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Here are 10 of the consensus top CB prospects:
DeAngelo Hall, junior, Virginia Tech
5-10, 205
Pluses: Dangerously fast. Ran a 4.4 at the combine; supposedly ran under a 4.2 during spring workouts at VT and has a 39-inch vertical. Also a top-notch returner. In coverage, he has very good recovery speed and can stick to his receiver very well. Makes a lot of plays on the ball, and is good in run support as well.
Minuses: Still a little raw in footwork and technique, and tends to overpursue sometimes.
Verdict: Probably a top 15 pick. Hall is fast, has a proven record of success in college, and looks like a great pro.
Chris Gamble, junior, Ohio State
6-1, 196
Pluses: Tremendously athletic, with prototypical height. His 40’s at the combine weren’t great, but his playing speed is fine. Played 2 ways at OSU for a few years, doubling snaps at CB and WR. This means that he has excellent hands for a CB. He makes a lot of plays on the ball.
Minuses: His technique at CB is incredibly raw. Will bite on fakes that more experienced corners would see right through (he only played one full season at CB).
Verdict: His last name says it all – this guy is a gamble. He has all of the physical tools – height, speed, leaping ability, great hands – you want in a CB. It’s just a question of whether his technique catches up to that ability. Could be a perennial all-pro, could be a flop. Definitely a first-rounder; it’s just a question of which team falls in love with him based on his potential.
Dunta Robinson, senior, South Carolina
5-10.5, 196
Pluses: Speed. Runs a legit 4.3, and plays to that speed too. Also, he spent some time at safety in college, so he can run like a corner but is also a capable tackler who isn’t afraid to put a hit on someone. Good in run support too.
Minuses: Hands aren’t great; didn’t collect a lot of INTs in college. Sometimes loses the ball in the air.
Verdict: First-rounder for sure. Seems to be rising right now, probably will go in the top 20.
Derrick Strait, senior, Oklahoma
5-11, 195
Pluses: Tremendous cover ability. He can blanket a receiver as well as any CB in this draft. Also, he is a pretty good playmaker – 14 INTs in college. Great nose for the ball; recovered a lot of fumbles.
Minuses: Fast, but not blazing speed (4.5 range). Also, is he really 5-11? Some draftniks aren’t sure. He reportedly did not have a great Senior Bowl, as he got abused by some taller receivers. He sometimes goes for the strip instead of the tackle.
Verdict: Still looks like a first-rounder, but probably a low pick in the round at this point.
Will Poole, senior, USC
5-10, 195
Pluses: Very athletic; capable of blanketing a receiver; outstanding playmaker. Also is very physical.
Minuses: May be a character risk. Spent his first season at BC before being kicked off for unspecified team rules violations. Was sick during the USC Pro Day and had a workout that can charitably be described as abysmal.
Verdict: Late first-rounder.
Ahmad Carroll, junior, Arkansas
5-10, 194
Pluses: Excellent speed and overall physical skills. Can play man and zone. Gets good breaks on the ball.
Minuses: Missed a game for disciplinary reasons. Still fairly raw in terms of technique and awareness. Didn’t get many INTs in college.
Verdict: Still needs some refinement, but his overall package of speed and versatility will lead someone to pull the trigger in the late first or early second round.
Roc Alexander, senior, Washington
5-11, 187
Pluses: Great speed, great athleticism, great upside. Has all of the tools to be a terrific NFL CB. Also a top-notch kick returner. Excellent in man coverage.
Minuses: Not many INTs. The main slight against him is that he’s an injury risk – he’s missed parts of the last 2 years with a shoulder injury. He’s also still raw in some of his techniques on the field. Not very good in zone or against the run, and his tackling is hesitant.
Verdict: He looks like an ideal NFL corner on paper, and his kick-return ability only sweetens the deal. The question is going to be which team feels comfortable with his injury problems and decides to draft him, probably in the second or early third round.
Keiwan Ratliff, senior, Florida
5-10, 195
Pluses: Showed tremendous improvement in his senior year, leading the country with nine INTs and demonstrating outstanding playmaking skill. Excellent cover ability. Also a good punt returner.
Minuses: Adequate speed, but not particularly fast. Also, his tackling is shaky at best and will need some work to succeed as an NFL starter. Not particularly physical, relies on his cover ability.
Verdict: He had a senior campaign which is tough to overlook. His game is far from perfect, but his excellent cover skills and hands will result in his being picked in the second or third round.
Jeremy LeSueur, senior, Michigan
6-0, 199
Pluses: Very experienced. His size allows him to be physical. Also plays the ball very well in the air.
Minuses: For a guy who plays the ball so well, he doesn’t collect many INTs. Also, has had a few nagging injuries.
Verdict: A solid prospect whose height makes him particularly appealing. Should go off the board in the late second or early third round.
Nathan Vasher, senior, Texas
5-10, 178
Pluses: Great cover ability. Also a good tackler (has played some safety). Plays aggressively and makes a ton of plays on the ball. Good returner as well.
Minuses: If this guy is 5-10, then Torrance Small is a Hall of Famer, Andy Reid is thin, and Rich Kotite was the greatest coach in Eagles history. Vasher is maybe 5-8. Maybe. Also, he plays faster than his stopwatch speed – which is good, because his stopwatch speed has been pretty slow lately (a little under 4.7)
Verdict: Talented, aggressive, and experienced, but also really, really small. He still looks like a first-day pick, but with the prevalence of receivers taller than 6-2 in this draft his status is falling. Looks like a third-rounder right now.
I picked two sleepers, one from a large school, one from a small school.
Shawntae Spencer, senior, Pittsburgh
6-0, 176
Pros: Very experienced, with four years as a starter at Pitt. Tall enough, with very good speed and awareness. You also have to consider the intangibles with this guy – bear in mind that over his four years as a starter he’s covered Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald in practice – 2 of the last 3 Biletnikoff award winners. That means he’s as seasoned as any CB in this draft.
Cons: A little too light. Needs to be more physical, which will begin by adding some bulk soon.
Verdict: I only list him as a sleeper because for some reason he was not invited to the combine and has gotten relatively minimal press. However, his height, speed, and experience are rapidly sending him up the charts. A first-round pick is unlikely at this point, but the second round sounds about right.
Joey Thomas, Montana State
6-1, 198
Pros: Height and speed. He’s tall and he’s fast. Also, he’s strong in coverage, solid against the run, and is a great overall athlete. Pretty good (but not great) playmaker.
Cons: Way better than his level of competition in college, and he’ll have to prove himself capable of adjusting to NFL-caliber receivers.
Verdict: How many 6-1 corners who can run are out there? Thomas’ measurables induce salivation in scouts, and he seems to be rising on draft boards. Looks like a second-rounder right now.
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