Disclaimer: Our Grades are based on a mixture of current skill and potential, there is no saying they will reach their full potential 

*Click on the Player Names to See Their Full NFL Draft Profiles

1. Christian Gonzalez

6’1”, 197

Round: Early 1

Grade: 75.4% (Multiple time pro bowler with potential to be a perennial pro bowler/All-Pro)

Comp: Xavien Howard

Summary: Christian Gonzalez is a prospect I really like, and the craziest part is that I think he’s still a raw prospect that has a lot of potential and room to grow. The first thing I noticed about Gonzalez is that he does a pretty good job of mixing up his alignments and disguising coverages. Although based on what I saw if he had his choice, he would want to be pressed up and in your face. Regardless of his alignment though he likes to get hands on his receiver. The one thing I noticed about Gonzalez is I think he has some kind of confidence issue or something. Watch his film, and watch for plays where he gets beat off the line. The next play Gonzalez will back off and play a softer alignment/coverage.

2. Devon Witherspoon 

5’11.5”, 181

Round: Early-Mid 1

Grade: 69.6% (Top tier starter with pro bowl potential)

Comp: L’Jarius Sneed

Summary: Witherspoon is an unbelievable man coverage cornerback. It is interesting to note, Illinois plays a ridiculous amount of man coverage. Witherspoon also has inside-outside versatility, and likes to get hands on and be aggressive at the point of attack. He can read the field pretty well and has pretty good range as well. Witherspoon has the ability to lay the highlight reel tackle, and can also secure a tackle, but it’s not all the time. Witherspoon seems to be a better tackler when getting downhill. When runs break off into the second and third levels and you have to tackle the ball carrier in space is when his tackling is much more rough. It’s really more so the angles he takes on his tackles in space than it is his actual ability to tackle.

3. Julius Brents

6’3”, 198

Round: Mid-Late 1

Grade: 67.9% (High end starter with pro bowl potential(minimum))

Comp: Antonio Cromartie without all the kids

Summary: I thought Brents was a bit better in man than zone coverage. Brents has elite level size, length, and athleticism, although lacks elite speed. His length is really beneficial against receivers trying to block him. When he strikes and extends he is able to keep most receivers off his body and shed them. In coverage his length is able to help him make plays on the ball, especially when he is slightly trailing due to his lack of elite speed. He also has pretty good footwork and really fluid hips. Brents is also one of the most active cornerbacks I’ve seen in run support. He’s aggressive at the point of attack against blockers and tackles really well, but also knows how to bring the boom. He does not fear contact, he is not like other cornerbacks. When he is playing to the nub side of a formation he will play up at the line like an OLB. He knows how to contain and set the edge. He takes on pullers like a linebacker. He sets his base, lowers his shoulder, and holds his ground with his outside arm free.

4. Kelee Ringo

6’2, 207

Round: Mid 1- Super Early 2

Grade: 63.8% (Starter with potential to be above average starter(to me this is more so his floor than his ceiling))

Comp: Tariq Woolen

Summary: Ringo in my eyes is still an extremely raw prospect who under the right coaching could absolutely take off and be a ridiculously good player in the pros. Teams I think of when I think Ringo: Patriots, Ravens, Seahawks, Giants. Ringo’s footwork though is unbelievably rough. His ability to change direction and break on a route is bad, it’s so slow. He needs to learn to plant and break. There were so many times where he could’ve made a play and his lack of ability to break on the play cost him. He’s not precise on his breaks either. There were several times where he’d be matched on a WR running an in or out route and instead of planting and covering he would round out the route, which gave the receiver just enough separation.

5. Deonte Banks

6’, 197

Round: 2

Grade: 57.9% (Role player/high end back up, with potential to develop, who’s close to starting)

Comp: Rasul Douglas

Summary: Banks seemed to be really good when it came to scramble drills, and just having to stick his man trying to get open. Coverage wise he was good, not great. I think Banks definitely has some upside depending on the scheme he gets drafted into and/or the coaching he receives. On the other hand, his footwork isn’t awful, but it definitely needs work. He doesn’t show the ability to break on routes. On hitches, curls, comebacks, etc he doesn’t look like he can change direction and break on the route. On double moves or even single move routes(outs, digs, etc) he rounds out the route, he doesn’t really show an ability to plant his foot in the ground and run the route with the receiver.

6. Kyu Blu Kelly

6’, 191

Round: Late 1- Early 2

Grade: 65% (Great starter with potential to be a top tier starter)

Comp: Alontae Taylor

Summary: Kelly is a prospect that impressed me a lot. I think he’s a really good coverage corner who may be one of, if not the best CB in run support I’ve watched in the last couple years. He’s strong at the point of attack against blockers, and shows a smart aggression like I’ve never seen from a CB before. The best way I can think to explain it is he’s a cornerback with a safety mentality. His goal when he sees the ball carrier is to run right through his blocker. That being said, his ability to actually get off blocks at times could use some work, but I’d rather teach block shedding because you can’t coach the mentality he has.

7. Cam Smith

6’1”, 180

Round: Early-Mid 2

Grade: 62.5% (Starter with the potential to be an above average starter)

Comp: Ambry Thomas

Summary: Smith is a super physical, press-man corner. He wants to get in your face, frustrate you, and re-route you every single play. Smith is also a really smart zone corner. One of the things about his game I like the most is just how well he can apex routes in zone.

8. Joey Porter Jr.

6’2.5”, 193

Round: Early-Mid 2

Grade: 62.9% (Starter with the potential to be an above average starter)

Comp: Derion Kendrick

Summary: I think Porter is “versatile” for lack of a better term. Porter is 100% a CB; however, the way that Penn State spun their coverage sometimes, Porter potentially ended up playing the deep third like a safety. Porter is not as physical as some people are making him out to be. He flashes the ability to be and looks good when he does, but it lacks consistency. When he does get physical and hands on, he can get really handsy down field. If he continues to be like that, he could be a player you’re worried about getting flagged every time the ball is in the air on a deep route.

9. Tyrique Stevenson

6’, 198

Round: Mid-Late 2

Grade: 62.1% (Good starter with the potential to be a great starter)

Comp: Aaron Robinson

Summary: Stevenson is definitely a better man corner than he is a zone corner. Even in man, Stevenson is better in press than he is in off man. He’s not bad in off man, but his transitions on route breaks can be rough at times. In zone coverage, he had multiple busted coverages which led to big plays or touchdowns. Although Stevenson played outside at The U, I do think Stevenson could be utilized as a nickel player as well. Before playing for the canes, Stevenson played for Georgia where he was on the depth chart for their “Star” position which is their nickel player.

10. Emmanuel Forbes

6’1”, 166

Round: 2

Grade: 62.1% (Good starter whose potential is unknown due to skillset)

Comp: Kaiir Elam

Summary: Forbes is arguably a Top 3 coverage corner. Although Mississippi State played a good chunk of zone, I would say I was more impressed with his man coverage. Let me tell you, weighing 166 lbs doesn’t stop Forbes from doing anything. He gets overpowered probably 95% of the time, but he is not afraid to attack you from press alignment. Where a lot of corners try to jab you with one arm, Forbes will literally stand at the line and press you both hands. I think Forbes can start for a team day one as a coverage corner and do well. Unfortunately, for the most part you need to be more than a coverage corner to be a starter in the NFL. I think Forbes is going to be a liability against the run, and a corner like that who can’t do it all is not worth the risk of a 1st round pick.

11. Jaylon Jones

6’2”, 200

Round: 3

Grade: 60% (Borderline starter, maybe a high end backup to start with potential to start by end of year)

Comp: Rock Ya-Sin

Summary: Jones is a pretty good corner all around, but isn’t great at any one thing. He definitely seems like a stronger man coverage cornerback to me than zone. With that being said, he plays from depth more than not. It’s hard to tell whether it’s a scheme thing or he’s afraid of getting beat. When he does line up in your face rarely, if ever, does he press. Although he does like to get hands on through the route. His footwork is good, not great. In coverage you can definitely see the lack of speed at times. 

12. Eli Ricks

6’2”, 188

Round: 3- Early 4

Grade: 55.8% (Great backup who flashes starter potential in a year or two)

Comp: Carlton Davis

Summary: Once thought of as a top draft prospect, Ricks is now a mid-round pick in our eyes. Ricks is definitely better in man coverage than in zone. Some of his zone tape looks okay, but other parts not so much. In press alignment, Ricks has a tendency to open his hips too early. He needs to be a little bit more patient as he can get beat by release fakes. Ricks lacks speed and it shows on tape. When he falls behind he can get a bit handsy. He can get too physical/handsy at the top of routes/breaks. Ricks is pretty reliant on getting hands on or the WR is going to get separation, especially receivers with speed. Elite/dynamic route runners could also give him problems at the next level. I think he needs a year or two to sit and develop under veterans and NFL coaching. In the meantime he’s a strong backup. With his size and length, I think Ricks has CB1 potential, but you need to clean up some of his game first.

13. Riley Moss

6’1”, 193

Round: 4-5

Grade: 56.7% (Great backup who may find a role somewhere. Potential to start down the line)

Comp: Kristian Fulton

Summary: One of the biggest positives I’ve heard about Moss is his playmaking and ball skills. I have to be honest, I wasn’t that impressed. I thought his range was pretty average. I watched a highlight of Moss from his 2021 campaign where he had 4 INTs. There was one where he reached out and made a nice extended INT, but outside of that I didn’t see ball skills like people talked about. I saw Moss make a play of a bobbled ball and a few bad balls by QBs. Obviously, a turnover is a turnover, it’s a momentum shifter, but to call Moss a ballhawk would be a bit of an overstatement. He takes advantage of the situation.