The 2009 NFL Draft has a lot of numbers at the cornerback position (in terms of how many cornerbacks will be coming out this year) but not necessarily a lot of spectacular talent. As has been the case with several of the positions we have reviewed, this position is heavy at the top then lighter the farther down you go. The talent at the top of this group is good however and there could be several players taken in the first and second round.
The following is a look at the top five players at the cornerback position heading into the 2009 NFL Draft with some analysis and a prediction where they will go in the draft.
1. Malcolm Jenkins-Ohio State-At first, it appeared as if Jenkins would be a lock at cornerback going into the draft but as we get closer to the draft, it is a possibility that Jenkins could be moved to safety thanks to his size. The first thing that you will notice about Jenkins is that he has great size (at the combine he came in at 6’0 1/8” weighing 204 pounds. He ran a 4.55 40 and benched 225 pounds 15 times) and is a fine athlete. His speed also allows him to keep up with some of the faster wide receivers. He also plays very aggressively and can make plays when needed. The knock on Jenkins is that he hasn’t played against some of the top competition at wide receiver (in the nation) even playing at Ohio State so some wonder how he will hold up playing against some of the best talent in the world at the position.
Jenkins may end up playing safety in the NFL but for now he looks to be able to be a solid cornerback who will have his tough times to start but will eventually work his way up. Look for him to go somewhere in the top 15 of the first round in the 2009 NFL Draft.
2. Vontae Davis-Illinois-Davis, like Jenkins, is yet another corner prospect who could very well make a move to safety when he gets into the NFL. Davis is a speedy corner (at the combine he ran a 4.49 40, benched 225 25 times and came in weighing 203pounds and stood 5’11 1/8”) with decent size and great athletic ability. He can not only play corner but could serve well as a return specialist and has had some success bringing back kicks. He is aggressive and has great moves as well as the speed to keep up with most wide receivers. The knock against Davis is that there are times when he can play too aggressively and take himself out of a play. He will have to curb that in the NFL. Otherwise, he looks very solid.
Having good special teams skills will really help Davis get drafted and he will (and has) shown his value to many NFL teams. Davis could easily be a top 20 selection in the 2009 NFL Draft and may even end up being the best corner to come out of this year’s draft.
3. Darius Butler-Connecticut-Some people are a little bit down on Butler but in all honestly, he just may be one of the best cornerback prospects in this draft and has a fine future ahead of him. Athletically, Butler is one of the most gifted at the position. In terms of his size (at the combine Butler came in weighing 183 pounds and stood 5’10 3/8”. He ran a 4.53 40 and didn’t do the bench press) he has good size and has the ability to jump up in the air and knock the ball away or come down with an interception. He could also be used as a kick return specialist. The biggest knock on Butler is that he didn’t play against some of the top level competition and that might drop him down a little bit in some general manager’s minds. He could also stand to become more physical and help out in run support.
While Butler may be more of a cover guy and not so much of a run support cornerback, he does have a lot of promise as a cover corner and with some good coaching, he could end up being one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. Right now, it looks as if Butler may go either in the lower part of the first round or the early second round and should be the next cornerback selected after Vontae Davis.
4. Alphonso Smith-Wake Forest-While Smith came into the 2009 NFL Draft, at first, as a player many thought wasn’t as good as “advertised” but has now put on quite a show in workouts and comes in as the number four rated corner in the draft. Smith has some solid playmaking ability and is a very aggressive and a very reliable player. He is a fine athlete and is able to stay with most receivers. He can also make the big play interception and knock the ball away when possible. Smith is an intelligent player as well and can learn a defensive system quickly. What Smith lacks is good size (at the combine he came in standing 5’9” weighing 183 pounds. He ran a 4.53 40 and benched 225 13 times) and this will hurt him when matching up against taller and stronger wide receivers. This might drop him down a few spots and cause him to go early in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. It will also limit which players he can cover in the NFL.
Right now, Smith looks like he could be an early second round pick thanks to the needs that some of the teams at that point in the draft have for a cornerback. He could be an effective nickle back but may struggle as a starter.
5. D.J. Moore-Vanderbilt-While some may place Moore ahead of Smith, Moore is certainly going to be one of the top cornerback prospects in the draft and could be one of the best in the league in a very short amount of time. Moore is built well for the position and can work both against the pass and the run thanks to his bulk but he is not as tall as most would like to see at the position (at the combine he came in standing 5’8 7/8” tall weighing 192 pounds. He ran a 4.53 40 and benched 225 17 times) but he is big and can tackle very well. Mechanically he is sound and can stick with wide receivers but won’t be able to match up against the bigger ones. His speed is good and he can transition well into coverage. Aside from the size factor, Moore can be blocked out of plays easily by bigger receivers. When trying to return punts and kickoffs (which, incidentally is another plus about Moore) he sometimes makes bad decisions but, if brought into the right system, he could be of some value on special teams.
Moore has a lot of talent and will be valuable to a team that is willing to overlook his height limitations and possibly use him as a nickel back but his talent should get him drafted higher than your typical nickel back would. Look for Moore to go somewhere in the middle of the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft and have a pretty good career wherever he lands.
By Bryan Dietzler
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