Here are the top cornerback prospects in this year’s NFL draft.
1. Minkah Fitzpatrick, University of Alabama
Minkah Fitzpatrick is thought to be one of the safest picks in this year’s draft. He is an extremely versatile safety. He has the ability to come down low and stop the run, but he is also great in coverage. He also was brought down to blitz for Alabama in some situations, and he was very successful when utilized like this. He is a great leader and has high character, so teams have no red flags there. He will be able to immediately step in and make a difference for a defense.
2. Derwin James, Florida State University
Derwin James is another top safety who is similar to Fitzpatrick. He is very good in coverage but is great when he comes near the line of scrimmage to blitz the quarterback or stop the run. Most believe he is going to be a top 15 pick in this year’s draft. His high IQ and high character make him very attractive to almost every NFL team. He is going to be a pro-bowl caliber player for years to come.
3. Denzel Ward, Ohio State University
Denzel Ward is by far considered the most talented cornerback coming out of this year’s draft. Some believe he will be taken before both Fitzpatrick and James. Ward is a little undersized coming into the NFL, but he is very quick and has great ball skills. In college, he was a shutdown corner, usually taking on the opponent’s best receiver. He has the skill to be a number one corner for an NFL team.
4. Josh Jackson, University of Iowa
Josh Jackson was a shutdown corner in college for Iowa. He has good size and can defend a team’s number 1 wide receiver. He also has excellent ball skills which allow him to break up big plays. He has the size and the talent to be successful in the NFL.
5. Mike Hughes, University of Central Florida
Mike Hughes was on of the best players for the undefeated Central Florida Knights. He has great speed and agility which allows him to stay with any wide receiver. He does not have the size of some corners, but he uses his hands well to make wide receivers feel uncomfortable. He does have some off field red flags which have him lower on some NFL team boards. He has the skill to be a top corner in the NFL.
