The cornerback position is one of the deepest positions in this year’s draft. There could be as many as five cornerbacks that go in the first round. Here are my top 20 cornerbacks and my thoughts on the position.
XNOJOE’s Top 20 Cornerbacks
1. Minkah Fitzpatrick, 6-1 201, Alabama
2. Denzel Ward, 5-10, 191, Ohio State
3. Josh Jackson, 6-1 192, Iowa
4. Mike Hughes, 5-10 189, Central Florida
5. Jaire Alexander, 5-11 192, Louisville
6. Carlton Davis 6-1 203, Auburn
7. Isaiah Oliver, 6-1 190, Colorado
8. Anthony Averett, 6-0 185, Alabama
9. Issac Yiadom, Boston College
10. Donte Jackson, LSU
11. Tarvarus McFadden, Florida State
12. Duke Dawson, 5-10 208, Florida
13. Parry Nickerson, 6-0 180 Tulane
14. J.C Jackson 5-11 193, Maryland
15. Brandon Facyson, 6-2 197, Virginia Tech
16. Nick Nelson, 5-11 208, Wisconsin
17. Holton Hill, 6-3 200, Texas
18. Kevin Toliver, 6-3 204, LSU
19. Tony Brown, 6-0 198, Alabama
20. Quenton Meeks, 6-2 205, Stanford
Thoughts on the Class
– I think this as good a class as we’ve seen in recent years. Fitzpatrick, Ward, Hughes, Alexander and Jackson will all step in and start as rookies.
– I really like Minkah Fitzpatrick because he is long, athletic and has terrific ball skills one on one. He is also versatile. He can play safety in certain sub packages.
– Denzel Ward is your classic Ohio State cover corner. He’s smooth in transition and he can plant, drive and redirect and he plays with great instincts.
– Central Florida’s Mike Hughes might have been the most underrated defensive player in the nation last season. While Central Florida’s front seven got all the attention, it was Hughes and the back seven that were the catalysts to UCF’s defensive success in 2018.
– I really like Iowa’s Josh Jackson. He has good length, is smooth when he transitions and can effectively high point the ball one on one. He is also willing stack and shed a block and support the run on a consistent basis.
– Louisville’s Jaire Alexander has experience playing in various coverage alignments. Whether it’s as a press corner in Cover 2 or as an off corner in loose man or Cover 3, Alexander plays with good instincts and an ability to read and break on the ball.
-Auburn’s Carlton Davis has good length and an ability to maintain hip position down field. He is technically sound and makes plays on the ball but the overall ball skills are sub par.
– Colorado’s Isaiah Oliver might start his career off playing in the slot in sub packages but his ability to punch, redirect and flip his hips means he is best suited to eventually play outside. at 6-1, Oliver has good size and is physical.
– Length is a theme in this class. The majority of the corner in this group are all over six feet tall. The big corner revolution is complete now. We have gotten to a point where big cornerback who can press and re-route are the norm.
-I think teams will get a lot of bang for their buck in this draft at the cornerback position, especially on day three. There will be several high profile prospects like Brandon Facyson of Virginia Tech, Tavarus McFadden of Florida State and Holton Hill of Texas who will go early on day three and make an impact as rookies.
-I have watched Issac Yiadom play for the past seven years between Doherty High School and Boston College. He is a diamond in the rough. Yiadom is athletic, has good length and above average ball skills. His willingness to step up and support the run is also a strength. Yiadom is super coachable as well. Some team will get a good football player who can make an impact as a rookie.