Does a good job reading and diagnosing in zone coverage. 7/17/21: Moss has good size for the NFL, but faces speed concerns. Live picks, grades and reaction to the 2023 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/VeLcAL7pSd, Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) May 19, 2021. Fairly explosive athlete. Quick to react back to the ball. He decided to go the graduate transfer route for the 2022 season and landed at LSU. Sometimes incorrectly tries to anticipate the route and moves slightly out of position. Its why his career statistics are pretty insane. Fords strength will be in a zone-coverage scheme where he can use his athleticism to make plays on the ball and keep plays in front of him. PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. Handles fakes and double moves very well. Oftentimes very much underpursues the play. A huge cornerback at 6-foot-2 and 205. Very fluid hips. 6/30/22: Ricks has transferred to Alabama and could be a breakout star for the Crimson Tide in 2022. He's just a limited athlete at an athlete-dominated position. Smooth athlete with quick twitch at 6'2", 205 pounds. However, his instincts and intelligence make him a much better fit in a cover-two scheme than anywhere else. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. In 2021, Bush collected 40 tackles, three interceptions and six passes defended. Pro team sources say Smith is fast and moves well to run the route and prevent separation. 2023 NFL Draft: Cornerback Group Features High-End Talent and Great Depth This marked the third year in a row that multiple cornerbacks came off the board inside the top nine selections of the draft. Very physical cornerback. Its also a strong class at edge defender, running back, defensive tackle, cornerback and tight end. As part of our ranking of the position groups in the 2023 NFL Draft class, we have the cornerbacks ranked No. Banks has a lot of upside to be better in 2022. Forbes is fast, very physical, and has impressive ball skills. Decent jam technique, but typically loses a step coming off of the jam while chasing the receiver. Quarterback-needy teams, youre in luck: This is one heck of a quarterback class, with five signal-callers making the top 50. Solid man ability. Ricks started out his collegiate career at LSU and had an excellent debut in 2020 with four interceptions, five passes broken up and 20 tackles. One of the deepest CB classes in recent memory: Even with 10 prospects listed below, there is still top-100 cornerbacks on PFF's draft board that didn't make the list. Adequate speed for the position as a zone coverage defender. However, Jones has some very raw elements to his game, such as grabbing and holding at times and giving up balls he shouldn't occasionally. However, they are concerned about his size and ability to stay healthy in the NFL given how physical he is. Banks' 2021 season ended after two games due to a shoulder injury. Excellent when covering the deep ball, and stays in the hip pocket. Get pick by pick results from each round of the 2023 NFL Draft with Draftcast on ESPN Early on, the 2023 NFL Draft doesn't appear to have the same kind of talent that the 2022 CB class boasted. Stevenson might end up being more of a zone corner who flexes between the boundary and the slot. If he was a slightly better athlete, he'd be a top-10 pick. Brents had a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Smith plays the game in a way that every defensive coordinator would love to have in their defense. In 2021, he recorded 44 tackles, three interceptions and five breakups. Very solid speed, especially for the position. Truly freaky stuff. Good athlete. Trevius Hodges-Tomlinson out of TCU is one of the top SR prospects for the 2023 NFL draft, listed at 59 180 hes an elite mover, with an aggressive, and playmaking style at the CB position that Im excited to watch this upcoming season. One of the best things he does is reading the route and then reacting when the ball comes his way. Some team sources feel Gonzalez has the best skill set of any corner in the 2023 NFL Draft, but they wanted him to show more fight and competitiveness. Live picks, grades and reaction to the 2023 NFL Draft. And while most big corners are usually linear athletes on the outside, Banks has notable lateral agility for a corner his size. Recovers extremely well. He played on the boundary at Utah, but his size should limit him to the slot. NFL draft season is nearly upon us. Below . Looks like a strong man-coverage cornerback. A redshirt freshman on Georgia's dominant National Championship defense, Ringo sealed the Bulldogs title win with a pick-six late in the fourth quarter. Hes just not a fit for every team and will be best for a defense that plays plenty of man coverage. Porter is a high football IQ cornerback with the kind of size and physicality everyone is looking for. With his coverage ability, Blackmon could be a second-day pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Promising press coverage ability. HT: 6002WT: 1904-star (0.8971) Super Redshirt Junior from Christian Brothers College (St. Louis, MO)Cam Brown was recruited to Ohio State as a wide receiver but made the switch to cornerback during his time in Columbus. Solid and physical at the catch point contests the football and not the receiver. Makes slight alterations to his path with ease. As part of our ranking of the position groups in the 2023 NFL Draft class, we have the cornerbacks ranked No. He recorded 52 tackles, one interception, seven passes broken up, one forced fumble and one sack on the year. Love the response to stimulus and adaptability he shows here. Didnt play much press coverage in the Clemson scheme. Wright was okay at the Senior Bowl. More about Witherspoon: You would be hard pressed to find a better man coverage corner in this class than Witherspoon. Running with speed receivers and preventing separation as a senior would help him. 2/11/23: In 2022, Phillips totaled 24 tackles, six interceptions and six passes defended. Very difficult to shake. 2/11/23: Blackmon had an excellent week of practice at the Senior Bowl, which really helped him. HT: 6021WT: 1833-star (0.8883) Super Redshirt Sophomore from Rocky Mount (Rocky Mount, NC)Shyheim Battle has to be one of the more exciting prospects in college football at this position. I like how he is physical here, gets hands on the receiver during the contact window pushes em towards the sideline. Tier 2. Robinson is short and light, so he could stand to add some weight for the NFL. Rush could be better now that he has a year of starting experience. PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. Strong run support defender. He collected 12 tackles, an interception and seven passes defended over the shortened season, but he played better than the numbers indicate. However, NFL sources don't like the lack of ball skills and ball production. A lot will depend on his testing to make up for his lack of tackling and upper body strength. CB. 6/30/22: Bush was not a starter for the Bearcats because they had some good veteran corners, including star cornerback Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner. 6/30/22: The son of legendary Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, Joey Porter Jr. has an NFL pedigree and played well in 2021. Wont test as a stellar athlete, but will be suitable. 2022 stats: 21 solo tackles, 11 passes defensed. This cornerback class is insanely deep. Martin is a smooth athlete with instincts. Banks keeps receivers from coming open and is quick to recover if they get a step. More about Smith: Smith posted back-to-back seasons where quarterbacks completed fewer than 50% of their passes thrown in his direction according to PFF. Not only does Gonzalez have the prototypical length teams are looking for to match up with taller receivers, but he also has elite speed. He had two picks in 2020 and 2018. This year, he made Bruce Feldmans Freaks list, and entered the season as one of the hottest cornerback prospects eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft. This is an absolutely loaded class with three potential top-10 talents, . This may limit him to being effective in a cover-two scheme, where he can play heavy zone defense and rely on his instincts and length to make big plays. He was one of five Illinois defenders with at least three interceptions, and he broke up a team-high 14 passes. Here are the top 10 cornerbacks in this year's draft class, per PFF's NFL Draft Guide. 2/11/23: Clark put up 51 tackles, an interception and four passes broken up in 2022. In 2020, he had 32 tackles, and in 2019, he had 35 stops, three interceptions and a pass broken up. Wants to punish ball carrier with a big hit. A very quick and very confident cover co Can track the ball downfield and gets his head around when playing in a trail position, and Williams shows excellent ball skills w Changes directions with ease and has the frame to hold up at any spot in the secondary. He had 25 total tackles, one interception and one pass defended in his first season. Oh, and he didnt allow a single touchdown all season. Looks good in zone coverage. The Illini have not had a player go in the first round since defensive end Whitney Mercilus and wide receiver A.J. Lacks some of the physicality that I like to see. Oregon CB 0 Christian Gonzalez plays with confidence and trusts his length and athleticism. Shows good, subtle hand usage throughout the rep. 1 corner in the NFL. 2/11/23: Still totaled 45 tackles, an interception and one pass broken up during 2022. Here is the 2023 NFL Draft prospect watchlist: Cornerbacks. Blackmon is not a big corner, but he can really cover and looks like a starting slot cornerback. While Smith's size is adequate, scouts say he has very long arms for a corner who is around 6-foot. Can rotate and turn but isnt as good as a lot the guys in this class. Plays the catch point very well. Excellent tackling ability. NFL scouting is always an inexact science that relies on guesswork more than the community wants you to believe. Good hips, flips them around well. Joey Porter Jr, Penn State. He may very well run in the low 4.3s when the combine rolls around that speed showed up on tape in a number of ways. Could be a bit faster while accelerating, takes him a bit to get up to speed. In fact, Ringo allowed the most deep receptions this past season among cornerbacks in this top-10 (seven). I truly love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. He could be a second-day pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and end up becoming a pro starter. Branch is just a football player. 2/11/23: Johnson recorded 71 tackles, a sack, three forced fumbles and one pass broken up in 2022. He covered well overall in 2021, notching 52 tackles, nine breakups and zero interceptions. Here's a full listing of the cornerbacks eligible to be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, including several who could be in contention to go within the top 16. He could help himself with strong combine and pro day workouts. In 2022, he recorded 38 tackles, an interception and eight pass breakups. Hes still more of a reactive cornerback and will have to go to a static coverage defense to take advantage of his skillset. Misses a lot of tackles by lowering his head needs to fix that. Has a natural feel for the zone. Probably the most important cog in that Illinois defense was cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Tends to play trail technique and is effectively in doing so. 2/11/23: Smith is the latest Gamecocks corner with potential No. ???? 2023 NFL Draft Top Pro Prospects By Position: Pre-2022 NFL Draft. Syracuse DB Garrett Williams (@garrettismynam3) is the type of player who I could see working inside-out at the next level. Built more like a safety. Plays his assignment well in zone coverage. Williams has been starting ever since he was a true freshman for the Orange and has played nothing but quality football over that span. HT: 6006WT: 2053-star (0.8493) Super Senior from Evangel Christian (Shreveport, LA)A transfer from Oklahoma State, Jarrick Bernard-Converse is a very strong cornerback who can support in run defense. No need for concern because while Devon Witherspoon is listed at 6-0, 180 lbs it turns out that, well, he does not care. In 2022, he collected 37 stops, an interception and five passes broken up. Doesnt have the speed to chase down running backs. Id like to see him shed blocks better. He struggles against faster receivers to get into position, still very strong in this regard. Porter plays physically, has good size, is very good in coverage, and has NFL/Football pedigree. HT: 6002WT: 1854-star (0.9429) Super Junior from Maury (Norfolk, VA)Sheridan Jones has played both well and poorly in Clemson, showing sometimes as a great boundary player and other times looking mightily average. Tends to play trail technique which he does well. Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Cam Smith (9) celebrates an interception against the Charlotte 49ers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. CB. Solid recognition ability. Rather than returning to Syracuse, Williams decided to enter the draft, and he will have a medical red flag with teams. Just doesnt have traits or tools that make him reliable in space. He was just stuck in a scheme that didnt play to his strengths. 2 of 11. He entered the 2023 NFL Draft after the season. He recorded 26 tackles, one interception and eight passes defended. 6/30/22: In 2021, Ringo had 34 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes broken up. Wants to bait the quarterback into a throw his direction so that he can jump the route. Johnson is a unique safety at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. Has some hitting power and can deliver a good, physical hit at the point of contact. He's a stud. Along with a good skill set, Jones displays solid instincts and is a willing tackler. Hes already had a career year in terms of ball production, with three picks and six pass breakups. He produced as well in 2020 (36-1-8) and in 2019 (38-0-6). In 2022, Blackmon totaled 66 tackles, three interceptions and 13 passes broken up. In 2019 and 2018, he put up modest production. Two of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns. Ringo had a bit of a slow start to the season but has rebounded nicely enough. Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes6000, 190-pounds. Hes tremendous from an off-alignment, where his eyes can go to work. Catch up with our positional rankings here. Hes an intriguing NFL prospect who can offer coverage ability but needs to work into becoming a better tackler. Yet most expect some needy. Williams played 49-of-170 coverage snaps this past fall in man coverage only 20 of which were in press. In 2022, Smith recorded 27 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups. Shows good hip flexibility to change directions well. He erased Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. on a number of routes as well. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, his makeup speed is nothing short of elite and not just elite for a bigger corner but for all corners. Not afraid to hit people. Decent upper body strength for the position. Sources say Robinson is a good player, but undersized. 2/11/23: Johnson is a big cornerback who showed some ball skills as a senior, picking up 12 passes broken up and two interceptions. HT: 5116WT: 180Not recruited Super Junior from Pine Forest (Pensacola, FL)Devon Witherspoon was not heavily recruited coming out of high school and was mostly overlooked by Power 5 schools. Get the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. In 2022, he recorded 38 tackles, two interceptions and nine passes broken up. I want to use it on my blog at. NFL Draft Buzz is on the lookout for new contributors who would like a chance showcase their perspectives on the NFL draft. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, he has ideal size for the position in the NFL. Player Summary Joey Porter Jr. is a super-talented cornerback who has improved each and every year at college until 2022 where he played at an elite level.. HT: 6021WT: 2003-star (0.8682) JUCO Super Senior from Laney College (Union City, CA)Rejzohn Wright wasnt recruited coming out of high school, taking only some light interest from San Jose State while not receiving a single offer. His effortless ability to mirror wide receivers led to four interceptions and six pass breakups for the Ducks this past fall. Typically works into a mirror/trail out of press. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. HT: 6012WT: 190Not Rated Super Redshirt Senior from Cox Mills (Concord, NC)A transfer from Louisville. The Buckeyes liked to play Brown in more of a deep set, playing deep coverage over the top more often than not. Wont be among the faster cornerbacks in the league. (hes number 9) pic.twitter.com/mSOOxzcWCt, Matt LeFleur Burner (@mlfburner) January 11, 2023. Extremely fluid hips, changes direction with ease. Banks flashed some real cover skills at times during the 2020 season for the Buckeyes. 6/30/22: Phillips is a talented cover corner who can run the route and prevent separation. Attacks the catch point and will go through the receiver if he needs to. Wants to engage and get involved with contact. Powerful at the point of contact. The only real concern with Witherspoon is that he doesnt have the elite speed teams might want out of an elite corner. The reason he produces as a corner is because he has a strong football IQ. The 2023 NFL Scouting combine kicks off this week from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis ahead of the NFL Draft, scheduled for April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri. Team sources think Jones has potential as a cover corner for the NFL. Stays with his receiver in the zone, making it very difficult to get a read on his coverage. Entering the NFL, Banks has to get more disciplined in coverage. Excellent man coverage ability, especially while working downfield. Fights to keep positioning. You can also toggle between positions to view updated rankings. Stays with his man very well. Against a litany of first-round wide receivers, Porter allowed just 45 yards on 73 coverage snaps across the two games. He does want to work downhill to make tackles on the perimeter. He was benched for a time and seemed to be in the coaches' dog house. A very physical player, especially in coverage. Witherspoon may not have the size of others on this list, but none can hold a candle to his performance this past fall. Does well typically using the sideline as a second defender. He positions himself well. pic.twitter.com/p0g9IUIHke, Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) December 20, 2022. He also possesses freakishly long arms to go along with quickness and athleticism. 6/30/22: Brents is a tall cornerback who has very good length. Would like to see him wrap up more consistently and better. Forbes needs to fill out his frame for the NFL. A little bit slow to react to simple concepts. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2023 draft class. PFF's Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades, combine measurables, position rankings, and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects. Lack of top-end speed could prevent him from making as much of an impact on the boundary. Not a defender that I would want matched up in a 1v1 in space. If theres a worry with THT besides his size, its that he can. 2023 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Cornerback. The good news is that not only were those four starts stupendous but also, hes been a starter since his freshman year at, You dont need to watch too much more than the. Like Gonzalez, Porter Jr. has imposing length for the corner position. But the best scoring defense in 2022 actually belonged to Illinois. Doesnt have much of a problem changing direction or rotating. While he may have given up a few big plays this year, Williams was at the catch point for pretty much all of them. He plays with an edge but can sometimes play too aggressively. Ricks comes with injury concerns that will see him slip. Offers some zone coverage ability. Tends to under pursue slightly. 2/11/23: Garner enjoyed a solid senior year to help his draft hopes even though he did not notch an interception. Very physical defender with some power behind his tackle. Find out where your favorite Position stacks up against the 2023 class and view expert mock drafts. After playing primarily in the slot in 2021, Abrams-Draine has been solely an outside corner this season and is still excelling. He has the ability to stay with receivers well. Hes allowed only six catches on 11 targets for 72 yards. Witherspoon is an outstanding pro corner, he's super aggressive without being particularly handsy, has the speed that allows him to stay wit Christian Gonzalez has elite speed and quickness showcased by his almost Olympic track time. Syracuse's Garrett Williams pic.twitter.com/KMRt7XidyH. The worry is that it still didnt translate to him putting a cap on deep passes. Very physical cornerback. Good overall ability, not particularly great at anything. Tends to play mirror technique on the boundary when put in man coverage. Finds his assignment quickly and with ease. Blackmon is probably the top man coverage cornerback prospect in this class. Relentless. Let's dive into the top prospects: There isn't a more fluid corner in the draft class than Hodges-Tomlinson. Wrights damning weakness is his lack of speed, which is noticeable in almost every facet of his game. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Shows his burners off in man coverage against Zay Flowers, stayed in his hip pocket on the goes. H Explodes out of his backpedal and has the hands and coordination to force interceptions. Johnson has phenomenal length and size to match up against NFL receivers. That being said, Bernard-Converse is still a fine cornerback prospect who can offer strong versatility to a secondary that shifts its players and looks routinely. Entering 2022, the junior did not have an interception, so NFL evaluators wanted to see him show more ball skills, and he showed improvement there over the season. And from that depth, elite cornerback prospects could ultimately emerge. 2/11/23: In 2022, Bracy totaled 39 tackles, a pass broken up and an interception. Advance scouts like his cover ability and they say he has the speed and athleticism to run the route to prevent separation. Solid zone technique. 2023 NFL Draft Big Board & Position Rankings, 2022 NFL Draft Big Board & Position Rankings. The rest is a work in progress. Only really played man coverage in the red zone. Not a great tackler. He recorded 52 tackles and nine passes defended in 2021. Plays strong zone coverage. Illinois was the only Power 5 school to offer him. Moves very well, smooth athlete. We've compared players 40 times and weight and charted them on the scatter chart below. In each of those seasons, he notched an interception and four passes defended. 21+ and present in Ohio. Porter is a long, physical outside corner whos in the middle of a career year. The 2023 corner class doesn't hold any superstars like last year's Sauce Gardner but it still has a number of quality pro prospects with five having close to first-round grades on them. Decent at the point of contact. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. He also could be a candidate to gain weight and move to safety. 1. pic.twitter.com/tmZromjz0r, Tru Maroon Nation (@TruMaroonNation) October 16, 2022. Banks had a solid debut as a freshman in 2019, recording 28 tackles, an interception and two passes broken up. Your articles are very helpful to me. The Houston Texans have a dominant cornerback for the foreseeable future in Derek Stingley. Get ready for the 2023 NFL Draft with positional and big board rankings from the team at The NFL Draft Bible. Get the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. % allowed in 2022 (1st for CBs) 28.6 QBR against (5th) 0.143 Points Saved/play (2nd) Smart, fluid and scrappy with NFL bloodline pic.twitter.com/ZLYsFWcBW4, Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) December 23, 2022. Hodges-Tomlinson pairs legit 4.3-second speed with buttery smooth hips to be a constant nuisance to the receivers lined up across from him. CORNERBACK PROSPECT RANKING 2023 NFL DRAFT The 2023 corner class doesn't hold any superstars like last year's Sauce Gardner but it still has a number of quality pro prospects with five having close to first-round grades on them. Joey Porter Jr Penn St - 6'2", 194 lbs. Off-ball linebackers to watch for the 2023 NFL draft Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri Kris Abrams-Draine was one of the top wide receivers in the 2020 recruiting cycle, grading as a three-star. He also recorded eight passes broken up alongside 43 tackles. 2/11/23: Luter is a small-school prospect who has a quality skill set and two seasons of solid production. Here are the class' top cornerbacks and safeties. He notched two interceptions per year over the last two seasons. Witherspoon is all but a guarantee to end that 11-year drought. You dont need to watch too much more than the Ohio State games the past two years to figure out why Porter is getting first-round hype. 2/11/23: Moss was competitive and decent in 2022, but he had some issues against Iowa State. Theres little reason to think he wont be an elite corner, although he will need to continue to refine his game. Has the ability to play in the box as needed. Ohio bettors can wager now at FanDuel in Ohio and other sportsbooks in the state, including Barstool Sportsbook, Caesars and DraftKings.