From Christian Gonzalez to Cam Smith, Sky Sports' Cam Hogwood takes a deep dive into the top names within a loaded cornerback class ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft; watch the Draft live on Sky Sports, beginning with day one on Thursday April 27.
Friday 14 April 2023 00:22, UK
The cornerbacks are coming, and with them as much depth in top end talent as any position group heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.
Mirror-and-trail guys, seek-and-destroy guys, lanky lighthouse guys, Mystic Meg guys, press and off-ball guys, throwback track stars to modernised do-it-alls, box tacklers to boundary marshalls.
They subscribe to playing one of football's most physically and mentally gruelling jobs, specification to which chops and changes with regularity according to the offensive trends and tendencies of today's NFL.
Can you read releases, limit bites and grabs, and spin, stutter, stop-and-start while conjoining to the hip of a receiver in press? Can you diagnose route depths and breaks while tempering ‘see ball get ball’ instincts by acing the timing and angle of your attack on the ball in zone? Can you pass off assignments to your safety in rotating post-snap coverages? Can you identify the nuances in design of a tight end lined up a yard either side of the hash? Can you find the ball in a game of Three-card Monte with pre-snap motion and counter-flow double reverses? Can you be nimble enough to carry receivers downfield and brawny enough to tackle downhill?
The class of 2023 has a bit of it all, and you would not bet against at least five going in the first round. Let's take a look at some of the names in question...
General consensus would point towards Christian Gonzalez, Devon Witherspoon and Joey Porter Jr topping the class, with some toing and froing between Gonzalez and Witherspoon as to who leads the way.
Christian Gonzalez - Oregon
Gonzalez is perhaps the easiest on the eye of them all. The Oregon man is unflinching, unhurried and the smoothest looking of operators whether lined up outside or in the slot, the latter of which he spent a class-high 29 per cent of snaps last season despite being largely untouchable as a boundary-first contributor. He finished the 2022 campaign with four interceptions and eight pass break ups while switching comfortably between zone and press man as a prolific objector to splash plays downfield and instinctive route-jumper both off the line and coming downhill. He ticks the twist-and-tail box with flying colours through unrushed footwork in reaction to release feints, fluid hips in swivel transition and long gliding strides to mirror receivers with ease.
At times there is a sense he barely kicks out of second gear, Gonzalez rarely prone to overcommitting his hand use or sacrificing leverage mid-route and often able to disrupt passing avenues in press man with rangy arms that allow him to cleanly wrap receivers and intrude on their catch zone. He would pass as an antonym for ‘clunky’, never muddling his feet while hopping between outside-and-inside on the half-turn in retreat and fulfilling dropbacks with robotic fluency. One of his flash moments last season came in his interception against Colorado, Gonzalez sinking in zone coverage at the snap while maintaining side-on body placement before reading the quarterback’s eyes spectacularly to burst downhill and jump the wheel route for the pick. His coverage ability meanwhile showed up well during a pass breakup against UCLA, this time seeing him match the receiver’s outside release seamlessly from a press alignment, refraining from grabbing in panic in tow and using his speed to make up ground before reading the receiver’s eyes at the top of the route to time his leap perfectly for the intervention. He is dominant on the perimeter: sideline is home, vertical is vacation.
Among few question marks of him might be the imposition of his presence, with the slickness to his work perhaps veiling the kind of urgency and intensity that protrudes for others in his class. To his credit, his style limits the need for wrestling matches and any war of attrition, but there will be intrigue as to how he handles the violent hands of physical receivers once he steps into the NFL.
Devon Witherspoon - Illinois
And with that, there is Witherspoon, who plays pesky as a constant rash on his man with prodding arms and disruptive mid-route hand-to-hand combat. The Illinois defensive back had three interceptions and 14 pass breakups last season while allowing just 22 catches on 62 targets for 209 yards and an opponent passer rating of 25.3. While Gonzalez may be the easiest on the eye, Witherspoon might well be the blue chip of the group.
He is your modern pest, hustling and harrying opponents with copy-cat footwork at the snap and sticky body mirroring to suffocate in short-to-intermediate plays, navigating crossing routes with composure in traffic and exploding downhill from a static cushion start or while in dropback motion by way of his outstanding transitioning to blow up plays in a click. Witherspoon’s upper-body strength allows him to jam and re-route receivers while also absorbing contact should they ever try to charge him in off-ball situations, as well as coupling with his competitiveness in making him a bruising open-field tackler as he flies to the ball - the latter relaxing some concern over his slighter frame at just 5’11 ½” and 181lbs. He is scrappy and tenacious with short area acceleration to blanket inside releases or soar off the edge as a blitzer. With his elite acceleration comes production from zone as he is able to afford himself extra cushion with the knowledge he can erase the space with his speed, as much paving the way to a standout interception against Northwestern as he read the quarterback’s mind to abandon his perimeter assignment and jump the incoming crosser from out of nowhere. Besides queries over his size, one area of improvement would be cleaner engagement at the point of contact, the speed and urgency with which he plays occasionally throwing off his angle.
At this stage, you are being picky when looking for faults. Witherspoon is your apex competitor, with the chop and rake hands to jostle in-phase and at the catch point along with the rattling impact at the point of contact as a tackler. He thrives up in a receiver's grill but also cuts a menacing figure when granted a runway with which to plant-and-trigger in off-coverage. Detroit Lions, we are looking at you at No 6 overall.
Joey Porter Jr - Penn State
Where Witherspoon’s frame might have generated uncertainty, the stature of Porter Jr has contrastingly fuelled buzz over his upside. The Penn State DB is arguably your prototypical modern cornerback at 6’2 ½”, 193lbs with 34” arms and a 4.46-second 40-yard dash on his resume. He is your ready-made press man guru, lining up on receivers on 39 per cent of his snaps last season as a nightmare shadow with his speed and intrusive length. Porter is a well-rehearsed spin-and-go vertical route tracker from press alignments, drawing on his strong obstructive arms to blunt receiver efforts to gain separation and stubbornly refusing to detach from his man’s hip. It is what makes him so valuable to Cover 3-man systems when defenses seek to bait passes outside the numbers, Porter Jr rarely looking like relinquishing yardage in his third of the field. From a lateral standpoint his size can be dangerously deceptive from an offensive point of view, for what he may lack in immediate burst compared to others in the class he more than makes up for with the aggression, long strides and wingspan to smother inside releases and blow up passing lanes on crossers. With aggression and the willingness to get handsy and re-route receivers in press comes a patience when trying to anticipate inside breaks and releases and while carrying receivers downfield before timing his moment to turn and face the ball.
The hefty ceiling is the sell. Porter is dominant at the catch point with his wiry muscular arms to out-fight receivers and as a shrewd processor of route concepts. In zone coverage his athleticism and speed allow him to cut off space quickly before using his reach to wrap ball-carriers. His work in space would also feature under areas of development as he learns to reign in his aggression at times in favour of taking smarter angles, particularly when coming downhill to take on the run or facing up to checkdowns and screens. When he does meet his target he is stringy with wriggle room. Porter registered seven pass breakups and zero interceptions last season, though that should not deter teams too significantly. Solid film against Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr over the last two seasons will help his cause.
Cam Smith - South Carolina
South Carolina's Cam Smith has only been trending in one direction throughout this pre-Draft process, so much so he could quite comfortably break into that aforementioned perceived top three. He falls into a similar category as Witherspoon with regards to size at 180lbs and 6'1", but his frame never proved problematic at the college level. He offers some of the most polished and consistent tape of the entire class, with experience in both press and off-coverage as well as serving as a blitz option off the edge. One moment that perhaps typifies him came against Arkansas, Smith charging in to leapfrog his way into the middle of a multi-player scrum with the play all-but dead (a little Jimmy Bullard vs Newcastle style for those familiar). He wants every assignment and to be involved at every opportunity. He made sure of as much against Charlotte, Smith sinking into what looks like Cover 3 to bait the soft spot before springing his trap and transitioning seamlessly from back-to-front to rocket in and jump the out-route for a stunning diving interception. Instincts, acceleration, ball skills. Smith almost produced a near-identical play against Vanderbilt, this time playing in cushion before exploding into life to attack a curl route and pummel the receiver in question for a pass break-up.
Some of his work in off-coverage features among his best tape, Smith cleverly identifying route intentions when playing sticks defense to stand his ground before mirroring his nearest receiver's break. His trigger out of the back-peddle contributes heavily towards his value as a cushion defender, but put him in press and he is equally accomplished at spinning at the snap and breathing all over receivers, who quickly find no play is ever over as Smith tussles with them throughout. How he utilises his body is another interesting trait, Smith at times maintaining a relatively low coverage stance that enables him to spring into vertical duels and at other times adopting a get-tall stance to impair the quarterback as he blitzes from deep. He is an extremely skilled contortionist when tracking the ball, a fiery tackler against the run when able to find the lane and loves the arm grapples over the middle of the field. You would like to see him face more tests as a vertical runner on deep shots, while there is also room for improvement in how he takes angles and shrugs off blockers in screen and outside zone running plays.
Deonte Banks - Maryland
Banks is a fun study. He forces quarterbacks to work that little bit harder, harassing receivers for the duration of routes from press alignments to challenge the catch radius to its maximum and narrow the passing window to its slimmest. His play speed is emphatic and long-lasting whether he is operating in-phase on vertical routes downfield, covering receivers on extended off-script plays or bursting downhill as a run defender or blitzer. Banks' two interceptions and eight pass breakups fail to jump off the chart in comparison to the production of those around him, but his competence and command in press coverage was evident at Maryland. He is a nightmare to evade in match circumstances, welding himself to receivers and never letting go to the result of broken plays and offensive frustration. Opponents are only playing into his hands when they elect to engage in conflict mid-route, with Banks relishing the opportunity to rake, swipe and slap down arms, particularly at the catch point. He similarly welcomes the chance to initiate conflict to re-direct receivers (something he achieved against Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr), and hardly budges when bigger bodies try their luck at bulldozing him in search of leverage at their break.
The straight line speed is there for him to breeze alongside receivers downfield, with Banks developing a knack for flipping his hips at the precise moment and sinking into pass-catchers to disrupt their catching motion. With this comes the multi-tasking to remain side-on in-phase in order to continue reading the quarterback's eyes mid-pursuit, while he is also happy to play with his back to the passer and trust himself to read the receiver as he is preparing to high-point the ball. Such is his aggressive playing style that he will attempt to dislodge the ball at every opportunity as he explodes off his mark. Occasionally his feet will get stuck on inside releases and he will lose a yard or two against crossing routes a little too easily, but the short-area quickness tends to compensate in good time. Once he is on you, good luck losing him.
Emmanuel Forbes - Mississippi State
Devon Witherspoon will tell you size does not matter, and so too would his college game film. Another advocate for that sentiment is Mississippi State corner Emmanuel Forbes Jr, who has been faced with size questions as much as anybody after measuring up at 6’1” but just 166lbs. The recent history of cornerbacks weighing under 180lbs is modest, let alone 170lbs, but it is testament to the Forbes film that he remains so highly-regarded. The All-American recorded six interceptions and 11 pass breakups last season while allowing a passer rating of just 1.4 across 107 snaps in man coverage. Twitchy is one word for him, defiant another. He is prepared to take risks as a route-jumper and is ultra aggressive in penetrating passing lanes, his 32 ¼” arms and 4.35-second speed allowing him to crush space in an click.
Among the flash points are his exceptional ball skills, which paved the way to an NCAA record six pick-sixes in his college career. They showed up in a standout play against Arkansas with Forbes exhibiting intelligent body placement to stay side-on as he trailed his receiver downfield before rotating his hips at the ideal moment, fixing his eyes on the ball as he continued to back-peddle and leaping for the pick. It encapsulated a lot of his most valued traits in one, from the fluidity of his hips in motion to the maturity to play with controlled aggression and trust his hands at the top of routes. His short area quickness is matched by neat and balanced footwork that helps him react to sharp breaks, releases and secondary routes without losing ground, with the trust he has in his ability to high-point the ball and compete at the top of routes culminating in a composure when playing with his back to the passer. While the desired build may not be there, his anticipation and ability to diagnose concepts alone wins him plays at times. Again, despite his size there is no shortage of physicality in coming downhill to take on runners in the open field. The big question will be how he stands up to the fully-developed receivers at the pro level should they charge him in press or look to arm-wrestle mid-route.
Kelee Ringo - Georgia
The question might be a contrasting one for Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, who offers an NFL-ready frame as one of the most athletically-gifted cornerbacks on the board at 6’2” and 207lbs with 31 ¼” arms and a 4.36 40-yard dash on his scouting report. A question less of how he translates to the pros and more of how best to use and coach a player of his coveted size. Once upon a time Ringo had been considered the top cornerback in the class, his stock appearing to fall amid the ascent of others. Such is his size and the freaky tools that accompany it, though, there is still every chance he goes late in the first round. It is also why there is a temptation to line him up at safety, where teams will feel they can harness hybrid traits as an accomplished downhill tackler against the run and make use of his size against the more agile of tight ends scattered across the league.
Ringo’s bread and butter on the perimeter is drawing on his pursuit speed to carry receivers in-phase vertically downfield in man coverage, using his patience to refrain from overcommitting with his hands or panicking should he lose a yard on the release. Equally, it is his speed that allows him to cover crossing routes before seeking to cut off passing lanes, and his speed, combined with his toughness, from sideline-to-sideline that again fuels temptation to utilise him in the box against the world of outside zone run concepts, jet-sweeps and screen plays. In man coverage he is smart enough to decipher the conflict teams seek to create with scissor and rub routes and communicates efficiently in zone when it comes to delegating assignments post-snap. The main intrigue lies with how a defense best imposes his athleticism, particularly when route concepts become more intricate at the next level and shifty receivers catch him cold with the double moves, inside breaks and quick-hitters that can tend to muddle his footwork. While he is near-impossible to shake off downfield, he lacks the suffocation of others in the class when it comes to imitating sharp changes in direction and occasionally drops his eyes a little too soon in preparation for a pursuit. His transitioning could be smoother, his tackling cleaner and the faith in his instincts to attack passing lanes heightened, but he plays with enormous trust in his ability to win back yardage and shut down space with his speed. Ringo is one of the toughest and most interesting evaluations of the entire class.
Michigan's DJ Turner has a habit for making himself known on film as the most explosive athlete on the field for much of his time at college. He crushed pre-Draft testing with a 4.26-second 40-yard dash to lead all players at the Scouting Combine and no doubt make himself some more dollars, demonstrating the electric burst that shows up regularly on film. He is relentless, frenetic, high-octane; Turner refuses to budge or be bullied once he sticks himself to a receiver's hip, staying in-phase downfield with ease without sacrificing leverage by engaging prematurely with his hands. It is incredibly rare for him to be left in the blocks at the snap, and when it comes to in-breaking routes or double moves he has clinical lateral adjustment to remain in tow. At 5'11" and 178lbs he is on the smaller side, but the aesthetics of him flying to the ball or copying a receiver's stop-start work in his favour.
The size fluctuation across the class continues with Julius Brents of Kansas State, who measures up at 6'3" and 198lbs with 34" arms as another of the pro-ready frames equipped to fulfil the downhill tackling requirements of the modern cornerback. He is another to have impressed in pre-Draft testing after logging a 41.50" vertical jump (second among corners), an 11'6" broad jump (first among corners), a 6.63-second 3-Cone Drill (first among corners) and a 4.05-second 20-Yard Shuttle (first among corners). Brents had four interceptions and four pass breakups last season, primarily playing in off-coverage where he could rely on his anticipation before darting to the ball or mirroring breaks and using his rangy arms to interrupt passing lanes or smother receivers. His footwork in transition can occasionally leave something to be desired in press against nimble receivers and when changing direction, but his sheer size and reach give him an advantage both as a tackler against the run and when trying to intrude on quick-hitters underneath. Dwarfing, physical corner that will pass the eye test of many schemes across the league. Do not be surprised to see him become the most significant riser of all in the class.
Utah's Clark Phillips III is undersized at 5'9" 184lbs with just 29 1/8" arms, but had six interceptions and six pass breakups to show for his work last season. Where the bigger built corners in the class can struggle against the fleet-footed receivers, it is in this department where he thrives as he is able to showcase his lightning feet, which when coupled with his instincts make him a dynamic playmaker. He brings experience both outside and in the slot, the latter of which could become more of a permanent role at the next level in light of his size. He is a swift processor and never second guesses himself.
Like Phillips, TCU's Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson often defies his size (5'8", 178lbs, 29" arms) as a dogged competitor who allowed a passer rating of just 34.6 last season. He plays twitchy, on the front root and primed to pounce, blanketing deep passes downfield and cruising to pass-catchers or ball-carriers downhill. Of 24 targets on passes of 20+ yards last season, he allowed just five catches. His three interceptions and 15 pass breakups considered, we might be talking undisputed first-rounder were he a tad taller. Wherever the ball is, Hodges-Tomlinson is usually in close proximity.
Eli Ricks joins Brents in ticking the size box at 6'2", 188lbs with 32 3/8" arms, the Alabama man among the interesting developmental projects as he enters the NFL with limited experience. He makes full use of his long limbs to win one-on-one battles, be it prevailing in vertical contested catch situations or jabbing his hands through and around receivers to break up passes. While he is another that can be undone by shiftier stop-start receivers, he glides impressively from inside to out to track receivers in condense-to-expand formations. As might be expected in a Nick Saban defense he plays with discipline to avoid getting grabby in press coverage, playing tight to receivers and trusting his ball skills.
One man that could fall earlier than projected is Kentucky's Carrington Valentine, whose technique is raw but whose competitiveness and play-angry aggression to impact passing avenues and take on any tight end or receiver frame is undeniable. Valentine comes in at 6'0" and 193lbs having recorded 46 tackles, one interception and nine pass breakups last season. He is a fierce tackler with snappy short area burst and a taste for catch point conflict.
Grab yourself a cornerback. There are a few of them.
