Cornerbacks in the draft & where they stack up

[davos]

this article? http://www.footballoutsiders.com/futures/2014/futures-wr-brandin-cooks-vs-ifo-ekpre-olumu

 

Depending on his injury/recovery, I think he could be very good to cover the slot.

 

Excerpt:

 

 

Cooks may be a headliner, but there was a game this year where Cooks was upstaged in such resounding fashion that the receiver looked like a pedestrian player by comparison. The player who stole the spotlight from Cooks was Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

 

Like Cooks, Ekpre-Olomu is a junior. The Oregon cornerback is also considered one of the top prospects at his position.

Unlike Cooks, Ekpre-Olomu is widely regarded as one of the top two or three players at his position. And despite his acclaim, the second-team All-American is returning to school for his senior year to get his degree.

 

I like to watch players get tested in ways where the right answers are not the numbers in the box score, but the techniques, concepts, and athleticism that show up regardless of the data. One of the most compelling dramas on the field is a wide receiver-cornerback matchup.

 

Earlier this year, I watched Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby and couldn’t take my eyes off Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, who won their September matchup. It was a similar dynamic with Cooks and Ekpre-Olomu, except this time it was the cornerback’s performance that was far more compelling.

 

This matchup with Ekpre-Olomu is a good indicator of the challenges Cooks will need to overcome for his game to translate to the NFL. Unless Ekpre-Olomu is a truly special player with a future as one of the top shutdown corners in the NFL, the Oregon corner offers a challenge that will be the norm for a player like Cooks when he sets foot on Sunday grass.

 

Ekpre-Olomu exposed flaws with Cooks' route skills, tested Cooks' strength in space, and revealed the limits of Cooks' speed. Cooks' best moments came against Oregon’s other corner, Terrance Mitchell. The Ducks' other junior corner is one of the top defenders in his conference, but not in the same league as Olomu. Even the plays Cooks made against Mitchell weren’t all that impressive.

 

In contrast, it often appeared that Ekpre-Olomu was baiting Cooks when matched in single coverage. Ekpre-Olomu had the confidence that he could match the receiver’s athleticism and stay a step ahead of Cooks.

 

Ekpre-Olomu was one of the most impressive defenders I’ve seen in college football this year. Today you’re going to see how he made Cooks look ordinary.

 

It could've been.  I remember it being before he got injured talking about how he was the highest-rated senior cornerback and it being a pretty extensive breakdown.    

 

And wow.  That piece speaks volumes about Ekpre-Olomu and the argument can be made he revealed the wall Cooks would run into in the NFL down in NOLA this past year. 

 

I don't like to lump prospects together but it almost tells me the prospects with speed being there strongest trait need to be closely looked at.  College speed is one thing, NFL quickness is another.     

[bababoey]

As long as the have ball skills

 

I hear Michael Sam has ball skills.  But not sure what they meant by that.

[davos]

I had a new ridiculous thought--Darby or Johnson in the 1st.

 

1-Darby/K. Johnson CB

2-Agholor WR

3-Daryll Williams/Tyrus Thompson OT

4-Laurence Gibson/Crisp OT

5-Ty Montgomery/Tre McBride WR

6-Taz Crockett RB

[MHS831]

Personally, I figured that 1 CB would go in the first round  (Waynes) but if 3 go as suggested, I think Rollins would be the second or third CB taken, not Darby.  However, we often base our opinions on the opinions of the sites we use to research players. 

 

I can say that the middle rounds seem ideal for finding value at CB.  It has been our MO to find a talent who runs a slow 40 time and get them later than their play warrants--Norman and Benwikere were both 4.6 combine guys.

 

Here is the thing about Benwikere that I do not get- People say, "He played well on the outside, but we need to find an outside guy and move him back to nickel."  Outside guys are so hard to find, why not draft a nickel? The draft is really packed through all seven rounds if all you need is a nickel.  I do not see us drafting a CB early.  Remember, they spent a lot of time talking to the Tennessee CB (Coleman, was it?) at the SR bowl.  He is projected on day 3. 

 

We have a plan at CB for the draft because we did not bring in anyone in free agency.  White is a good reserve, they seemed to like Byndum, so how severe is the need?  We will find out, but do not look for us to go after an elite talent/lockdown (unless they plan to move away from Nornan), because this team is not built to need expensive CBs. 

[Soul Rebel]

Personally, I figured that 1 CB would go in the first round  (Waynes) but if 3 go as suggested, I think Rollins would be the second or third CB taken, not Darby.  However, we often base our opinions on the opinions of the sites we use to research players. 

 

I can say that the middle rounds seem ideal for finding value at CB.  It has been our MO to find a talent who runs a slow 40 time and get them later than their play warrants--Norman and Benwikere were both 4.6 combine guys.

 

Here is the thing about Benwikere that I do not get- People say, "He played well on the outside, but we need to find an outside guy and move him back to nickel."  Outside guys are so hard to find, why not draft a nickel? The draft is really packed through all seven rounds if all you need is a nickel.  I do not see us drafting a CB early.  Remember, they spent a lot of time talking to the Tennessee CB (Coleman, was it?) at the SR bowl.  He is projected on day 3. 

 

We have a plan at CB for the draft because we did not bring in anyone in free agency.  White is a good reserve, they seemed to like Byndum, so how severe is the need?  We will find out, but do not look for us to go after an elite talent/lockdown (unless they plan to move away from Nornan), because this team is not built to need expensive CBs. 

 

I really think the Panthers have high hopes for Byndum.  Might not fit the nickel, but he could be their future dime back.  I agree 110% with the though of leaving Bene on the outside, and find a slot corner instead.  Justin Coleman is the kid out of UT that is perfect for the nickel, and could be had in the 5th or 6th round, IMO. 

 

I love Trae Waynes, Marcus Peters, Ronald Darby, Byron Jones and Josh Shaw.  

 

The first two will be off the board, Darby might be, and Jones is probably gone before we pick in the 2nd.  Jones, IMO, could be the CB steal of the draft in the early-mid second.  Shaw would be an interesting prospect if he's still there in the 3rd, because he can play that hybrid role that Jones did last year in the slot.  Essentially, having 2.5 safeties, and 2.5 cornerbacks on the field.  Shaw would be great against TEs and goes along with the trend that defenses are moving towards with the 3 safety look.

[MHS831]

I really think the Panthers have high hopes for Byndum.  Might not fit the nickel, but he could be their future dime back.  I agree 110% with the though of leaving Bene on the outside, and find a slot corner instead.  Justin Coleman is the kid out of UT that is perfect for the nickel, and could be had in the 5th or 6th round, IMO. 

 

I love Trae Waynes, Marcus Peters, Ronald Darby, Byron Jones and Josh Shaw.  

 

The first two will be off the board, Darby might be, and Jones is probably gone before we pick in the 2nd.  Jones, IMO, could be the CB steal of the draft in the early-mid second.  Shaw would be an interesting prospect if he's still there in the 3rd, because he can play that hybrid role that Jones did last year in the slot.  Essentially, having 2.5 safeties, and 2.5 cornerbacks on the field.  Shaw would be great against TEs and goes along with the trend that defenses are moving towards with the 3 safety look.

 

I really have not spent much time looking into CBs, so I appreciate the response.  Personally, and I am NEVER right on this, I am guessing, since GMen filled positions in free agency (again, with cheap, high upside players), that we will draft a CB at some point.   However, I would not be surprised to see Gettlemen do something like this:

1. DE 

2. RB

3. WR

4. OT

5. CB

6. OT

7. S

 

If it were me, and I was drafting solely on need,  I would do something like this:

 

1. WR

2. OT

3. CB

4. RB

5. S

6. OT

7. OLB

[dos poptarts]

I could see Gman drafting a corner high (rds 1-3) if someone they covet is there. Norman is the on his last year and his contract could be prohibitive anyway if he performs well this year.

[TheNewStandard]

well, we signed a press cb, so cb moves down on the needs list.

[davos]

Personally, I figured that 1 CB would go in the first round  (Waynes) but if 3 go as suggested, I think Rollins would be the second or third CB taken, not Darby.  However, we often base our opinions on the opinions of the sites we use to research players. 

 

I can say that the middle rounds seem ideal for finding value at CB.  It has been our MO to find a talent who runs a slow 40 time and get them later than their play warrants--Norman and Benwikere were both 4.6 combine guys.

 

Here is the thing about Benwikere that I do not get- People say, "He played well on the outside, but we need to find an outside guy and move him back to nickel."  Outside guys are so hard to find, why not draft a nickel? The draft is really packed through all seven rounds if all you need is a nickel.  I do not see us drafting a CB early.  Remember, they spent a lot of time talking to the Tennessee CB (Coleman, was it?) at the SR bowl.  He is projected on day 3. 

 

We have a plan at CB for the draft because we did not bring in anyone in free agency.  White is a good reserve, they seemed to like Byndum, so how severe is the need?  We will find out, but do not look for us to go after an elite talent/lockdown (unless they plan to move away from Nornan), because this team is not built to need expensive CBs. 

 

Valid points all around.  I guess we'll just have to see come draft time.  I just really like this CB class. 

[davos]

well, we signed a press cb, so cb moves down on the needs list.

 

I wouldn't say that necessarily.  We address needs in the FA but it sets us up to take Dave's top talent available (albeit I'm sure with needs in mind) when each pick comes.  Who's to say that isn't a CB early on given the top heavy talent. 

[TheNewStandard]

I wouldn't say that necessarily. We address needs in the FA but it sets us up to take Dave's top talent available (albeit I'm sure with needs in mind) when each pick comes. Who's to say that isn't a CB early on given the top heavy talent.

you are correct of course, all depends on BPA. considering the depth at CB in this class, I really have a hard time seeing too many highly rated CBs on his depth chart. Getts really covets big, strong players over average sized players whose difference in talent between the top 10-20 cbs in the draft he is impressed with.

[MHS831]

Valid points all around.  I guess we'll just have to see come draft time.  I just really like this CB class. 

 

I think the CB and OT crops are very similar, which plays to the strength of our GM.  They are not loaded at the top, but very solid deep into the draft. 

 

I think there is some top-level talent at WR in the first (Strong, Parker, Cooper, White), so I would not be surprised to see us draft a WR IF one of the big 5 (DGB was eliminated from board, but he is top 5), is there.  Most likely, Strong is the key. 

 

Having said that, I feel DG will have everyone squirming for OT and CB because he can find one later. 

 

If Strong is gone and a pass-rusher drops to us, we take the DE.  There is some chance we take a RB in the first--a fact that might shake people up.  I doubt it, but Gurley (when healthy) is awesome.  Cam would be so much better if the defense has to keep 8 in the box.

 

Just my thinking.

[rmoneyg35]

Still wouldn't mind drafting a mid round CB.

[Pox2]

great discussion going on in here