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Courtesy of NFL Spot
This is a year good Cornerback class coming into Indy this week. There is no true stud in my opinion, but they are a few first rounders and very good depth behind filled with guys who look like they can be good nickel cornerbacks, a couple who look to be good number two cornerbacks, and a few who look like they can develop into number one cornerbacks. One of those guys who fits the good nickel or maybe even good number two cornerback role that isn’t going is John Talley of Duke. I doubt John would’ve put up head turning numbers, but he was one of the most productive cornerbacks (if the most) and being able to see him workout under the spotlight would’ve been interesting to see. So, who will impress, turn some heads, and make an attempt to separate themselves from everybody else this week? My vote would go to Chris Houston of Arkansas. A junior who declared early, Houston possesses an excellent combination of size and speed. Houston shut down wide receivers in the SEC all year and was certainly one of those guys Quarterbacks try to avoid throwing near. Houston’s athletic ability and quickness should really show at the Combine and impress a lot of people. Some others who I think will impress are Darrelle Revis of Pittsburgh, Josh Wilson of Maryland, Aaron Ross of Texas, Fred Bennett of South Carolina, and Marcus McCauley of Fresno State. Darrelle is a very strong cornerback with excellent size and solid speed to boost. Revis possesses a lot of on-field quickness and has good elusiveness. He won’t blow anybody away with his forty, but I believe in the three-cone and the shuttle drills Revis will look good along with the on-field drills. Josh Wilson I expect to be the fastest player there, and that’s overall, not just for the Cornerbacks. Wilson is a bit on the short side and doesn’t have the greatest strength (though it is solid), but his speed and quickness will really turn heads and he could move up into the late first round and at least solidify a second round selection. Aaron Ross and Fred Bennett are players who are both very good overall athletes. Both I expect to put up good forty’s, good numbers in the other speed drills, and put up very good verticals. Marcus McCauley has been talked about for a long time as a guy who will put up an amazing workout. He had a very disappointing senior season and is going to need to put up the show most are expecting to stay in the second round. McCauley is an excellent with athlete with a great size and speed combo. Expect him to be near the top of every speed, and even the bench, test. The player I expect to fall the most is Tyron Brackenridge of Washington State. A good on-field performer and has good size and is solid in most areas. But, he is one of those “jack of all trades but master of none” players and to go on top of it, his speed and athletic ability are only average. A few other players I expect to take a hit this week are Trumaine McBride of Mississippi, Ryan Smith of Florida, and the two Baylor teammates C.J. Wilson and Anthony Arline. Both C.J. Wilson and Anthony Arline have very good size, have good strength, and will put up solid verticals, but both are average in terms of athletic ability and speed. Wilson is graded higher then Arline though because he is slightly better in pretty much everything (speed, size, athletic ability, strength, and production). Ryan Smith I believe will run well, but his size is going to kill him. I doubt he runs in the 4.3’s which is truly what he needs to be running when you only weigh 174 lbs. He’ll put up good speed times, but like I said, not as good as somebody who weighs 174 lbs. should be putting up. Trumaine McBride is in the same boat as Ryan Smith, except he is slightly bigger but much slower. McBride put up great production at Ole Miss, but it certainly wasn’t due to his measureables, which are what’s going to hurt him at the Combine. It should be a very interesting workout with all the players in it who are fighting for draft position, specifically in the first two rounds. |
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