when the ball was in the air.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
9. Jack Ikegwuonu,
CB Wisconsin
If he can be consistent and if he can become tougher, he has the
potential to be a great pro. The first issue is a knee injury suffered
right after the season ended in a pre-draft workout. The second issue is
his character. He got in trouble off the field and the coaching staff
openly questioned his toughness in a few big games when he got dinged
up. Outside of allowing a huge pass play to Michigan's Mario Manningham
last year, he shut down most of the top receivers and showed off his
speed by chasing down Darren McFadden in the 2007 Capital One Bowl.
CFN Projection: Third Round To Fourth Round
10. Reggie Smith, CB/S Oklahoma
Smith's ability to play either corner or safety will allow a
defensive coordinator to play around with him in several situations. A
good hitter, he made plenty of stops over the last three years and
became more of a ball-hawker last season when he settled into more of a
corner role. Not a blazer, he can get beaten deep and he gave up way too
many home runs when he was at safety. Basically, he's a good NFL
prospect at several positions, but not great at any one.
CFN Projection: Second Round To Third Round
11. Justin King, CB Penn State
Really, really fast. King's 4.37 40 confirmed what everyone already
knew that he was among the fastest players in the draft, but for all his
speed and all his athleticism, he wasn't all that great a cover-corner
on a consistent basis. He had some big games when he erased the No. 1
receiver, and then he got destroyed by some, like Indiana's James Hardy,
who lit it up with 14 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He has
the measurables, but not the talent or the consistency to be anyone's
top corner.
CFN Projection: Second Round To Third Round
12. Patrick Lee, CB Auburn
With great speed and excellent size, he looks the part of a top-flight
corner and he's not afraid to play like it both against the run and when
the ball is in the air. He'll do whatever is needed and is a very
willing worker who'll try to do whatever is needed to help the team. He
only started for one year and he needs time to learn how to be an elite
corner, but it's all there for him if someone is willing to be a little
bit patient.
CFN Projection: Second Round To Third Round
13. Tracy
Porter, CB Indiana
Arguably the best corner in the Big Ten that no one paid any
attention to, Porter was a great three-and-a-half year starter with nice
4.49 speed and good shut-down ability. He made a lot of tackles,
including 83 last season, but he's not the best run stopper and he'll
get shoved around by the bigger, stronger receivers. He should be a nice
second corner and a tremendous third man in the mix.
CFN Projection: Third Round
BEST OF THE REST
14. Charles Godfrey, CB/FS Iowa
The measurables are there. He's close to six-feet and 207 pounds
with 4.48 speed, he could be a nice corner or a killer free safety. A
good tackler, he doesn't miss many stops and he has no problem being
physical. While he made five interceptions last year, he doesn't attack
the ball on a consistent basis and needs a ton of work on his style and
technique. He'll be a better pro than a college player in a few years
when he moves to safety full time.
CFN Projection: Third Round
15. Terrell Thomas, CB USC
Strong with good size and good quickness, he's a good form corner
who isn't afraid to take chances, for good and bad, and isn't afraid to
hit. While he's not a blazer, he's able to keep up with the speedier
receivers and can bully the smallish ones. He's had injury problems and
he doesn't have the talent to be a No. 1 NFL corner, but he'd be a good
two and he could end up moving to safety as his career goes on.
CFN Projection: Third Round
16. Terrence Wheatley, CB Colorado
While he's not all that big at just 5-9 and 187 pounds, he hits like
a much bigger player and has elite speed. Because of his size he'll have
injury problems, and missed all of 2005 with a wrist injury, but he's
not going to stop hitting and he should play a role in some was as a
nickelback or as a No. 2 cover-corner. As long as he knows what his role
is and doesn't try to be something he's not, he should last in the
league a long time.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
17. Chevis Jackson, CB LSU
Jackson got lumped in with past LSU defensive backs as many assumed
he'd be just as good as a LaRon Landry (who played a different position)
among others, and while he was fine as a three-year starters at a high
level, and had a whale of a senior season, he's not quite an elite
player. Too stringy at 6-0 and 192 pounds, and way too slow with 4.62
speed, he'll be limited unless he bulks up and becomes a safety. Even
so, he's a football player and will be better than his measurables.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
18. Trae Williams, CB South Florida
Overshadowed by running mate Mike Jenkins, Williams had just as
productive a career as a terrific starter for almost four years. He was
fantastic whenever anyone stayed away from Jenkins picking off 13 passes
in the last two seasons alone and worked his tail off to become a better
tackler. He has good speed, but not elite-level wheels, and he's a bit
small and isn't too physical, but he's a good, sound defender who'll be
good enough to stick around the league for a long time if he's in the
right system.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
19. Orlando Scandrick, CB Boise State
Blazing fast, running a 4.36 at the Combine, Scandrick upped his
stock after a good but not great three-year career. He has decent size,
but he doesn't use it enough and isn't too physical and has a major
question mark about his toughness. On speed alone he'll be worth playing
around with in the secondary at several spots, but he needed to stay in
school another year to up his stock.
CFN Projection: Late Fifth Round To Early Sixth
20. Justin Tryon, CB Arizona State
Expected to be one of the faster corners in the draft, he tested a
tad slow, for him, registering a 4.52; a far cry from the sub-4.4 level
he was supposed to run. He played bigger than his size and is a good
tackler, but he's a good athlete who could be a good return man and
should be able to hang with the speedier receivers. He'll just get
shoved around by the bigger ones.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
21. Michael Grant, CB/FS Arkansas
A great tackler with excellent speed, he can be a solid corner or
moved to safety if he's able to beef up a bit. A willing special teamer,
he'll be able to make a team on his overall versatility. However, he's
too small to be a regular safety and he's not quite talented enough to
be an every day corner.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
22. Antwaun Molden, CB/FS Eastern Kentucky
Really fast with good size, he has the look of a starting corner,
and he proved in workouts to have the strength to match up with any big
receiver. While he has the athleticism and the measurables that some of
the top corner prospects would die for, he's not a great football
player. While someone will fall in love with the size/speed ratio, he
needs work before he's a player.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
23. DeJuan Tribble, CB Boston College
Too small at just 5-8 and 196 pounds, and too slow with a 4.69 40,
he doesn't have the measurables to make much of an impact. However, he's
a good ball-hawker, was a good starter for the last three years at a
high level, and plays quicker than he is. He should make for a
good backup and a key nickel defender, but he'll be picked on if he has
to start.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
24. DeMichael Dizer, CB Grambling State
A safety moving to corner, he's a bit smallish to ever dream of
being anything other than a No. 2 corner, at best, and while he's quick
and athletic, he's not a blazer. It's going to take a while before he
can hit the field in a regular role and he needs a ton of polish, but
there's good upside. First he has to learn how to play corner.
CFN Projection: First Round
25. Jonathan Wilhite, CB Auburn
Injuries kept him from having the career he was supposed to. He
struggled with knee and shoulder problems and didn't do enough when he
was healthy. Even though he didn't do enough at Auburn and even though
he's a bit small, he showed great speed in off-season workouts. On speed
alone he's worth a look, but he's a project.
CFN Projection: Seventh Round
26. Dwight Lowery, CB/FS San Jose State
Coming over from the JUCO ranks, Lowery made a huge splash with nine
interceptions as a junior and four last year. He's a good pass defender
and made the most of his opportunities, but he'll have to work his way
into a safety role to stick around the league for a while. He's not a
good man-on-man defender and he doesn't have the speed to become a
starting NFL corner.
CFN Projection: Seventh Round
27. Reggie Corner, CB Akron
A small, feisty corner, he has just enough speed and quickness to
make up for his 5-9, 175-pound size. He did a good job against the
better receivers and he played bigger than he appears as his career went
on. A four-year starter who picked off seven interceptions as a senior,
he always found his way to the ball. He'll find a role somewhere in a
secondary, but there's a rock-hard ceiling on what he can become.
CFN Projection: Seventh Round
ON
THE RADAR
28. Marcus Walker, CB Oklahoma
29. Trey Brown, CB UCLA
30. Brandon Foster, CB Texas
31. Jonathan Hefney, CB Tennessee
32. Zackary Bowman, CB Nebraska
33. Darnell Terrell, CB/FS Missouri
34. Justin McKinney, CB Kansas State
35. Brandon Sumrell, CB Southern Miss
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