Cornerbacks in the draft & where they stack up

[davos]

Well as the free agency period continues to move along, it seems Dave is putting himself in position to go after the best value he deems available at each pick (as expected).  Now we've of course got two strong corners in Bene and Norman but our depth is very concerning consisting of Melvin White, Teddy Williams, and Carringdon Byndom...and I guess Colin Jones is capable in the slot from a situational standpoint.  Whether the team is envisioning Bene on the outside or more in the slot, there is a void still pretty apparent in the secondary. 

 

Now I'm not saying we HAVE to grab a CB early but one could very well be the BPA looking at the talent at the top of the draft.  Basically, I'm preparing myself for any big position we could use more of (DE, CB, WR, OT, SS, FS, multi-position OL)

 

It isn't a super deep CB class but there is some really strong talent in the first few rounds:

 

Trae Waynes (6'0 186 Michigan St.) - Likely won't be in play for, he's damn good.  

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**Kevin Johnson (6'0 188 Wake Forest) - We've met with twice; has great outside corner skills, needs to toughen up a bit in the run game but is fully capable from what I've read.   

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/kevin-johnson?id=2552261

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**Ronald Darby (5'11 193 FSU) - We met with him (Private); Darby now has the 3rd highest CB grade on NFL.com and is projected in the 1st round on CBSsports.com.  I'm seeing him ahead of Collins and Williams at a lot of resources and there's a good amount of buzz around him.  

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/ronald-darby?id=2552689

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Jalen Collins (6'1 203 LSU) - I find Collins to be the 2nd best Collins in the draft behind La'el.  Could be very solid

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/jalen-collins?id=2552573

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P.J. Williams (6'0 194 FSU) - Another really solid all around player.  Good size, technique, overall ball skills. 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/p.j.-williams?id=2552484

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Quinten Rollins (5'11 195 Miami OH) - Had speed and quickness that will lure teams and could shift between slot and the outside.  I'd love him to be available in the second but it may not happen. 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/quinten-rollins?id=2552263

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**D'Joun Smith (5'10 187 Florida Atlantic) - Met with as well; has a lot of scouts talking and plays a lot taller than he is (5'10 1/2).  Could be in contention for us in the 3rd methinks. 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/djoun-smith?id=2552253

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Marcus Peters (6'0 197 Washington) - One of the annual studs with disciplinary concerns

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/marcus-peters?id=2552488

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Byron Jones (6'1 199 Connecticut) - A defensive standout in the secondary at the combine.  There's always a handful, he was one. 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/byron-jones?id=2552568

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**Steven Nelson (5'10 197 Oregon State) - Met with him too, OSU has produced strong CBs before.  Don't know about the fit but that may be why we met with him. 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/steven-nelson?id=2552265

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Alex Carter (6'0 196 Stanford) - Could be used at S and CB.  This is nearing the drop in talent territory at the position IMO

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/alex-carter?id=2552587

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Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (5'9 192 Oregon) - The shortest of the bunch but he did grade out as the best DB in college last season (read it recently, need to find the article)

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/ifo-ekpre-olomu?id=2552257

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Eric Rowe (6'1 205 Utah) - Great size, it will be interesting to see where teams think he fits in their respective schemes. 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/eric-rowe?id=2552255

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Josh Shaw (6'0 201 USC) - Another interesting tweener prospect that fits as a CB and FS depending on the scheme

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/josh-shaw?id=2552259

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I'm probably leaving out some so feel free to give some more shout outs for guys you like at the position.

 

Every single one of them could come in and battle/beat out Melvin White and fill either the NB or outside CB slot depending on the fit with Bene.  That is a major part of our defense and one that's not settled quite yet.  

 

Anyone have any faves from the bunch?  Curious to find more out about one?  

 

 

[NJPanthers12]

big fan of byron jones. wouldn't mind him with our 2nd round pick.

[panthers55]

At this point I would like to pick up a corner in the draft but not in the first 3 rounds unless a real difference maker who could start right away falls to us and other positions like OT and WR don't have the same level of talent. Truth is that Norman and Benwikere are our starters on the outside and Jones was very good in the slot in 2014. At this point I can see the need for depth and grooming someone for down the road but honestly corner is not the big problem it was at this point of the year going into the draft last year. I could see Gettleman finding another stud in the mid to later rounds like we did in Benwikere last year. If we can avoid the injury bug this year we might not have to start 8 rookies again this year.

[davos]

At this point I would like to pick up a corner in the draft but not in the first 3 rounds unless a real difference maker who could start right away falls to us and other positions like OT and WR don't have the same level of talent. Truth is that Norman and Benwikere are our starters on the outside and Jones was very good in the slot in 2014. At this point I can see the need for depth and grooming someone for down the road but honestly corner is not the big problem it was at this point of the year going into the draft last year. I could see Gettleman finding another stud in the mid to later rounds like we did in Benwikere last year. If we can avoid the injury bug this year we might not have to start 8 rookies again this year.

 

I see what you're saying but I'm trying to take a talent analysis approach specific to the position rather than talk about the overall draft strategy.  In my view, the difference makers are clearly there.  Do any stand out to you?

[PanthersUnited]

Kevin Johnson would be a great pick. I could see us taking him, if Norman tears it up and wants a bigger contract than we are willing to pay, I could see Kevin Johnson replacing him and being cheaper and younger

[ser23vp]

Nice List of prospects!! #KeepPounding

[Verge]

I'd love Kevin Johnson or Marcus Peters. Not sure if the character concerns will allow Peters to fall to us, he is 1a with Waynes though.

[bababoey]

Doran Grant out of Ohio State is pretty good.  About the same size and speed as Nelson.  Should go around the same area as him as well, end of the 2nd to the end of the 3rd.

 

Also Randall out of Arizona State and Rowe out of Utah are both the same kind of player.  Both played mostly safety in school, Rowe played his senior year as CB.  Depends on who you ask if they are better at safety or CB.  Both are around the 3rd round area.  Rowe is a bigger guy, which is what Ron seems to like.  Randall is smaller.  Both ran really good and tested really well at the combine.  Depends as to what team they go to as to what they will play, safety or cornerback.

[Swaggasaurus]

I like Kevin White out of TCU as a 3rd and Quandre Diggs as a 5th for a nickelback both would fit what we do here. Fit is soooooo important when we are talking DB's

[bababoey]

I like White, I just wish he was taller and a little faster.

[TheNewStandard]

I guess everyone forgot Gettlemans speech about building the team from the inside out...through the trenches.

he got Benewikere in like the 5th and I doubt he was on anyone's top-20 on their position charts.

would be nice to have all these draft threads on the draft page and please get corners and running backs out of your top 4 draft mocks.

[LinvilleGorge]

I guess everyone forgot Gettlemans speech about building the team from the inside out...through the trenches.

he got Benewikere in like the 5th and I doubt he was on anyone's top-20 on their position charts.

would be nice to have all these draft threads on the draft page and please get corners and running backs out of your top 4 draft mocks.

 

Yet we took a WR in the 1st round last year.  When you have a chance to add a difference maker at a position of need, you do it.

 

Plus, this thread can be used for CB prospects throughout the draft, not just the first few rounds.

[bababoey]

Another guy is Jacorey Sheppard from Kansas.  He just don't tackle real well so I don't know how much they will look at him.  Should be a 4th or 5th round type of guy.  Quick and fast and plays the ball really well.

[davos]

Thanks for the add-ins bababoey.  I'll try to add them shortly. 

 

I like Eric Rowe a good deal.  And Swag is right about fit being everything.  There's a handful of Tampa-2 style guys in the mid-rounds that I don't think would be ideal.  It'll be interesting to see who our staff likes this offseason.

 

I would caution people to not assume simply because Bene was found in the 5th last year that it means we can find a great CB late any given year.  It's all relative to the draft class, value, and talent available at each pick. The "Bene" for us this year could be something entirely different.