Travis Hunter:
Colorado 6' 1" 185 lbs. 4.40 40-Time
Disguises coverages brilliantly, with the length and aggression to make quarterbacks pay for misdiagnosing. Top notch ball skills. Able and willing to come make tackles of quick-hitting screens and against the run. Sticky man to man defender, forcing quarterbacks to fit the ball into tiny, difficult windows. Incredible conditioning from his experience as an oft-utilized two-way player, also resulting in an advanced understanding of offense and defense.
Occasionally overaggressive in zone-- could lead to susceptibility versus more adept quarterback play. Considering taking some snaps at receiver in the pros, which some argue will shorten his shelf-life. Not the largest frame for the position, possibly limiting his effectiveness against bigger running backs and receivers.
Summary: Some of the most fun tape to crunch in this draft, Travis Hunter's a baller through and through. His coverage skills are top notch, surely aided by his thorough understanding of the game in general. He mirrors receivers with incredible effectiveness while boasting elite ability to read the passer and jump routes. He's got good length and hands to press opposing wideouts and punish bad throws. And all of those skills translate to the offensive side of the ball too. Whoever takes Hunter will need to have a plan for how to manage his usage as a corner and receiver, but with his other-worldly skillset, it'll likely be a good problem to have.
 |
| Photo: Getty Images |
Will Johnson:
Michigan 6' 2" 202 lbs. 4.39 40-Time
Impeccable play recognition skills, blowing up running plays at the line of scrimmage and jumping passes expertly. Fantastic ball skills but capable of laying the wood if he can't get there in time. Strong tackler, though gets undisciplined in that regard at times. Long frame with versatility to work on perimeter as well as in the slot. Able and willing to be included on blitz packages. Skilled in man and zone coverage.
Could improve his press coverage execution, though his ceiling in that regard will leave DC's salivating. Breaks with incredible speed but occasionally gets a little overaggressive. Lateral quickness leaves room to be desired.
Summary: As exceptional as Travis Hunter is at cornerback, it's very possible that Will Johnson is superior. The Wolverine is long, aggressive and mean-- more than willing to throw his weight around to finish off ball carriers-- when he's not taking it to the house, that is. Quicker wideouts may give him trouble in tight spaces if he can't shore up his agility and press coverage, but Johnson's refined qualities are clearly among the best in this class. Without question, a day one starter in any system that shouldn't fall out of the top twenty.
Jahdae Barron:
Texas 5' 11" 200 lbs. 4.39 40-Time
Lightning quick breaks to the ball, closing passing windows in short order. Sticky in man coverage, rarely ceding much room to operate while using subtle grabs down field to maintain spacing. Actively involves self in run support. Great recovery speed, allowing for efficient help-defense or making up ground on personal mistakes. Effective at utilizing the sideline as an additional defender when operating on the perimeter. Experience on special teams units.
On the smaller side, allowing larger blockers or receivers to occasionally manhandle him. As mentioned above, Barron gets a little grabby at times downfield, which could translate into future DPI's. Ballhawking style could be exploited by more savvy, pro quarterbacks.
Summary: Jahdae Barron might not be the biggest corner you'll come across, but he certainly plays like it. Dude loves to press, is physical throughout opponents routes (almost too much at times), and is willing to leave it all on the field in run support. While he excels in man coverage, he's got a football IQ through the roof to thrive in more complex schemes. Will contribute immediately on special teams and on passing downs, with the ceiling of a true potential star.
Benjamin Morrison:
Notre Dame 6' 0" 190 lbs. 4.39 40-Time
Sticky man to man defense, routinely lining up on the perimeter and greeting opposing receivers with press coverage. Capable of working out of the slot too. Breaks on passes quickly with good enough hands to come up with interceptions. Rarely bites on double moves, but has recovery speed and active hands to break up passes when he is beat.
Not the strongest tackler you'll come across, which isn't aided by his smaller frame. Struggles to disengage once blockers get their hands on him. Occasionally gets impatient while in zone, raising the chances for busted coverage downfield. Recently underwent hip surgery, which is something to monitor early on in his recovery.
Summary: Known as the "Human Seatbelt", the corner from Notre Dame is one of the more skilled perimeter defenders you'll come across. Marcus Freeman regularly left their CB1 out on an island versus some of the premier receivers in the NCAA and Morrison was more then up to the challenge. The kid excels in man coverage, providing small and quickly closing windows for quarterbacks to hit. He could improve his zone proficiency, but no reason to think the right situation couldn't help facilitate that. Likely a day one starter.
Shavon Revel Jr.:
East Carolina 6' 3" 193 lbs. 4.40 40-Time
Ferocious in run support, willingly putting his body out there to help contain opposing backs. Long, strong and fast, with some of the more appealing measurables in this class. Well versed in both man and zone coverage, using his long arms and speed to shut down receivers. Out of this world agility, able to hang with some of the sharpest cuts. Experienced on special teams, with a history of blowing up fakes and blocking kicks.
Leaves his feet times when going for tackles, diving rather than driving through opponents. Ball skills leave something to be desired, though he always seems to find himself around it. Drew more flags then coaches would prefer, getting a little grabby downfield at times. Tore his ACL last summer, which'll surely be scrutinized by prospective teams. Faced a lower level of competition at East Carolina and only had one truly productive season, which may raise concerns about the quality of his tape.
Summary: A truly polarizing prospect to break down, Shavon Revel Jr. has every physical tool defensive coordinators can dream of. His straight line speed translates into game situations, he's calculated, aggressive and versatile. Unfortunately, he's loaded with question marks as well. How's the knee healing up from last September's ACL surgery? Did the competition he faced at ECU prepare him for what the league's going to throw at him? Can he continue his rapid ascension in skills? Plenty to consider for war rooms considering this potential star. If he can get (and stay) healthy, while continuing to harness the intricacies of the position, some team is going to get an absolute steal with Revel Jr.
Azareye'h Thomas:
Florida State 6' 2" 198 lbs. 4.50 40-Time
Excels in man coverage, physically pressing receivers at the line before running stride for stride with them. Good recovery speed when beat, with the length to help make up for extra ground lost. Breaks with impressive speed to the ball, routinely deflecting passes before they reach their intended target. Aggressive tackler in run support and on quick screens, shooting up field to shut down ball carriers before they can get going. Has special teams experience and was elected team captain for three critical ACC games in 2024.
Only two career interceptions, despite regularly finding himself in position to force turnovers. Occasionally too overaggressive in run support, creating cutback lanes or arm tackling at the point of attack. Needs to develop zone coverage skills more thoroughly, as well as trusting his instincts/fundamentals more than his eyes.
Summary: Florida State was woefully disappointing last season, but Azareye'h Thomas was not a major reason for that. The junior projects as a pure perimeter corner with the skillset to hang with big, physical wideouts. He's clearly more refined in man coverage rather than zone, which'll take some time and coaching to overcome, but he'll contribute on special teams out of the gate at a bare minimum. Currently projects as a day two pick with the upside of a day one player.
Zy Alexander:
LSU 6' 2" 194 lbs. 4.56 40-Time
Long and tall, possesses the strength to jam up receivers on the perimeter before mirroring them downfield. Functional speed aligns with his 40 time. Consistently utilizes the sideline as an additional defender. Fluid hips to match cuts and breaks. Great ball skills, with 13 career interceptions. Solid in run support, powering through blockers to deliver big hits on unsuspecting ball carriers.
Needs to work on getting his head around to the ball at the point of attack, which'll result in DPI penalties. Some major medical red flags, with a torn ACL in 2023 and a concussion last season. Room to improve on his off-ball coverage, with his best tape coming while pressing in man.
Summary: Zy Alexander's an occasionally frustrating prospect to watch. When it's all clicking, he's got the length, speed and ball skills to dominate on the perimeter. But he's got some bad habits to break-- like rarely getting his head around the ball on deep routes, which is going to provide some NFL offenses with some chunk gains off defensive pass interference calls. His lack of special teams experience may limit his playing time early on, while his history of injuries will need to be considered as well. But for a day two flyer, he's got all the physical tools worth rolling the dice on.
Trey Amos:
Ole Miss 6' 1" 190 lbs. 4.43 40-Time
Solid in zone coverage but really excels at man, quickly breaking to the ball once it's in the air for deflections or picks. A strong tackler, powering through ball carriers once he's squared them up. Solid agility, matching receivers on breaks with relative ease while boasting adequate recovery speed when beat. Great ball skills.
Only 13 bench press reps at the combine-- will want to improve strength to deal with pro blockers and more physical pass catchers. Already has a history of struggling to tackle bigger running backs. Can get a little grabby on downfield routes, especially once receivers have a step on him. Aggression can be used against him on double moves.
Summary: Trey Amos is one of the more solid corners in this class overall. He's fearless in run support and a staunch man-to-man specialist that can play on the outside or the slot. While he does have to add some muscle and improve his technique in zone coverage, most of his faults appear to be very fixable with the right support system. Could find himself sneaking into the back end of round one, but anticipate him to be an early name off the board on day two.
Darien Porter:
Iowa State 6' 4" 200 lbs. 4.30 40-Time
Good field awareness and football IQ, understanding what opposing offenses are trying to do to him before countering. Solid ball skills, making opposing quarterbacks pay for inaccuracies. Supremely impressive blend of length, height, speed and agility-- providing a prime template for a perimeter corner on the next level. Doesn't shy away from run support, while also adding exceptional special teams prowess.
Despite his willingness to bang, Porter's tackling technique leaves room for refinement. Former receiver whose only played three years at corner, making him pretty raw at the position. Will be a 25-year-old rookie, reducing his long-term professional timeline.
Summary: It took a little while for everything to click for Darien Porter, but his emergence has been a captivating one. The former Cyclone absolutely looks the part of a pro cornerback, with blinding speed and impressive length. He's only been playing the position for three seasons, so there's plenty of learning left to be done, but the strides Porter's made over that span need to be commended. This kid boasts legit starter potential without even hitting his ceiling yet-- and could be a real day two steal if he ends up in the right system.
Denzel Burke:
Ohio State 6' 1" 193 lbs. 4.48 40-Time
Makes impressive breaks on the ball, with active hands to deflect passes gone awry. Tenacious in run support, taking good angles to drive through ball carriers. Adept in both man and zone coverage. Pops opposing receivers in press coverage, though he sometimes can get himself off balance doing so. Skilled special teams contributor, which'll translate up immediately.
Would benefit from adding some muscle to stand up to bigger, stronger pros. Gets a little handsy downfield, especially when he's lost some ground. Can be overaggressive at times, watching the quarterback more than maintaining his assignments. Generally finds himself in good defensive positions but needs to finish off more plays with picks.
Summary: The Ohio State product didn't put his best work on display during his final season, but there's still enough tape and strong measurables for Burke to be heavily considered on day two of the draft. He's a dog on the field, unafraid to stick his nose into scrums and plant opposing ball carriers. Zone coverage is his forte, but he's a capable man corner as well, providing systemic versatility wherever he ends up. But he's got to improve his discipline and consistency if he's going to maximize his potential.
Honorable Mention:
Maxwell Hairston, Jacob Parrish, Cobee Bryant, Dorian Strong, Mello Dotson
------
@Choppinglines
*I own no rights to any images found in this blog
Comments
Post a Comment