The Eagles’ need at cornerback may not be as pressing as their need at wide receiver, but there is little doubt that they to upgrade at cornerback. Philadelphia has more questions than answers at the position and could benefit from spending premium draft picks on a playmaker. This class also has a lot of depth at the position, so there is a chance they could get impact players on day two. Here are the ten best cornerbacks in the draft with pro comparisons included.
10. Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State: The 6’2” defender benefits largely from his prototypical size. Dantzler does a great job using his frame to body wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and throughout a route. He is not a great athlete, but benefits from a combination of length and on the field tenacity.
Pro comparison: Dre Kirkpatrick
9. Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech: Someone I am admittedly higher on than the punditry. Robertson suffers from a lack of size, but basically checks every other box. Robertson is a twitchy, feisty player with fantastic ball skills. He is also a cerebral player who does a great job anticipating routes and where the ball is going. Robertson might be suited for the slot, but he could be a high end player in what is basically a starting position in today’s NFL.
Pro comparison: Brandon Boykin
8. AJ Terrell, Clemson: A long, athletic cornerback with a lot of experience under his belt. AJ Terrell is typical press-man cornerback where size and explosiveness will serve him well. If he can develop better awareness and route discipline in the NFL, Terrell has excellent upside.
Pro comparison: Keenan Lewis
7. Jaylon Johnson, Utah: Jaylon Johnson dominated in the Pac-12 as a ball hawking athlete. He is sometimes an all-or-nothing cornerback who can flip a game at any moment. Johnson’s playmaking ability and size could make him a potentially high pick.
Pro comparison: Shaquill Griffen
6. Bryce Hall, UVA: Bryce Hall was set to be one of the top cornerbacks this season before an injury ended it prematurely. Hall is still a talented player if the health checks out. He is a physical cornerback who works great in zone and does a good job playing in man coverage. Hall is a solid, not spectacular athlete, but wins using great awareness, size and physicality.
Pro comparison: Carlton Davis
5. Jeff Gladney, TCU: Gladney is another intelligent, technically sound cornerback to come out of Gary Patterson’s tutelage. What Gladney doens’t have in prototypical size, he is a quick, twitchy cornerback who does a great job attacking the ball. He is a physical, feisty player who only gets in trouble when he gets too aggressive.
Pro comparison: Leon Hall
4. Kristian Fulton, LSU: Fulton is a high IQ player who makes up for lack of elite athletic ability with technique and physicality. Fulton might be a “lower ceiling” prospect, but he is a pro-ready player who could be a dependable defensive back from day one.
Pro comparison: Kareem Jackson
3. Trevon Diggs, Alabama: Trevon Diggs, brother of Stefon, is a high upside cornerback with great size, physicality and athleticism. He plays hard and will bully receivers for four corners. As a former receiver, Diggs also has ball skills to pluck passes out of the sky and away from receiver. Diggs still is growing into the position and needs to be more consistent. However, his upside is sky-high.
Pro comparison: Aquib Talib
2. CJ Henderson, Florida: Henderson is a classic cover corner with smooth athleticism and great mirroring ability. He is a decent tackler, but not overwhelming in run support. Henderson’s biggest issues are consistency, but teams will be getting a young coverage defender with a high ceiling.
Pro comparison: Quentin Jammer
1. Jeff Okudah, Ohio State: Jeff Okudah is another blue chip player in a recent trend of high quality Ohio State defensive backs. Okudah is a special athlete and an extremely high impact coverage defender. He can play man, off man and in deep zones. He is also a high character player who has been praised effusively by coaches and teammates alike. Okudah is this class’ can’t miss defensive back prospect.
Pro comparison: Patrick Peterson