The back end of the defense here, to wrap up our scouting reports! While there's no shortage of depth or quality in this cornerback class, there's also no real consensus on who the top dog is, so it'll be fun to see how that all pans out.
For what it's worth, these are our top guys, plus some safeties too.
Cornerbacks
Terrion Arnold (Alabama): By all accounts, a better human being than he is a football player-- which is high praise because he's damn good on the gridiron. Mirrors receivers effectively out of breaks, rarely falling for fakes or allowing much separation. A bigger cornerback who'll hang with larger pass catchers while being able to body smaller guys. Attacks the ball in the air, with solid enough hands to nab some interceptions. Premier man coverage corner with some documented struggles in zone schemes. Has worked some in the slot, but appears best suited on the perimeter
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| Photo: Donald Page/ Getty Images |
Nate Wiggins (Clemson): Relentless pursuing passes, though the interception numbers don't back it up. This kid's got some top notch ball instincts and a nose for scoring after the fact, with 2/3 career picks going to the house. At 6'2" and 185 pounds, he's a big body for opposing receivers to work around. Throw in his 4.28 40-time at the combine...good luck. There's questions about his run defense though, and he would benefit from adding some muscle to his wiry frame, but the template is there for a true lockdown corner
Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo): Long and fundamentally sound, quickly shutting tiny windows he temporarily affords opposing QB's. A willing tackler, although running backs have given him some trouble historically. Phenomenal ball skills, consistently finding himself in the right spot to breakup passes. Had a four interception game vs. Northern Illinois in 2022, two of which he took to the house. Some have concerns about the level of competition he squared off with throughout his career as a Zip, but he more than passes the eye test for a pro
Cooper DeJean (Iowa): Could we have our first white cornerback taken in round one since... I couldn't even find it on Google. There hasn't even been a pasty pass defender to start in the NFL since Jason Sehorn and Kevin Kaesviharn in 2002 (Medium.com). 22 years ago, for those bad at math and lacking a calculator. Unheard of.
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| Photo: Charlie Neibergall/ AP Photo |
Skin tone aside, DeJean has a nose for the ball and the end zone, which he showed during his 5 interception, 3 touchdown sophomore year. Racked up 8 picks in total during his career. Cooper's twitchy, athletic and defends the entire route tree very well. Shows the versatility to slide into the slot when needed. Also returned punts for the Hawkeyes, at 13.1 yards per return. All considered, he might be the top man in this group across the board, but a fractured fibula in November will make some teams weary.
Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama): All-time name. Strong, possesses a good reach to jam up receiver on the line. Doesn't often give up space to work and reads the quarterback to close gaps when he does. Returned punts, adding special teams value. Excels in zone defense, covering short and intermediate routes well. Not as sharp against the deep ball, also known to bite on play fakes. Played opposite of Terrion Arnold, so didn't always face WR1s
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri): Another quality name here. Smaller frame than many of the previous names, listed at 5'11" 183, but plays like a dog. A top notch tackler who reads and blows up screen plays. Seems to crave contact, never fearing to initiate. Just a really physical football player. More proficient in man coverage than zone, using his length and instincts to stay with his assignments. Tested a little better in agility drills than the tape seems to show, but nothing detrimental. His smaller build may be a challenge against larger NFL receivers and tight ends who are split out
Safeties
Javon Bullard (Georgia): Any starter on a Georgia Bulldog defense has to be alright, but safety Javon Bullard has some really special traits. Closes on the ball with violent, downhill momentum, but doesn't always use the best technique when engaging in the tackle. Fast, has good ball skills, matches up well in man coverage with whoever's thrown at him. Helpful in run defense. Maybe a little small for safety, with some considering him a bit of a tweener. Has also had off-field legal issues to consider
Tyler Nubin (Minnesota): Plays a lot of single high but more then capable of sliding into the box/slot. Explosive breaks toward the ball, whether it be in the air or a ball carriers hands, sometimes closing 15-20 yards of space to make the play. Displays impressive instincts as he flows through plays, almost always finding himself in the right place at the right time. Prototypical size. Footwork gets jumbled at times, especially when pivoting his hips to cover deep patterns. A little grabby at the top of routes, which could draw some flags on the pro level.
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| Photo: Abbie Parr/ AP Photo |
Kamren Kinchens (Miami): Really physical style of play, lays his body on the line to make some monstrous hits. Regularly finds himself in the right spot to force turnovers, recording 5 interceptions last season for the Hurricanes. Has shown he's able to handle bigger tight ends in coverage, as well as hang with faster receivers. Unideal speed, both on the game tape and at the combine (4.65). Didn't bench press well either, for wherever you hold that metric. His aggressive style occasionally gets him out of position, over pursuing or missing tackles
Jaden Hicks (Washington State): High energy player, constantly flying around the field. Diagnoses plays accurately, blowing up runs and defending passes in the air with tenacity. Able and willing to get after the QB, adding another dimension to his diverse skill set. Stronger in zone defense than man, but has the physical traits to improve in that capacity. Open field tackling is suspect as well
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@Choppinglines
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