Defensive Backs Preview
by Luke Paul Chandler
This week, Luke Paul Chandler looks at the defensive backs class, which is loaded up with several elite talents, like Arizona’s Antoine Cason.
By Luke Paul Chandler
Cornerback
This year’s class of corners is absolutely loaded with elite talent. As many as eight cornerbacks could hear their names called as first day picks in 2008. It has corners of all varieties, with quick man coverage corners like Leodis McKelvin, Mike Jenkins, Brandon Flowers and Justin King. All of them excel at mixing up with the receiver, and are known to gamble.
Also there are elite zone-coverage corners, such Antoine Cason and Aqid Talib. Both are long, lean corners with great ball skills and reaction skills. In any other draft class, both would be fighting for position as top 15 picks, but they were usurped by the small school talents of McKelvin and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Cason and Talib didn’t post amazing workouts, but both have solid NFL-ready skills.
Another particularly intriguing aspect of this year’s cornerback class is the ability for them to return kicks and punts. McKelvin’s draft value has risen significantly since season’s end because of his return skills. Cason has returned punts in the past, and same with Boise State junior Orlando Scandrick. Scadrick’s elite speed and quickness has risen him up draft boards to a possible early second-day selection. Justin King of Penn State has seen his value as a corner fall because of a lackluster junior season in Happy Valley, but he still remains high on some teams because of his ability to be an elite kick return specialist.
Top Ten (as of 3/22/08)
1. Leodis McKelvin, CB/PR, Troy, 5′11, 187
2. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State, 6′2, 175
3. Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida, 6′0, 200
4. Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona, 6′1, 192
5. Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas, 6′2, 205
6. Justin King, CB, Penn State, 6′0, 186
7. Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech, 5′10, 190
8. Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana, 5′11, 185
9. Terrell Thomas, CB, Southern California, 6′1, 200
10. Zackary Bowman, CB, Nebraska, 6′2, 200
Best By Trait
Man Coverage - Leodis McKelvin (Troy)
Zone Coverage - Aqib Talib (Kansas)
Closing Speed - Terrell Thomas (Southern California)
Lateral Movement - Tracy Porter (Indiana)
Tackling - Brandon Flowers (Viriginia Tech)
Ball Skills - Antoine Cason (Arizona)
Strength - Jack Ikegwuonu (Wisconsin)
Stud - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Tennessee State) - The long-armed Rodgers-Cromartie has been in a dead heat all post season for top cornerback honors with McKelvin. Cromartie likes to mix it up, and can run with most receivers. He tracks the ball well in the air, and has the quickness and hips adjust quickly on the ball.
Sleeper - Tracy Porter (Indiana) - Teams who miss out on McKelvin need to look no further than Porter for a player to make a similar impact. Porter is a flashy, ball hawk corner with amazing athleticism. He can adjust to balls in mid air and possesses great instincts. His speed allows him to gamble a bit which can cost him, but it allows him to chase down plays other corners just can’t make. Porter also doubles as a punt return specialist and kickoff coverage gunner, and excels at both. Porter isn’t the most physical player though, and needs work on his hand use.
Slipper - Justin King (Penn State) - Once an elite prospect coming out of high school, King’s declaration for the draft made little sense. Despite having great speed, cutback ability and hands, he’s a very raw and inconsistent player. King has not progressed much from his freshman year, where he looked like he could blossom into a Champ Bailey-type corner. He was beaten several times this year by more physical wide receivers who just out-muscled him for the ball. King gambled too much as a junior, and was routinely beaten. King may not be able to learn quickly enough in the NFL to contribute as a cornerback and may be relegated to return duties exclusively, like Devin Hester of the Bears. Unless he is drafted by a team with a great defensive backs coach, King’s career may be forever derailed.
Grade - A
Safety
The trademark of the past few safety classes has been an elite, game-changer, such LaRon Landry in 2007 or Michael Huff in 2006, but this year the trend is over. The safety class may have one or two first round picks, and even that is not a guarantee. Expect one of Reggie Smith and Kenny Phillips to come off the board around pick 20. For Smith, the greater question is which position does he get drafted at — cornerback or safety? It could cause his value to drop.
The rest of the draft class features mostly backups and special teams players. No one jumps off the page as a surefire starter who will be a starter from day one. That’s a tough analysis to have, as many safeties who have gone from the fourth round on have stepped in as rookies and started. There are simply too many questions about these safeties with workout warriors (Tom Zbikowski and Josh Barrett), limited athletes (Steltz), and one-dimensional players (Jonathan Hefney, Quintin Demps).
Two of the lesser known names in this group, NC State’s DaJuan Morgan and California’s Thomas DeCoud, are the sleepers of this class. Morgan played on bad teams while at NC State, which limited his exposure, while DeCoud had to always contend with the press around California’s offensive talent. Both are stout run defenders who play a physical game, and will be intimidators in the middle.
Top Ten (as of 3/23/08)
1. Reggie Smith, S/CB, Oklahoma, 6′1, 198
2. Kenny Phillips, S, Miami(FL), 6′2, 210
3. DaJuan Morgan, S, NC State, 6′1, 200
4. Quintin Demps, FS, UTEP, 6′1, 205
5. Josh Barrett, FS, Arizona State, 6′3, 231
6. Tom Zbikowski, SS, Notre Dame, 6′0, 210
7. Thomas DeCoud, FS, California, 6′2, 204
8. Marcus Griffin, FS, Texas, 6′0, 195
9. Craig Steltz, SS, Louisiana State, 6′2, 204
10. Jonathan Hefney, FS, Tennessee, 5′9, 18
Best By Trait
Man Coverage - Reggie Smith (Oklahoma)
Zone Coverage - DaJuan Morgan (NC State)
Run Support - Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas State)
Closing Speed - Thomas DeCoud (California)
Lateral Movement - Josh Barrett (Arizona State)
Tackling - Thomas DeCoud (California)
Ball Skills - Craig Steltz (Louisiana State)
Blitz - DaJuan Morgan (NC State)
Strength - Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame)
Stud - Kenny Phillips (Miami) - Phillips is a do it all safety who has skills similar to the late Sean Taylor. He is a terror in zone coverage, and closes quickly on plays with his great instincts. Phillips played the past two seasons inconsistently, and never quite put it all together. Teams may be afraid to gamble on a top 15 pick for him, but he should be a solid NFL starter.
Sleeper - Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas State) - The physical and intimidating Johnson has shown some teeth. He is a big hitter who’s best fit is as an in-the-box safety in the NFL. Johnson is not afraid to be physical with the ball carrier, but his aggressiveness can be exploited. He lacks great coverage skills or awareness, so he will have to be paired with a free safety with great range.
Slipper - Josh Barrett (Arizona State) - Barrett has been a hot name in the post-season because of his great workouts. At the Combine in February he ran a 4.35 40-yard dash and officially measured 6-foot-2, 225 pounds. Not many experts were stunned by this, but it does little to show that Barrett can improve his coverage skills. By season’s end, Barrett had become such a liability for the Sun Devils that he was benched. His career has been marked by inconsistency and disappointment. His best bet is a rumored move to outside linebacker for teams that run Tampa-2 style defenses.
Grade - C+