2009 NFL Draft Position Rankings
The Cornerbacks
2009 NFL Draft Post-Workout Rankings
Quarterbacks
|
Running Backs |
Fullbacks |
Receivers |
Tight Ends
Centers |
Guards |
Off. Tackles |
Def. Ends |
Def. Tackles
Inside LBs |
Outside LBs |
Cornerbacks |
Safeties
By
Pete Fiutak
- 2009 NFL
Rankings
Quarterbacks
|
Running Backs |
Fullbacks |
Receivers |
Tight Ends
Centers |
Guards |
Off. Tackles |
Def. Ends |
Def. Tackles
Inside LBs |
Outside LBs |
Cornerbacks |
Safeties
POSSIBLE NFL STARTERS
1. Malcolm
Jenkins, Ohio State 6-0, 204
He has
everything but speed. With good size and toughness, he’s terrific
against bigger receivers ad has no problems being physical, even though
he doesn’t show great weight room strength. For his size he has
phenomenal quickness, coming up with a Combine best time (for the
corners) in the cone drill and one of the best in the shuttle. However,
he came up with a glacier-slow 4.54 in the 40 exposing his lack of pure
deep speed. While he’ll be started out at corner, and will be more than
fine, he could really shine down the road with a few years of experience
and a move to free safety. For now, he won’t be asked to deal with too
many blazers and will likely have to try to erase the bigger targets.
But for where he’s picked and the money he’ll make, he needs to be a No.
1 corner and that just might not be in him.
CFN Projection:
First Round
2. Darius Butler, Connecticut
5-10, 178
A nice prospect going
into the off-season, Butler ripped it up at the Combine and his stock
shot through the roof. His 4.41 was a breath of fresh air among a slow
corner class, and he came up with an NBA guard-like 43” vertical leap
and 11’ 2” broad jump. He also stood out in practices at the Senior
Bowl. He’s like a gnat when he tries to tackle, he can be brushed aside,
and he’s not going to provide much help against the power runners, but
that won’t be his job. He’ll handle the smaller, quicker receivers, but
he has to get stronger to be able to deal with the bigger more physical
ones. He’d get killed by a Calvin Johnson or a Larry Fitzgerald, but he
could lock on to a Steve Smith.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
3. Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest
5-9, 195
The ACC’s all-time
leader in interceptions, he has a knack for being around the ball and he
doesn’t miss when he gets his chance to make a big play. He’s not strong
and he’s not all that physical, but he tends to hold his own against the
bigger receivers and he has no problems keeping with the quicker ones.
Very smart, he’ll have to overcome his lack of elite athleticism by
outworking everyone in the film room and taking a few educated gambles
here and there. He’ll start out in nickel and dime packages and could be
a team-leader in interceptions.
CFN Projection:
Second Round
4. D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt
5-9, 190 (Jr.)
He was a star of
stars in the SEC doing a little bit of everything for the Commodores
seeing time as a return man and a receiver along with his corner duties.
While he plays fast, and he certainly didn’t have any problems in the
best conference in America, he had a disappointing Combine with a
painfully slow 4.59 in the 40 and showing average quickness. However, he
did come up with a 39.5” vertical leap, which helps make up for his lack
of height. He’s a decent tackler, but not a great one and doesn’t have
No. 1 NFL corner skills. He’s smart, a playmaker, and will do whatever
is needed to succeed. He’ll be used in a variety of ways in a secondary
and will be around the league for a decade.
CFN Projection:
Third Round
5. Vontae Davis, Illinois
5-11, 205 (Jr.)
Without
question, in terms of pure physical skills, Davis is the best corner in
the draft with 4.4 speed (in a class that has problems finding sub-4.4
prospects), a linebacker-like 25 reps on the bench, a 36” vertical, and
fluid quickness. His older brother, Vernon Davis of the San Francisco
49ers, was also a workout marvel. However, they both seem to have the
same dog streak. He played last year like he was counting the minutes
before he could turn pro and wasn’t nearly the playmaker he should’ve
been. Had he not been a pain in the butt for the coaches (try to get a
strong word out of the Illini coaching staff about him) and had he
focused on having a great year, realizing the mega-payday he would’ve
received as a top ten pick, he would’ve been everyone’s No. 1 corner off
the board. He’ll go relatively early based on pure physical talent, but
he’ll bounce around the league teasing teams with his raw skills.
CFN Projection: Second Round
6. Jairus Byrd, Oregon
5-10, 205 (Jr.)
Slowwwwwwww.
He’s a good all-around football player with tremendous ball skills and a
nose for always making the big plays. The son of Gill Byrd, a former Pro
Bowl defensive back, he has been coached and taught well and will work
his tail off to be the best he can be. He won’t back down from a
challenge and he’s hardly soft when it comes to getting his nose dirty
to make a tackle. And then there’s the speed. To be generous, he’s
around a 4.6, and he didn’t get a chance to run at the Combine with a
groin problem. He’s not the best athlete and is better at playing
football than he is in workouts. Because of his all-around ability, and
his versatility, he’ll stick around the league for a long time as a good
cog in a secondary, but he’ll never be a No. 1 corner.
CFN
Projection: Third Round
7. Mike Mickens, Cincinnati
6-0, 185
Ultra-productive with
fantastic ball skills, he’s a playmaking corner who’ll have to get by on
his instincts and big play ability. He had a knee problem this
off-season and wasn’t able to work out at the Combine, and that’s not
the worst thing for him considering his 40 time probably wouldn’t be
better than around a 4.55. The lack of blazing speed is a problem since
it forces him to gamble a bit too much. He’ll make big plays here and
there, but he’ll also get torched against the speedsters. If he can add
about 15 pounds of muscle he has a future as a ball-hawking nickel back
or free safety, but he’ll have to start out as a No. 3 corner who’ll
need to prove he’s durable enough to be on the field for three downs.
CFN Projection: Third Round
8. Sherrod Martin, Troy (S) 6-1,
198
Troy has become a pipeline of good
defensive backs, and he has the raw skills to be the best and most
versatile of the bunch. The question is whether or not someone can coach
him up in a big hurry. He’ll be 25 when the season starts and he needs
technique work as a corner, but the size, speed, and potential are all
there. He’s a big defensive back with excellent range and decent wheels
that could make him a starter at free safety, but he’s not a good enough
tackler to be counted on right away at anywhere but corner. With his
quickness and his upside, albeit with a range of about two years, he’ll
be a potential boom pick.
CFN Projection: Third
Round
9. Kevin
Barnes, Maryland 6-0, 185
While he’s
to going to tackle anyone, he’s a great athlete who can cut on a dime
and has enough speed to handle the more talented, athletic receivers.
He’s not bulky and he’s not all that strong, but he’s tall and plays
bigger with a tremendous vertical leap. Because of his size and frame,
or his lack of it, he’ll have problems staying healthy. He got hurt last
year with a shoulder injury and was knocked out halfway through the
year. While he impressed everyone with his post-season workouts, he
needs refinement on his overall technique and he’ll have to be in a
position where he doesn’t have to be physical.
CFN Projection:
Third Round
10. Bradley Fletcher, Iowa
(FS/CB) 6-1, 195
He has a great
combination of size and speed with 4.49 wheels in a long frame.
Extremely quick both on the field and in workouts, he has the skills to
be a top-shelf corner and the size and strength to become a decent free
safety. However, he’s still a work in progress. It took him a while to
become a good player at Iowa and he’s still developing. Technique as
both a corner and a safety are a problem and there’s a concern about
substance abuse after getting suspended for a time earlier in his
career. While he didn’t do enough on the field to warrant a high pick,
his raw skills are too much to pass up.
CFN Projection:
Third Round
11. Victor “Macho” Harris,
Virginia Tech 5-11, 198
Macho was a tremendous producer for a
great Hokie defense. He made all the plays, has no problems coming up in
run support, and is great when he has the ball in his hands. An
instinctive, aggressive corner, he loves to take on big challenges and
seems to rise to the moment when the spotlight is on. While he blasted
the agility drills at the Combine, coming up with a sub-4.0 in the
shuttle drill and a corner-best 6.68 in the cone, he only ran a 4.68
forever dooming him to certain schemes where he’ll need a ton of help
from the safeties.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
12. Asher Allen, Georgia
5-10, 195 (Jr.)
Allen has a good all-around combination of skills.
He’s fast, running a 4.48 at the Combine, strong, coming up with 22 reps
on the bench, and is tougher against the run than most corners in the
draft. He doesn’t miss a stop in the open field and he holds his own
against the bigger receivers. On the down side, he’s not all that quick
and has problems with the blazers. He’s good enough to be a starter in
the right scheme, and he’s a lock to find a role as a nickel or dime
back, but he’s missing the top-end wheels to be a No. 1 corner.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
BEST OF THE
REST
13. Brandon Hughes, Oregon State 5-11, 180
In a slow class of corners, the 4.4 Hughes
ran at the Combine, along with his 36.5” vertical leap, made him stand
out. He’s not all that strong and he doesn’t provide any sort of a pop,
but he’s more than willing to help out against the run and he doesn’t
shy away from contact. While he has the basic skills, even if he does
need to hit the weights, he doesn’t have much in the way of football
sense. He’s not a playmaker, picking off just three passes for the
Beavers, and he doesn’t seem to around the ball enough. However, he’s a
good character guy who’ll work hard and will take to coaching, so if
someone is willing and able to spend the time to improve his instincts,
he could be a real find.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
14. DeAngelo Smith,
Cincinnati 5-11, 190
Mike Mickens might have been the best player
in the Cincinnati secondary, but it was Smith’s defensive backfield. A
good starter who’s willing to help out against the run and has no
problems being physical, but he’s just not a good enough athlete to be a
regular NFL starter. His 4.5 in the 40 was solid, and his 17 reps on the
bench were eye-opening, but was the slowest corner at the Combine in the
agility drills and had the low 31.5” in the vertical leap. He’ll likely
make his money down the road as a safety and will be a regular in the
rotation because of his toughness and character, but there’s a hard
ceiling on what he can do.
CFN Projection: Third
Round
15.
Donald Washington, Ohio State
6-0, 195 (Jr.)
A disappointment
at Ohio State, he was suspended from the team for an early stretch and
he lost his starting corner job. In a bit of a shock, he chose to leave
early rather than come back to try to boost his stock by establishing
himself as a No. 1 corner, and then came the Combine. With excellent
size, he ran a respectable 4.5 and was lightning quick in the agility
drills, but he opened up everyone’s eyes by leaping 45” in the vertical
jump (tops for the Combine) and 11’ 3” in the broad jump. However, his
reputation for a lack of physical play on the field was hurt more by
only coming up with seven reps on the bench. There are huge, screaming
red flags about his character and his ability to work to be a starter,
but the raw skills are too great to not take a flier on.
CFN
Projection: Third Round
16. Coye Francies, San Jose State
6-1, 185
Originally an Oregon
State Beaver, Francies transferred to San Jose State after off-the-field
issues surrounding the possession of a loaded gun. Despite playing with
a few ailments, he was fine last year for the Spartans. He’s a corner,
but he’ll end up playing safety some day with good strength, benching 24
reps at the Combine, and with a lack of pure speed to stick on the
outside. He put up a painfully slow 4.63 in the 40, but he was quick and
fluid in the agility drills. Because of his lack of speed, he needs to
bust his tail in the weight room and get to around 200 pounds to find
his niche.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
17. Keenan Lewis, Oregon
State 6-1, 208
A productive starter
for four years, Lewis has good size and decent coverage skills. While he
didn’t come up with a ton of tackles or big plays, he was durable,
played through injuries, and was reliable. He ran a decent 4.51 at the
Combine, but he didn’t do the quickness or agility drills. However, he’s
strong, evidenced by his 19 reps on the bench, and has the smarts to
possibly be used down the road as a safety if he can learn how to hit.
His biggest problem is that he doesn’t do any one thing all that well
and is a tweener in a bad way. He’s not fast enough to stay with the
quicker receivers, and he’s not tough enough to handle the bigger ones.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
18. Lardarius Webb, Nicholls
State 5-10, 180
Originally a Southern Miss Golden Eagle, Webb
was booted off the team and ended up at Nicholls State where he was a
star returner and do-it-all defensive back. He’s not all that big, but
has tremendous leaping ability to make up for it. More than anything
else, he’s really, really fast, coming up with a 4.35 in Indy to go
along with good quickness in the agility drills. For good and bad,
considering his size and frame, he’s not afraid to mix it up to try to
make the big hit. He’ll have to learn how to play corner at an NFL level
after spending a lot of time playing safety in college, but he has the
attitude and the raw skills to be a sleeper.
CFN Projection:
Fifth Round
19. Greg Toler, St. Paul’s 5-11,
190
A small-school reach, Toler has
decent speed around the 4.45 range and good size. He dominated when the
ball was in the air and fights to make plays. He needs a lot of work and
needs to hit the weights hard, but he was great in post-season workouts
and all-star practices making him a pet-project on the list for some
teams. Nowhere near ready to start, he has the athleticism to be used on
special teams while he refines his talent.
CFN Projection:
Fourth Round
20. Bryce McCain, Utah 5-9, 185
Way short but way productive, he was a
star for the strong Ute defense for the last four years as both a corner
and a kick returner. While he’s not all that bad for his size against
the run, his money is made on pure blazing speed. In a very slow draft
for corners, McCain’s 4.33 stands out and he’s been clocked by some as
below 4.3. He’ll never be good against bigger, more physical receivers,
but he’ll have a place in a secondary because of his range and his
wheels.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
21. Domonique Johnson,
Jackson State 6-2, 195
A nice blend of skills, Johnson is a 4.5
runner with good size who dominated at the lower level. Originally
considered a possible top 100 pick when the season ended, his stock fell
through the floor in post-season workouts with a mediocre Senior Bowl
week and a lousy Combine. He only benched seven reps, jumped just 32”,
and was shocking slow in the agility drills. He’s a project who needs to
find a niche on day one of a camp, and he has to play faster than he
showed in shorts.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
22. Cary Harris, USC
6-0, 190
With decent size and
good tackling ability, Harris is a good football player who had a decent
career for the loaded Trojans. He has two big issues: durability and
speed. He was always dinged up and pulled up lame at the Combine trying
to run the 40. Quicker than fast, he runs around a 4.6 when he’s right
and isn’t the best athlete around. He provides enough of a pop to be a
decent nickel or dime back, but he doesn’t have the feet to be a
starter.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
23. Joe Burnett, UCF
5-10, 190
While he’ll see time
in the secondary and will get a chance to win a corner job, his money
will be made as a returner. A star from day one for the Knights,
everyone knew he was a next-level punt returner early on yet still
couldn’t keep him from producing. Extremely strong, he benched 225
pounds 22 times at the Combine, and he was more than solid in the
quickness and leaping drills. He’s not good against bigger receivers and
will likely work mostly in pure passing situations, but he’ll make a
team with his range and his special teams duties.
CFN
Projection: Sixth Round
24. Captain Munnerlyn, South
Carolina 5-9, 185 (Jr.)
Thanks to a disastrous decision to come out
early, he needs to try to catch on by making some big plays early on in
a camp or he’ll be a early cut. He’s strong, has good leaping skills and
decent speed, but he can’t play at an NFL level. Fast receivers will
blow past him and big receivers will shove him aside. With all that
said, he could find a niche as a nickel back and a fourth corner if he
can show off his run stopping ability and he’s just good enough of a
return prospect to warrant a look.
CFN Projection:
Seventh Round
25. Morgan Trent, Michigan 6-1,
190
After starting out his career at
receiver, Trent turned into a decent cog for the Wolverine secondary
with a good mix of speed, size, and strength. Considering he was a
Michigan high school track superstar, and considering he plays fast on
the field, he ran a surprisingly slow 4.52 at the Combine. He made up
for it with 23 reps on the bench and a 38” vertical. While he has good
skills, he’s not the best football player and didn’t play up to his
talent in college.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
ON THE RADAR
26.
Bruce Johnson, Miami
5-10, 170
27. DeAndre Wright, New Mexico
5-11, 195
28. Ryan Mouton, Hawaii
5-9, 185
29. Jerraud Powers, Auburn
5-9, 190
30. Jahi Word-Daniels, Georgia Tech 6-0, 195
31. Michael Ray Garvin, Florida State 5-8, 175
32. Mark Parson, Ohio 5-9, 188
33. Ellis Lankster, West Virginia 5-9,
180
34. Jacob Lacey, Oklahoma State 6-2, 198
35. Lydell
Sargeant, Penn State 5-9, 190
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