We are less than a week away from the NFL Draft! My positional rankings are almost finalized, and today we will take a look at the corner back position. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers invested heavily in this position last offseason, so I doubt they draft one high again this year. But that’s enough talk, here are the rankings.
- Quarterback
- Running Back
- Wide Receiver
- Tight End
- Interior Offensive Line
- Offensive Tackle
- Defensive Tackle
- Edge Rusher
- Linebacker
- Corner Back
- Safety
1. Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
The only true shutdown corner in this draft, Jeff Okudah should be a top five pick in this years draft. He didn’t have incredible interception totals, but that’s because quarterbacks avoided his side of the field. Okudah can play both zone and man at a high level, and should be this years Jalen Ramsey.
2. C.J. Henderson, Florida
C.J. Henderson out of Florida is a very intriguing prospect. He has great ball skills and is incredibly efficient at reading an opposing offense. Henderson is also very aggressive, which can burn him at times, but the reward is an interception or a defensive score. He can be a pro-bowl caliber press corner at the next level, but needs to improve on his tackling ability.
3. Jeff Gladney, TCU
I will admit my bias when it comes to evaluating defensive backs. I love players who are physical and can man up an opposing wide receiver one on one. These kind of prospects have the ceiling to be shutdown corners compared to their zone coverage counterparts. In the case of Jeff Gladney, I think he is best served in that role. He isn’t the lengthiest corner back in this class, but his football IQ will take him far.
4. Kristian Fulton, LSU
Another corner who thrives in man coverage, Kristian Fulton should be a solid player in the NFL. He has solid length, good tackling ability and is physical at the line. He needs to improve his ball skills if he wants to take his game to the next level, but an offseason on the jugs machine should do the trick.
5. Damon Arnette, Ohio State
Starting with Damon Arnette, I think we see a tier drop in talent at the corner back position. Damon Arnette may never be a guy you ask to guard Julio Jones one on one, but he possesses the ball skills and versatility to be a very good player in the NFL. His anticipation is exceptional, but his ability to tackle in space is lacking, a trait than can be a huge liability on your defense.
6. Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn
One of the more raw corners in this class, Noah Igbinoghene has shown incredible growth over two seasons. A former track star, Igbinoghene is an explosive athlete who has all the physical tools to be a solid player in the back end. He needs to improve his ball hawking skills though if he wants to make a significant impact in the NFL.
7. A.J. Terrell, Clemson
I really want to put A.J. Terrell higher on my rankings, but his tendency to get beaten by bigger receivers worries me. Terrell has the quickness and flexibility to be a solid corner in zone and off man schemes, I just worry his lack of strength will come back to haunt him in the NFL.
8. Trevon Diggs, Alabama
Trevon Diggs has incredible length, making him an ideal fit for a man scheme in the NFL. He is physical at the line of scrimmage, but is very inconsistent in run fits. Diggs can be a solid number two at the next level if he cleans up a few technique issues.
9. Troy Pride Jr., Notre Dame
Troy Pride Jr. is an intriguing option at the corner back position given his speed and football IQ. Like many players down on this list, he struggles to tackle receivers in open space. But if you can use him effectively, preferably in deep zones, Pride Jr. has the skill set to be a solid player in any defense
10. Michael Ojemudia, Iowa
One of the better corners in zone coverage, Michael Ojemudia is scheme specific player. He has solid length, but his speed is lacking, making him a potential liability in man coverage. If used correctly, Ojemudia can be a solid depth player in the NFL.
