Inside the 2015 NFL Draft: Cornerbacks

This draft class of corners is polarizing. Scouts can’t come to a consensus as to wether or not this year is full of depth or devoid of it. I’ll be taking a look at some of the corners and this years draft. I will break it down by their projected NFL skill level.

Here are a few options for teams that will be looking for a surefire corner that they know will be able to step in and play from day one. If a team is looking for a lock down corner, these are the guys to look for.

Trae Waynes, Michigan State

www.nj.com

Trae Waynes ran a blazing 4.31 40-yard dash to add on to his impressive college resume. Right now, Waynes is projected to go in the first round and that truly is a fair grade. Although Waynes doesn’t have an ideal frame for an NFL corner, he is tall and fast. When looking in the draft for a cornerback, height and speed are two of the bare essentials to look for. Waynes will have no problem stepping in when asked to lock down receivers. By that I mean, he won’t shy away from the challenge. In college he was consistently put on an island, and never backed down from the challenge. He also has incredibly instinctive ball skills, which should make him an attractive option for teams looking to add a dynamic play-making game changer on the defensive side of the ball. He compares to a poor man’s Richard Sherman right now, but his potential is limitless.

Marcus Peters, Washington

www.footballsfuture.com

Peters may very well be the top rated cornerback in this class if his attitude never got the best of him, but unfortunately it does. Regardless, some team is going to need to be willing to take the risk on him because he is as good as they come. Peters is someone who is very fundamentally sound. He understands the game and has the athleticism to match. If he can be kept under control, Peters will serve as a starting cornerback for somebody, with potential to be a clear cut #1 lockdown corner.

Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest

www.cbssports.com

Kevin Johnson is someone who came late onto the scene. However, in the past few weeks, he has shown himself to be worthy of a top consideration. He may be overlooked, but make no mistake, Johnson will be drafted to be a team’s #1 corner. Johnson won’t wow anybody as an athlete, but he is a pure cover corner. He understands how to play in both man and zone coverage and is proficient at both. Coaches will love his natural ability to go out and cover without instructions. He’s the type of player who you can build a whole defense around because of his ability to cover receivers one-on-one no matter what the scheme is. If he develops well, he will be a deadly weapon.

P.J. Williams, Florida State

www.rantsports.com

The last of the potential first round corners is PJ Williams out of Florida State. He has a beautiful mix of athleticism, natural skill and football IQ. He will not excel as a man coverage corner at the next level, but he will be serviceable. Williams will fit well in a zone heavy scheme. However, the most impressive aspect of Williams’ game is his physicality. He is a different type of corner than the other three that have come before him, but effective nonetheless. He will bump up with receivers and make big hits in the open field. Lots of times, this kind of role is better suited for a secondary cornerback, but in some cases they can play well as the number one. Williams certainly has the skill.

Of course, there are some players with potential to be great lockdown corners with a little bit of work. I’ll now be taking a look at cornerbacks with potential that will require some work. If given the proper attention, these corners could develop into potential lockdown players:

Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio)

blackandbluereview.com

Quentin Rollins had a very convincing season. However, the problem with Rollins is that this has been his only season. Rollins has only played corner for one season. Actually, he’s only played football in general for one season. As you can imagine, most of the talent that he possesses at this point is largely due to his natural instincts. His technique is still incredibly raw, making him look very lost at some points. However, his natural build and all around athleticism make his NFL future promising if he’s given the chance to develop.

Jalen Collins, LSU

bleacherreport.com

Jalen Collins is in a position that is very similar to that of Rollins. Collins has started very few games for LSU, so experience is certainly an issue. He will need to continue to develop to adjust to the tenacity of the game. He will surely experience some problems as he tries to adjust from the smaller college players to the big, physical NFL receivers. He will need to get even more physical than usual due to his large size. He is 6’1″ and weighs 203 pounds. Although he is not huge, he is on the bigger side of NFL corners and will be asked to play a more physical man-to-man role. He has all the physical tools to become a very special NFL corner similar to Antonio Cromartie. He just needs to piece everything together.

Lastly, I will go over some of my favorite potential sleepers in this year’s NFL draft, because what kind of NFL Draft article would it be without naming a couple sleepers? I would like to say that I was tempted to include Byron Jones, but he receives a second round grade in most mocks, and based on the talent in front of him, I can’t really argue:

Alex Carter, Stanford

www.cbssports.com

Carter impressed many at the combine and moved his draft stock up. He is now projected to go late in the second round or early in the third round. Now, I think when compared to the other corners in this year’s draft, Carter deserves to be rated higher. Like most Stanford products, he is a very polished corner who’s only real knock is that he doesn’t have anywhere left to go. However, if you’re already at an NFL level coming into the league, then being at your ceiling may not be as big of a deal. I do think the knock on him is valid if discussing his validity as a team’s primary corner. However, when it comes to complimentary corners, I believe Carter could be one of the best in the business.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon

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Ifo Ekpre-Olomu has been Oregon’s best corner for a while now. It’s unfortunate that his career had to end on an ACL tear. That ACL tear dropped his draft stock from second round to fourth round, so this may be a cheap sleeper, but I’m going to do it anyway. Ekpre-Olomu is a supremely talented corner that has the coverage skills to be a starting cornerback in the NFL. However, due to his extremely short 5’9″ frame, such a starting job would be nearly impossible for him to maintain in the NFL. He simply wouldn’t be able to contend with the NFL’s taller receivers. There is a job for players such as Ekpre-Olomu in the NFL though. He could potentially be one of the NFL’s premier slot corners, which is a position which is becoming highly coveted in the NFL lately.

Charles Gaines, Louisville

sports-kings.com

Charles Gaines is another player being overlooked due to his small stature. Being 5’10”, he is on the shorter side, but not so short that he couldn’t play on the outside in the NFL. He is however, only 180 pounds which could lead to him being pushed around by some of the game’s more physical receivers. Gaines is projected to go in the fourth or fifth round, which I find absolutely ludicrous. You may notice a pattern in my favorite sleepers. I like to look past the aspects that players can’t control and look at the way they play the game. Gaines plays the game just as well as anyone else in the country. Unfortunately, if the NFL has shown us anything, it’s that size does matter when it comes to cornerbacks. Regardless, just like countless other small players before him, there is a place in the NFL for him. Especially if he can bulk up and become stronger.

Troy Hill, Oregon

www.oregonlive.com

This is my deepest sleeper. Some people look at Troy Hill and see an undersized, immature corner that will be drafted in the seventh round or not drafted at all. However, I look and see an NFL cornerback that could make one team look very smart. Hill has a competitive edge that most players lack, and that by itself is enough to give him somewhat of a chance. He is also technically sound in coverage. His biggest problems are his lack of strength, lack of fluidity in his hips and his off-the-field issues. These are all problems that will limit him to a certain extent in the NFL, but he is being overlooked in a big way. Hill can end up being a solid situational nickel corner at the very least. He is certainly worth more than a seventh round pick.